Should I go to uni?

[VW BUSH]

But by the same argument after 3 years I will just have a useless qualification that I won't use. There is also the possibility of be getting to year 4, failing an exam and losing the last 4 years.

After 2 years I still get a qualification. I would still be a qualified accountant.

Its a qualification you can put to something else, would help massively if you had your own business....
If you are failing anyway that's a different story, it maybe time to get out.
Now don't take this the wrong way but are you any good at Engineering? to get anywhere you need practical skills as well as maths and CAD etc.
What are you really good at, what comes easiest to you?
Be sure

[Waspy]

Being a chartered accountant is really over qualified for almost every practical application in business. Unless I wanted to be a Financial director it's not needed. All of the practical actual accounting stuff is learnt at AAT level. Which I will have in September. That over qualification does entitle you to three times the salary, but that's by the by.

As for the "are you any good" question, the answer simply is I don't know. I would have to learn before I could answer that question. And it's there that lies the problem. I am not looking for some crazy fast track route where I'm building race engines tomorrow, im trying to establish what the bottom rung of the ladder is, or the best rung to put my foot on 

I arrived in my current role through desperation. My head was full of "what on earth am I going to do with my life" so I followed the money and ended up in finance. Now I have a second chance to try again I am trying to be a little more structured with where I head. So this time it's more like "I like cars, how do I get a job working with cars?" And as such, this thread is born.

Thanks for the responses guys. Appreciate it

[matty1664]

Life is way too short to waste doing something dull. If you change path/jump ship to do something else make sure it is going to be proactive and worth while. By the sounds of it you are trying to convince yourself for a clear conscience but it takes courage to make big changes.

Just be sure you won't regret it. Grass is always greener and all.

Pointless just being alive for the weekend though.

[Waspy]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not really trying to justify leaving, I don't have to, the job is having an impact on my wellbeing and for me that's enough of a get out warning for me. Anyone with a bit of time on their hand who fancies seeing what others say about my job, just google "I hate audit" and you should get the jist 

But that's why I'm here, I know I am going to leave, but I don't want to leave into another job which sucks the life out of me. Finding that is just hard without anything to shoot for 

[CraigW]

This is almost like reading my life story. Went to Uni not having a clue what I wanted to do and basically stumbled into accountancy purely because my old man is an accountant. Went into public sector and got my professional qualification. Now been in the profession for 16 years and really don't get any satisfaction from it, probably the most reluctant accountant you will find. Thought the money would be good but it's not. Yes I'll make a decent living out of it but I'm never going to earn a fortune. Once I went down the path I knew I had to pursue the professional qualification as no matter what it will stand you in good sted but I so regret going down the accountancy path in the first place.

The way I see it your better being happy and earning a lesser wage than being stuck in a job you hate. It's too late for me but your still young enough to make the right choice.

My advice, complete your course and then go and do what you want to do. If it doesn't work you still have your qualification to fall back on.

[Waspy]

Wow great to hear from someone who has actually been where I'm at/going

The way I see it your better being happy and earning a lesser wage than being stuck in a job you hate. It's too late for me but your still young enough to make the right choice.

This is that my head is full of atm.

If I got hit by a bus tomorrow would I be happy? (Probably actually, it's monday  ) but probably not. I moved away from all of my friends and all of my family to take a job I loath daily. Had I stayed back home, and taken any old job I wouldn't have a snazzy financial career, but at least my mates would be there even if the job was sh!t. I hate regret.

[VW BUSH]

Wow great to hear from someone who has actually been where I'm at/going

The way I see it your better being happy and earning a lesser wage than being stuck in a job you hate. It's too late for me but your still young enough to make the right choice.

This is that my head is full of atm.

If I got hit by a bus tomorrow would I be happy? (Probably actually, it's monday  ) but probably not. I moved away from all of my friends and all of my family to take a job I loath daily. Had I stayed back home, and taken any old job I wouldn't have a snazzy financial career, but at least my mates would be there even if the job was sh!t. I hate regret.

The bottom rung of the ladder is 4/5 years to do a degree or HND in Auto sport/Automotive if you can get an entry level automotive job/apprenticeship at the same time and work up this will help no end, probably get education free....
Once you are out of Education you will need about 5 years to get experience and choose a field to excel in.

Two things:
At 40 I now need to start learning business finance, the higher you go the more about money it becomes.......
Don't base anything around your mates, only family. Your mates will go their own way soon enough

[Waspy]

I've been chewing my Dads ear off all day, and between sounding out on here, and sound out to my dad I think I have come to a bit of decision. So I will finish my AAT training, and get a job in another area of finance for now. This thinking behind this is:

A) There are plenty of jobs for level 4 AATs, both temp and perm
B) I should be able to hit normal 9-5 hours, rather than 70 odd per week.
C) It will give me time and money to pursue and investigate other career options
D) If, and I mean IF I want to pursue a serious career in finance, AAT to chartered is a fairly straightforward conversion and a lot of people do it.
E) It gets me out of the distructive atmosphere I'm in currently.

Thanks for all of the input for far (keep it coming). My aim was never to be an accountant. My aim is to employ one. 

[mcgee9t2]

1 point to make, and this is a point which stoped me going into anything car related when i was leaving school.

for me, cars are a hobby, you mix hobbies and work and somepeople loose a passion for their hobby. i didnt want this to happen so didnt go into anything car related.

[Waspy]

Yeah that's a point which I have considered too. I don't know what I want to do, other than not be in finance particularly. Hopefully the above plan will give me a bit of time to really think through my options.