What are the differences between the accounting designations

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You've worked hard earning your degree and getting yourpre-requisite courses in accounting and you feel like you could take onCRA by yourself. You crunch numbers like nuts in the mouths ofsquirrels, but you didn't calculate that you'd have to choose betweenthree professional accounting designations.
In the world of business, the best way to excel in your field is toobtain a professional designation. Any of the accounting designationsare going to put you ahead of the competition, but as with anyqualification, each one will lead you to a different destination. Nowis the time to decide which program is going to help you get where youwant to go.

CA (Chartered Accountant)(http://www.cica.ca)
The CA program sets up talented and ambitious candidates for asuccessful career where the potential for advancement is limitless.Once in the program, you will start three years of practical experiencewith an approved CA Training Office. Regular evaluation through the CASchool of Business (CASB) will ensure that you are retaining the skillslearned in the CASB Modules.
There are many advantages to the CA designation includingglobal recognition, paid work experience, prestige, and versatility.The requirement for training at an approved CA Training Office ensuresthe experience you obtain meets the profession's rigourous standards.Experience obtained in public practice exposes CA candidates to a widevariety of industries, businesses and organizations. Experienceobtained in the corporate or public sector exposes you to a wide rangeof rotations to different departments, locations, functions, andprojects. All CA candidates receive professional mentorship in theearly years.

CMA (Certified Management Accountant)(www.cma-canada.org)(http://www.cmabc.com/)
CMAs focus on managerial accounting and are most often found inindustry. The skills taught in this program help manager-trackaccountants develop creative solutions for finance problems. Followinguniversity graduation, CMA candidates write a two-day exam that testsbusiness knowledge, analytical thinking and written communication.
If you pass the exam, you enter the CMA Strategic Leadership Programthat requires you to complete 24 months of practical work experience inthe field. This work experience is peppered with a series offace-to-face sessions in which you, fellow candidates, and programmoderators will discuss program concepts and complete managementreports on how the concepts learned apply to your work placement. Casestudies used in the sessions are all based on real-life businessscenarios and the learning format gives students the opportunity todevelop valuable communication and negotiation skills.

CGA (Certified General Accountant)(www.cga-online.org)(http://www.cga-bc.org/)
The primary focus of this program is to put practical tools in thehands of individuals so that they succeed in accounting. Unlike theCMAs and CAs, CGAs can start the program while they are attendinguniversity-making this designation attractive because you can earn adecent wage working in your field while you finish your degree. CGAshave great technical skills, and are often found in public practice,working in CA firms and on their own. The pre-requisites for enteringthis program are often part of a commerce degree, and the program isflexible enough to work around your schedule.

The Bottom Line
Obtaining a professional designation in any field is a goodinvestment because it gives you a legitimacy that it would take you adecade to earn on your own. In the case of accounting, candidates needto examine what their long-term goals include and which designationwill best help them achieve that. If you want to run your own smallbusiness, work your way up the ranks of a Fortune 500 company, or addaccounting to your already diverse quiver of skills, each option hasits merits.
The best tactic is to talk to accountants that are in a position youwould like to see yourself ten years from now and find out how they gotthere. You can also contact the institutes that run these programs tofind out more about the advantages and pre-requisites of each.

Contact information
We think the CA designation offers students challenge, flexibility,and reward. But don't take our word for it. Compare us with the otherdesignations for more information.

Who: Chartered Accountant (CA)
Where: Western CA Institutes
Web: www.becomea.CA

Who: Certified General Accountant (CGA)
800 - 1188 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia , V6E 4A2
Web: www.cga-online.org
Telephone: 1-800-663-1529
Who: Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Who: Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
1 Robert Speck Parkway, Suite 1400
Mississauga, ON L4Z 3M3
Web: www.cma-canada.org
Telephone: 1-800-263-7622

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