Accounting Courses

The labor market is constantly evolving and gaining momentum, as evidenced by general statistics with an increasing number of jobs. Potential candidates analyze offers on a daily basis and often ignore low-paying jobs along with offers without further advancement. The career trend is increasing, influenced by the "coming out" of a younger and more ambitious generation, new technologies, as well as social development.

Some of the formerly popular professions are gradually fading into history, as specialists' places are taken by automated systems. Instead, the job market needs subject matter experts who know how to create and configure it, speeding up standard processes and increasing company profits. View ratings online courses or specialized training centers allows us to see similar dynamics.

Dynamics of the current labor market

In 3 years, the number of vacancies for positions in the IT industry has increased significantly, and the average salary level speaks to the usefulness of such skills. Most IT disciplines are not taught at universities or colleges, which also drives shortages along with the difference in final salary. Young job seekers look at job search sites and realize that learning digital technology will be more beneficial in the future.

The catalogs of educational resources on the Internet also tell us this well - popular training programs in 90% cases relate to the IT field. QA engineers, Big Data analysts, programmers, SEO-optimizers - all these professions are considered more promising in the next 10 years. Many companies are also looking for experts in artificial intelligence, augmented reality, 3D design or 2D animation.

However, there are and will be professions in the labor market that cannot yet be automated or will not be replaced by AI technologies. For example, an updated online English learning software cannot be a complete alternative to lessons with a teacher. A mobile app or online service will not give the student more flexible communication and a fine understanding of the "weaknesses" that need to be fixed in order to learn the material. At the same time, such training does not provide live practice, feedback, and additional motivation to learn. Self-education with the help of these services can give a voluminous base of the main points of study of the discipline. However, it is useful to communicate with native speakers or educators with qualifications to reinforce the material and practice.

A similar level of knowledge, together with the training methodology, also applies to the field of accounting and taxation. Almost every company needs experts in working with financial statements, and the discipline itself needs to be studied with constant updating of the skills acquired. Many commercial organizations publish open job announcements for the position of accountant, which specify a number of requirements to guarantee a high salary. A dedicated employee with long-term experience claims a salary of up to 120,000 rubles, which is equivalent to leading positions in the IT market.

Personnel with accounting skills and knowledge can fill Middle-level positions, gaining more practical skills in the workplace. But sometimes the knowledge gained in higher education may not be enough, as curricula are rarely revised or updated with new material. Online accounting courses from scratch are available for graduates of training centers and newcomers to the discipline. However, you need to understand the structure of such educational programs before attending a class or applying.

Structure of online accounting courses

There are few thematic resources on the Internet that describe in detail the methodology of teaching accounting. If you enter the search query "distance learning accounting courses," you will find hundreds of offers from various organizations. Usually companies motivate the potential audience with "loud" promises of a quick learning curve, or attract listeners with a guarantee of a high salary in the future. A beginner with no experience may not understand the complexity of learning accounting and the amount of information needed to introduce the course. The speed of learning is influenced by the teaching methodology, the freshness of the material, the qualifications of the mentor, and the desire of the student.

However, there are basic timelines that many major schools rely on. On average, it will take approximately 200+ academic hours to introduce a novice to the basics of financial accounting. Online accounting training requires hands-on experience along with teacher consultations, which cannot take more than 1 month or 2 weeks.

At the same time, when looking for a platform for online training, you need to take into account the organization of the training unit. Employees of companies with experience cannot be trained at the same time as beginners in the field of accounting. If accountants with experience are interested in the methodology of personal data processing, the latter have no idea about the basic organization of accounting in a company.

Differences in the level of prior learning can affect learning as well as the outcome of the entire course. Leading schools provide for quizzes that help determine a student's skill set to further build the learning base. Another point of accounting courses is additional self-study. For a comprehensive study of the discipline, the student needs to read the profile literature and author's instructional materials on his or her own. Homework helps to consolidate the material covered in lectures, as well as supplement it with more dry, structural information.

When studying specialized software (e.g. 1C:Accounting), schools recommend or give out literature for self-study. This addition also includes a final exam, on the basis of which a corresponding document is issued. A certificate of taking the course will be a good addition to the portfolio and will automatically increase the value of the candidate on the labor market. If we talk about distance learning courses, then at the end of the course the student receives a certificate, the number of which will be listed in the registry.

Summarizing the primary criteria for a comprehensive online accountant course, its structure can be highlighted by such items:

• total training time with the number of academic hours;
• teaching methods, qualification of mentors (teachers);
• organization of the study part, distribution of students by level of knowledge;
• verification tests, preliminary consultations;
• study of additional literature, homework;
• final tests, profile exams;
• issuance of a certificate or other document that confirms the mastery of the training base.

At the time of searching for a general educational program or retraining courses remotely, not all of the criteria can be considered. Their number is in the area of personal requirements of the student or the company that is looking for a candidate with specific skills. A good online school may give out additional literature to trainees, but instead, trainees can revisit archives of lessons they have taken. This applies to paid lessons as well as to some of the free zero-skills online training programs.

Paid and free online courses

Some prospective students want to start learning accounting for free to test their personal level of knowledge. Others are afraid of losing money, because there are paid resources on the Web with outdated or useless material. At the same time on free hosting or thematic forums you can see a lot of specialized materials, including excerpts from lectures and special literature. In each point of view there is a rational grain, because with a large number of proposals the chance of finding poor-quality material similarly increases.

However, there are some erroneous assumptions before you start mastering accounting. Some students believe that you can qualify as an accountant or tax accounting expert for free without attending an online school. In theory, it takes a lot of effort and time, and the results may not be worth it. In practice, almost all companies are looking for an accountant with a certificate of qualification, or with a relevant college or online school diploma. There are few resources online that provide free online courses with a certificate.

Most of these materials are introductory, which describe the basics of the discipline of accounting superficially. After viewing the free classes, the student is unlikely to understand the instructional framework presented and will not be able to apply it in practice. Free courses are also not suitable for chief accountants, as the requirements for their level of knowledge are higher compared to employees with no work experience.

At the same time, audiences have difficulty finding free material. There is little information in the public domain about the basics of payroll calculation or accounting in a budget organization. There is a learning base on similar topics in the specialized literature, which is published on a paid basis and is not published in the public domain. Primary documents, financial statements, payment for labor - all these structural parts of the discipline are most often published in fragments.

Free information is not enough for a comprehensive study of accounting, but it will help you repeat what you've learned, or remind you of it while you're working. Paid and free courses have their strengths along with their weaknesses, which you should be aware of before finding the right course. If a student has limited time to get an education, analyzing the differences will help you find the right curriculum faster.

Pros and cons of online accounting courses

Considering the accounting courses from scratch online, first you need to highlight the pros of paid education:

• Composition of the curriculum, freshness of the acquired knowledge. In fee-based training, the student will only be presented with a narrowly focused curriculum whose topic relates to the current program. For example, for future chief accountants, the topic includes the basics of taking office, the study of explanatory documents, and the structure of the organization of the accounting department.
• Communication with teachers. At the time of learning new material, the student may have questions about the topic that need to be explained in order to absorb the curriculum correctly. In fee-based courses, students can communicate with instructors and request personal consultations to reinforce new information.
• Continuous review of the training base. When reviewing free courses, you can see that some of them were published a long time ago. In the discipline of accounting, it is important to keep up with news and changes in the laws (or budgeting) on which the employee's work is based. Paid programs should provide only updated information, including training on new software versions or online cash register updates.
• Document issuance. At the end of the course, paid organizations issue certificates or certificates of advanced training to students. All students' personal data for transfer to the registry are handled according to the rules of the online school's privacy policy. Along with this, adding to your portfolio will be a plus for your future career.
• Employment Assistance. After paid express courses or comprehensive programs, some companies help trainees find jobs. This is suitable for those new to the accounting discipline who are just beginning to immerse themselves in the field of financial accounting.

Paid courses for accountants or professional development have other, narrower strengths. They are formed by the student personally, based only on their own requirements. If we talk about free online accounting courses, their strengths should be highlighted as follows:

• Free Access. A student can take free courses and invest in other, additional paid programs. At the same time, the availability of free materials is unlimited - you can study a discipline without being tied to a set schedule.
• A spot examination of the issues. If an employee is interested in accounting for account payable persons or statutory capital data, brief information can be found online. There is no need to apply for paid training from scratch and go over known material again.
• Introduction to Discipline. Most free accounting courses act as part of a fee-based, comprehensive online school program. Trial classes are created to familiarize you with the base and motivate the student to sign up for classes.

Experts on accounting forums or thematic resources are inclined toward paid programs, arguing the decision on the quality of the broadcast material. Participants in the discussion talk about the possibility of combining basic studies with the study of specialized literature, some of which is available in the public domain. Chief accountants express a similar point of view, but also recommend a basic higher education. This applies to department heads, assistant accountants, as well as personnel inspectors with additional qualifications.

Professional development courses for teachers and employees remotely

The accounting and tax specialist is often faced with new challenges in the workplace. Previous knowledge may not be enough, so the company sends the department for advanced training. This training program also applies to accounting instructors, as trainees need updated and expanded information within the discipline. CPC courses are divided into specific subspecies, which are specifically aimed at the tasks of the company.

After basic education, a student may take a program of subsidiary liability or pre-trial appeal of the acts of the FTAI. These subspecies include courses on tax planning, company accounting policies, current changes in the law, and more. To increase the value of an employee and career growth, you need to upgrade your qualifications, as well as receive additional education. At the end of the training base, the listener is sure to receive a certificate to confirm his or her skills.

Increase the level of knowledge may be the personal desire of an employee, or the requirement of professional certification for budgetary organizations. Analyzing the education market, it is possible to distinguish such ways of professional development:

• specialized publications (thematic journals, methodological literature, or reference books);
• live lectures (webinars, online consultations with experts, thematic meetings with colleagues, video conferences with feedback);
• comprehensive seminars (live meetings, face-to-face lectures, marathons);
• standard professional development programs (face-to-face classes and quizzes);
• Programs in the format of online courses (basic training centers aimed at improving the knowledge of core employees).

Some of the education described may not involve the issuance of a credential. However, in sum, it helps to better understand the topic and solve work issues without additional difficulties.

Conclusion

Online accounting training is a popular field of distance education. Certified Public Accountant courses are needed for newcomers and employees with experience who want to improve their personal skills. By applying digital learning features, staff can keep themselves in career shape, as well as increase their value and status to the organization. The job of an accounting and tax expert is often supplemented by challenges due to regular changes in laws as well as the transition to new software.

This article will help you understand the structure of distance education, revealing the typology of online accounting training, including comprehensive programs from scratch. Attending training centers helps develop an employee's personal skills, and also helps newcomers take a confident step on their career path and advance in the study of a complex discipline.