Today, school leavers, graduates, working professionals and even existing CIMA candidates with at least 12 months left of their qualification can study and earn accountancy experience with an apprenticeship. CIMA's Apprenticeships are for many.
CIMA members come from various backgrounds — including young adults, working parents and full-time employees of all genders — experiences and cultural origins. But today’s landscape means obtaining an academic degree isn’t always realistic, giving increasing weight to apprenticeship programmes.
Unlike the traditional university route, a CIMA Apprentice earns a salary at an organisation within the profession while studying to become eligible to apply for a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA ) designation.
How CIMA’s Apprenticeships work
CIMA's Apprenticeships allow people from all walks of life to ‘earn and learn’. It’s a way of working and studying that appeals to many prospective professionals, from those balancing parenting with work to financially challenged teenagers.
That said, figuring out how to begin your CIMA's Apprenticeship learning experience might be confusing if you haven’t considered an apprenticeship before.
CIMA offers two apprenticeships:
Level 4 CIMA Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship
The first stage of CIMA's CGMA Professional Qualification, the Certificate in Business Accounting (Cert BA), is most suitable for school leavers and professionals transitioning from non-finance backgrounds.
Apprentices can expect to study and work full-time while learning from various business and financial executives who will teach them skills beyond standard management accounting.
Landing your first CIMA’s Apprenticeship
Depending on your apprenticeship level and where you work (or want to work), you may need to discuss your options with your employer.
Read our helpful tips on how to handle this topic at work.
When interviewing with a prospective employer, remember that the discussion will likely take place remotely and will be no different from a face-to-face environment.
So dress smartly, ensure your technology works smoothly, and your background presents you in the best light possible. Browse our countless tips to help prepare you for your big day — we want you to shine!
Learn more about starting your journey with CIMA’s Apprenticeship.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need some personal assistance in getting started with CIMA’s Apprenticeship.
futurestudents@aicpa-cima.com
Level 7 Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship
The Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship offers the same learning pathway with a full-time role at a relevant finance company. Level 7 apprentices study to qualify for the globally recognised CGMA Professional Qualification.
Level 7 is ideal for current Level 4 apprentices, graduates or working professionals with a
built-in finance background.
That’s why we’ve devised the fun and interactive CIMA Online Business Game to give you a taste of what you could do as part of CIMA's Apprenticeship.
In this interactive game, you answer 15 questions based on a case study from an official CGMA syllabus, playing as a management accountant This exciting and engaging matchup measures your ability to think critically, make sound business decisions and have a general feel for finance and accounting.
By scoring well in the CIMA Business Game, you can win an official certificate to show off on your social media and professional networking pages. Relax, embrace your inner management accountant and, most importantly, be open to what the future holds, regardless of your score!
Whether you pass with flying colours or require more study time to improve your chances next time, you’ll be one step closer to deciding if an apprenticeship is right for you.
Now, take a few minutes to play the CIMA Online Business Game.
Learn more
Learn more
2311-751899
®
®
After landing CIMA's Apprenticeship, the real fun begins!
You’ll have a front-row seat among leading business players. You’ll pick their brains,
analyse their best practices, offer alternative solutions to strategic problems and, most of all, be part of the world’s most dynamic and innovative profession. You’ll also be learning while earning a wage.
Apprenticeship graduates have gone on to pioneering careers in their fields.
In a recent interview, Network Rail’s Finance Business Partner, Diane Lorgeré, and Experian’s Group Equity and Reporting Manager, Alex Sanderson, shared their stories about being in the apprenticeship programme.
Diane attended Bristol University to major in economics. Her only job experience was a summer internship in the finance department of Transport for London, where she spent some time on safety reporting and an audit project for one of their suppliers.
She wanted experience that was more applicable to the workplace instead of theoretical. Diane recalls how invaluable studying and gaining experience together at work is and mentions how ‘an apprenticeship offers the best of both worlds’. With the apprenticeship programme, she spent ‘time getting real experience … and at the same time … studying for CIMA’.
Making the most of
CIMA’s Apprenticeship
She recommends a CIMA's Apprenticeship journey to others because getting both academic and professional training is a huge advantage if you want to further your career.
Alex completed his CGMA studies while working full-time at Experian, but he had to figure out how to find time for both his job and studies. The key, he said, was being ‘structured and quite strict with my time allocation’. He worked hard throughout the week and then put in additional evening study time to relax more on the weekends.
Alex would use his weekends before examinations to study as well. He spoke about Experian being really supportive by allowing ‘study leave in the run-up to exams’. The company’s commitment to his apprenticeship and pursuit of the CGMA designation allowed Alex to balance work and study comfortably.
Both graduates learned and developed throughout their apprenticeships since the scheme allowed them to balance their work and academic duties. Read more about Diane’s and Alex’s CIMA's Apprenticeships journeys.
®
CIMA's
Apprenticeships
®
®
That’s why we’ve devised the fun and interactive CIMA Online Business Game to give you a taste of what you could do as part of CIMA's Apprenticeship.
In this interactive game, you answer 15 questions based on a case study from an official CGMA syllabus, playing as a management accountant. This exciting and engaging matchup measures your ability to think critically, make sound business decisions and have a general feel for finance and accounting.
By scoring well in the CIMA Business Game, you can win an official certificate to show off on your social media and professional networking pages. Relax, embrace your inner management accountant and, most importantly, be open to what the future holds, regardless of your score!
Whether you pass with flying colours or require more study time to improve your chances next time, you’ll be one step closer to deciding if an apprenticeship is right for you.
Now, take a few minutes to play the
CIMA Online Business Game.
Making the most of
CIMA’s Apprenticeship
After landing CIMA's Apprenticeship, the real fun begins!
You’ll have a front-row seat among leading business players. You’ll pick their brains,
analyse their best practices, offer alternative solutions to strategic problems and, most of all, be part of the world’s most dynamic and innovative profession. You’ll also be learning while earning a wage.
Apprenticeship graduates have gone on to pioneering careers in their fields.
In a recent interview, Network Rail’s Finance Business Partner, Diane Lorgeré, and Experian’s Group Equity and Reporting Manager, Alex Sanderson, shared their stories about being in the apprenticeship programme.
Diane attended Bristol University to major in economics. Her only job experience was a summer internship in the finance department of Transport for London, where she spent some time on safety reporting and an audit project for one of their suppliers.
She wanted experience that was more applicable to the workplace instead of theoretical. Diane recalls how invaluable studying and gaining experience together at work is and mentions how ‘an apprenticeship offers the best of both worlds’. With the apprenticeship programme, she spent ‘time getting real experience … and at the same time … studying for CIMA’.
She recommends a CIMA's Apprenticeship journey to others because getting both academic and professional training is a huge advantage if you want to further your career.
Alex completed his CGMA studies while working full-time at Experian, but he had to figure out how to find time for both his job and studies. The key, he said, was being ‘structured and quite strict with my time allocation’. He worked hard throughout the week and then put in additional evening study time to relax more on the weekends.
Alex would use his weekends before examinations to study as well. He spoke about Experian being really supportive by allowing ‘study leave in the run-up to exams’. The company’s commitment to his apprenticeship and pursuit of the CGMA designation allowed Alex to balance work and study comfortably.
Both graduates learned and developed throughout their apprenticeships since the scheme allowed them to balance their work and academic duties. Read more about Diane’s and Alex’s CIMA's Apprenticeships journeys.
A GUIDE TO
Starts Today
Your dream
Career
Learn more about starting your journey with CIMA’s Apprenticeship.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need some personal assistance in getting started with CIMA’s Apprenticeship.
futurestudents@aicpa-cima.com
The Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship offers the same learning pathway with a full-time role at a relevant finance company. Level 7 apprentices study to qualify for the globally recognised CGMA Professional Qualification.
Level 7 is ideal for current Level 4 apprentices, graduates or working professionals with a
built-in finance background.
Level 7 Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship