CIMA continues to grow in Pakistan and Asia
According to the CIMA, (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) website they will be opening their second office in Pakistan, (28th June 2010). This clearly demonstrates the popularity and value that CIMA professional accounting qualifications have in the region.

Professional accounting qualifications continue to become popular, with estimates that CIMA membership has grown by 23 percent in the last five years.

One of the driving factors for the growth and recognition of CIMA as a professional accounting qualification is that there is demand for international finance professionals throughout the South Asian and Middle Eastern region, and notably in Pakistan, where 50 percent of the population is under the age of 20. This demographic implies that competition for employment will remain strong, therefore any recognised, and especially international professional qualification, will always be in demand. Looking to the future, Pakistan, having many qualified CIMA accountants will mean that the country will be seen as a source of talent for the future of economic development globally.

To further spur the encouragement of younger people to take their qualifications, CIMA membership fees have been halved to just £60, (from 1st July 2010).

Similair in many ways to finance and CFA, CIMA accounting qualifications strive to equip their members to work anywhere in the world. CIMA is the only international professional accountancy qualification with a syllabus specifically designed to train and educate business leaders.

CIMA lower their membership fees
CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) has launched a 60 percent fee reduction from the 1st July 2010 for new students registering to study CIMA professional accounting qualifications anywhere in the world. The CIMA membership fee used to be £150, now it is £60.

The reduction in CIMA membership fee announces a more egaliterian image and reflects what CIMA's vision is for the future: that their professional accounting qualifications are accepted and recognised by employers as being the best accounting qualifications available. The reduction in membership fees also ties in with their launch of their second office in Pakistan, yet further evidence of the growth of CIMA in the Asian region.

Compared with ACCA and ACA, the new CIMA pricing makes their accounting qualifications one of the most competitively and attractively priced professional and business-focused accountancy qualifications in the world. Currently, according to statistics taken from the CIMA website, the accounting organisation has grown to represent 172,000 members and students in over 165 countries from their inception nearly a hundred years ago.

In summary this bold and welcome move by CIMA illustrates their commitment to make their accounting qualifications even more accessible to ambitious students around the world who are keen to learn new skills and build a successful professional career in business management and accounting.

It will be interesting to note if any other professional awarding bodies and institutions will follow CIMA in lowering their membership fees. Membership fees for CIM, (Chartered Institute of Marketing) for example are approximately £180 on average.

New AAT Professional Qualification Changes
The (AAT), Association of Accounting Technicians has always had a slightly confusing approach to professional education in that it offered two routes to becoming AAT certified, either by the NVQ or Diploma route. This will all change from 1st July 2010. However, that is not he only change affecting AAT Professional Accounting Qualifications; the courses will be made available within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), and from the 1st August 2010, within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) in Scotland.

AAT, like every other awarding professional body, must ensure that their syallai and courses are up to date and valuable to employers and today's business environment. Essentially, the new revised AAT Accounting Qualification is based on the new National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Accounting: designed to make the qualification more applicable to the workplace, employers and the accounting industry.

The AAT Director of Education, Clare Morley has outlined that technology will be central to the changes. The idea is that exams will be scheduled whenever there is demand, (traditionally professional qualification assessments are sat in June and December).

AAT qualifications are delivered and assessed with the use of computers - but importantly, a human touch will remain. Like CIMA students will obtain their results instantly following the completion of their exam. The essay or question based element of AAT qualifications will still, of course require human involvement but the turn-around time for marking papers will be six rather than ten weeks. This is considerably shorter than other awarding bodies like the Chartered Institute of Marketing that take nearly two months to return graded assignments and exams. Student will undoutedbly welcome the shorter turn-around.

Another change effecting AAT this year is the new separate paper on ethics and a computerised accounting unit to be also launched on the 1st July 2010.

As is usual in these transition periods there will be a "grace" period of one year whereby students on re-sits or currently studying under the now old system will have a chance to continue and pass their AAT qualifications. This transition is expected to start on the 1st July 2010 and end 30th June 2011.

Computer Based AAT Assessments
In addition, all AAT exams will be Computer Based Assessed like CIMA and CFA Levels 1 and 2. All AAT assessments for the new revised qualification will be CBAs, (Computer Based Assessments) replacing the current format of exams and skills tests. CBAs are designed to reflect professional workplace tasks that would be typically performed. Another change affecting AAT this year is that you are able to take the CBAs when it suits you and your training provider, instead of waiting for the traditional professional qualification assessment months of June and December. (Interestingly, CIM, (Chartered Institute of Marketing) introduced four assessment dates at the start of 2010: March, June, September and December whilst CAM, (Communications, Advertising and Marketing) remain on two assessment dates per year despite having launched two new digital marketing courses. Likely they will also follow suit in the four assessment date strategy which inevitably gives students greater flexibility and possibility to re-sit fails.

Since 1963, Chartered Financial Analysts qualifications, (known as CFA Levels 1, 2 and 3), have been awarded on passing a series of exams. If studied sequentially the exams are a three year, three stage process, that require would-be CFAs to study approximately 300 hours of exam preparation and covering over 7,500 pages of finance curriculum. This June 2010, according to the CFA Institute, the exams were held in 280 exam centres in 80 countries around the globe - very impressive and clearly demonstrating that these professional qualifications are internationally recognised.

Students must already have either a bachelor's degree or a minimum of four years professional financial experience to apply for CFA Level 1. Many students start their course shortly after beginning their first job in financial services. Approximately half of students that completed all three CFA papers and are now official charter holders are employed on the buy-side, either working for asset owners or managers, whilst the other half are involved in managing pension fund assets.

CFA Level 1 and CFA Level 2 are both multiple choice papers whilst CFA Level 3 is more complex and involves essay answers. This is difficult for those students for whom English is not their mother tongue. However, the CFA Institute claim that having all students sit the exams in one language ensures fairness for all.

The CFA Institute has evolved in many ways - not least in that in now has a more global vision. A name change and re-structing of the syllabus in 2004 from the Association for Investment Management and Research to the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts was to accommodate and integrate all finanical markets knowledge and education. The blending of finance knowledge of west and east was particularly needed as a result of the emerging markets of Asia, which allowed the CFA an opportunity to collaborate with the financial regulators in these countries. Interestingly, as of June 2010, the Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing region for the CFA Institute. By mid 2010 the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 40 per cent of the 138,900 candidates entered for June's exams, representing a growth of 12 per cent more than in 2009.

The only criticism of the CFA Institute we find is that students in the private sector are company sponsored, (costs are approximately £2,800 for all three CFA Levels whilst taxpayer-funded regulators are often not able to fund their employees' CFA qualifications - something which does place the regulators at a disadvantage.

In summary, becoming a CFA Charterholder is clearly internationally recognised and illustrates that your skills are not only dynamic but are proven to be of the highest possible standard. In addition, we feel that undeniably, the economic crisis of 2007 to the present day requires greater transparency and ethical behaviour - principles that are held at the core of CFA Charter Status.

Getting a Marketing Job - does a qualification from CIM help?
Yes. Yes is the short answer! A qualification from the world's largest and most recognised marketing organisation cannot be a bad thing. (After the CIM, the next largest marketing organisation is the American Marketing Association). With over 60,000 members and a recognised chartered route to marketing professionalism, you should be setting yourself up to become a chartered marketer, rather like an accountant or surveyor seeks chartered status.

They say that finding a job is a job in itself, well, if thats the case then market yourself the same way that you would market a packet of biscuits on a £80,000 salary! To market yourself you need to present yourself in the best light and having a qualification from CIM will illustrate to your potential employer that you are serious about your profession, have the latest skill set, and are keen to become chartered which has clear networking opportunities for yourself and by extension your organisation.

Marketing jobs appeal to a wide range of students that have likely just graduated. CIM offer four levels or grades of qualification the, Introductory Certificate in Marketing, the CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing, the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing and the CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing. Respectively these are level 3-7 NQF qualifications. Taking each of these in turn, the initial course that the CIM offer, the CIM Introductory Certificate in Marketing, is a course designed to train the absolute novice to marketing fundamentals and introduce them to "what marketing is?". Most reading this article will not require to pass nor attend this course, especially since it is a level 3 NQF course, i.e. similiar to an A-Level and aimed at 16 year olds.

The next level, the CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing is designed to train those new to marketing or just starting their careers in marketing. Typically the CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing student would be a marketing executive. The course comprises of four modules: Marketing Essentials, Marketing Information and Research, Assessing the Marketing Environment and Stakeholder Marketing, subjects that contain skills required to make a good marketing manager.

The next level, the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing, is aimed at marketing management, i.e. for those that would like to learn how to manage a marketing department. Typically the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing student would be a marketing executive with several years of marketing experience, or a manager without a qualification. The course comprises of four modules: Marketing Planning Processes, Delivering Customer Value, Managing Marketing and Project Management in Marketing.

The top level, the CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, is a level 7 (same as a Masters qualification) and is aimed at senior marketing management. CIM recently, (January 2010) changed the entry requirements by making it more difficult to be accept onto the course. This has had mixed effects. Essentially this has pulled up the ladder and reduced the amount of students studying this level, (which surely has had a negative effect on CIM) but the logic behind this move was to make the qualification more "exclusive" which in our opinion, has not really happened: a level 7 is still a level 7 qualification. To expand on this change of entry requirement, in the past a student studying the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing automatically was able to graduate to the CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing without any additional work experience. That is no longer the case. Now they must have "senior marketing experience".

The CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing comprises of four modules: Emerging Themes, Analysis and Decision, Managing Corporate Reputation and Market Leadership and Planning.

CIM marketing qualifications do help. They train the latest marketing techniques, prove willingness and desire to learn, and by their association allow entry into a networking environment that can only being positive results.

Coupld with studying the relevant qualification listed above, a struggling job seeking marketer should also apply for holiday work, work placements, shadowing or volunteer work since this can really help boost your CV, as well as show your prospective employer that you're willing to put in whatever it takes to do your job well.

When it comes to actually applying for your graduate job or move into marketing, it's vital that you look in the right places to find the ideal marketing position for you. As a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, (a requirement of studying a CIM marketing qualification) means that you have access to their job database - this is of significant interest because whereas the a marketing position can be advertisied on monster.com, and replied by millions of people, the CIM database is only for CIM members, i.e. employers have already filtered applicants, since being a member of CIM differintiates yourself form the multitude of other marketing professionals that are not members.

If there is any doubt to the importance of studying a CIM qualification, please ask recruitment consultants if they consider it important to have a marketing qualification. Often you will see that having a CIM qualification is a requirement. That in itself is the very reason why have a marketing qualification helps to secure you a marketing position.

The new CAM Qualifications
Earlier this year we saw the launch of two new (and possibly overdue) CAM qualifications aimed at digital marketing. The general consensus is that these qualifications have been a success, that their syllabi was intelligently put together, and that we expect their popularity to grow. The new CAM professional qualifications are:

Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing and the Professional Diploma in Managing Digital Media. Both of these diplomas are level 4 NQF qualifications and like all CAM courses are fully accredited and awarded by the CIM, ((Chartered Institute of Marketing). The only previous CAM offering was the CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications. The CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications consists of five modules, studied in this order: Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Advertising, Public Relations, Direct Marketing & Sales Promotion and Integrated Media.

What is the difference between the CAM qualifications?
Essentially the older CAM course, the CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications is the more traditional marketing communications course that was aimed at those seeking a career in PR and direct marketing. A glaring missing module in this five module course was a digital SEO or SEM segment, which the newer courses address due to the popularity of these subjects and obvious increasing demand.

The newer qualifications are designed for marketing and communication professionals who want specialist knowledge and understanding of what digital marketing is and turn that knowledge into successful marketing strategies. Taking each of these in turn lets have a look at the:

CAM Diploma in Managing Digital Media
The CAM Diploma in Managing Digital Media fundamentally address and teaches the new methods of connecting and talking to customers with a focus on the Internet. This professional qualification looks at digital channels and their suitability for inclusion in a media communications plan. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), display advertising, email relationship marketing, viral marketing, online PR management, affiliate marketing and social media are all covered in the syllabus. This CAM course also looks at digital metrics and related legislation, regulation and (evolving) codes of business practice. The CAM Diploma in Managing Digital Media is designed to provide the student with highly useful and targeted knowledge and skills to manage digital marketing and communications campaigns.

The CAM Diploma in Managing Digital Media has an essential object in being able to examine the exploding marketing channel of social networking. Twitter, facebook, linkdIn, etc., coupled with mobile marketing are all growing and evolving extraordinarily fast. To understand and use these new mediums has clear commercial value and certainly has a part to play within the marketing mix.

The CAM Diploma in Digital Marketing has three modules: Digtal Marketing Essentials, Digital Marketing Planning and Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. Each of these modules in an award and the assessment route is by assignment, (2,000 words). Completion of all four modules will result in being awarded the Diploma from the CIM, ((Chartered Institute of Marketing).

Diploma in Digital Marketing
This relatively new CAM course, (launched the start of 2010) is designed to provide the student with knowledge that sets the foundation for the principles of digital marketing and teach the required skills to undertake digital marketing planning. This CAM qualification covers Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Pay Per Click (PPC), Click Through Rates (CTR), the importance of landing pages, the different types of online advertising, email and viral marketing, online public relations and social media. The course also teaches how to understand and use analytics and the evolving regulation and codes of practice.

The course syllabus will teach the student to understand the fundamental marketing planning concepts for an online organisation, (or department) as well as key factors involved in implementation, measurement and return of investment of successful campaigns. This CAM course in Digital marketing was the result of marketing having become a multi-channel environment. The course will also examine similarities and differences between traditional and digital marketing including: relationship marketing, privacy concerns, trust and credibility building.

Like the CAM Diploma in Managing Digital Media, each module is an award and is assessed by a 2,000 word assignment. This qualification is also awarded by the CIM. The four modules are: Advertising, Public Relations, Integrated Digital Media and Branding and Implementing Digital Campaigns

In conclusion
Our understanding is that these professional communication courses have been very popular since their launch in early 2010 and demand will continue and grow. Without any doubt marketing has developed into a multi-channel discipline whereby the marketer must be able to understand how digital marketing can be executed and managed. We expect to see these new courses flourish and would not be surprised to see the CIM e-marketing qualification being dropped in favouring these more factual and benefical professional courses. Another interesting feature is that each of the new CAM modules are awards in their own right - this making this a very interesting course to study since the student can study at their own pace and achieve as they learn.