Actuaries – book now for events and conferences

If you’re a professional actuary taking a break in August, make sure you keep a look out for all the events happening in September. For increased knowledge of your industry, networking or gaining extra CPD hours, there may well be an event on The Actuarial Profession's event calendar that can help. If you want to to get a European perspective, the ‘annual gathering of the UK’s general insurance actuarial community’ will be held in Brussels this year with themes including pricing, reinsurance and strategic modeling. Closer to home there are conferences and workshops in Leicester, Manchester and London. In particular for those unable to attend the annual pensions conference in Brighton, shorter events in both Manchester and London will look at the conference highlights with additional speakers. Other specialist events include ‘Actuaries and the Law’. For more on these events to develop your skills, knowledge and contacts, read the events page at http://www.actuaries.org.uk/events/calendar/2012-9/all   

Credit Management – are you ready to take the next step?

While school is nearly out for the summer, it may be time to plan for the next academic year. Have you considered further study in credit management to help your financial career? A Bristol based event from the Institute of Credit Management looks to advise anyone in the industry on the benefits of gaining their qualifications. Taking place at the University of West England, there will be presentations from the institute, the UWE business school and an accountancy firm. There will also be practising credit managers talking about their experiences of the benefits of ICM qualification. Whether thinking of studying while at work or adding credit management to your existing study plans, attending the event on 20^th Sept still leaves time to enrol. See if such a study program could ‘improve your effectiveness in the workplace and your career prospects.’ For more details visit the Institute of Credit management website at http://www.icm.org.uk/membership/my-membership/branches/146-bristol-and-west/714-forthcoming-events

Are you a VAT expert?

Is there a ‘national shortage’ of VAT specialists? According to a conference speaker at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, such a shortage of expertise is a problem particularly for smaller firms. In a feature  in Accountancy Age, one of the reasons is the fact that VAT experts usually qualify via the big 4 firms and rarely does the expertise ‘trickle down’.  A report form KPMG also backed up the need for companies to be more informed on this tax that is often under debate. As an accountant new to the profession what could this gap in knowledge mean for potential  career planning?  The article gives some good balanced advice. ‘So the advice to accountancy students is that VAT is an underserved area, and one that – given VAT's ubiquity – could hold a fruitful career if you can accept the narrow nature of the area.’ For more details read the full article at http://www.accountancyage.com/aa/analysis/2188146/vat-national-shortage-experts#ixzz1zV8j9N13