Destination ACCA: How this member achieved success with EPSM

Summary

Isabelle interviews Steve, an ACCA member and senior finance professional, discussing his journey to qualification with a focus on ethics and professional skills. Steve shares how the EPSM module prepared him for exams and his career, emphasizing the importance of ethical behavior and continuous learning. He advises ACCA students to stay committed, be patient, and embrace the learning process for long-term career success.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Steve, an ACCA member, discusses his journey to qualification, emphasizing the importance of the Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM).
• 🌟 EPSM is designed to develop ethical and professional skills that employers expect, and it also aids in exam success.
• 🔄 Steve's role has evolved from foundational finance roles to strategic leadership positions, reflecting the value of continuous learning.
• 🌐 ACCA's global recognition was a key factor for Steve, offering flexibility and opening career opportunities worldwide.
• 📈 The ACCA qualification has provided Steve with better career prospects and the ability to take on more responsibilities at work.
• 🤝 ACCA membership offers a vast network of professionals, which Steve has leveraged to make valuable connections.
• 📚 Steve recommends completing the EPSM before taking Strategic Professional exams for better foundational knowledge and exam preparation.
• 💼 EPSM's ethical and professional skills have been crucial in Steve's career, particularly in cross-functional project work and leadership.
• 🔑 Integrity and confidentiality are highlighted as essential ethical behaviors in Steve's professional life, especially in handling confidential projects.
• 💡 Steve advises ACCA students to stay committed, be patient, and love the learning process, emphasizing that skills developed through ACCA are vital for long-term career success.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)?

The EPSM helps students develop an understanding of the ethical and professional skills that employers increasingly expect from their teams, and it also supports exam success.

How does the ACCA qualification benefit Steve in his professional journey?

The ACCA qualification has provided Steve with better career prospects, opened doors for taking on more responsibilities at work, and facilitated career progression to new roles of higher responsibilities.

What advice does Steve give regarding the timing of completing the EPSM in relation to the Strategic Professional exams?

Steve advises completing the EPSM before starting the Strategic Professional exams, as it provides foundational knowledge that can help with exam success.

How has the ACCA network contributed to Steve's professional life?

The ACCA network has provided Steve with a vast array of professional connections and different perspectives on various topics, which has been a significant benefit in his career.

What are some of the key skills that Steve has applied from the EPSM in his daily work?

Steve has applied skills such as ethical judgment, effective communication, leadership, and overall professional behavior in his daily work, particularly in cross-functional project work and dealing with change management.

Can you provide an example of how Steve has used the skills from the EPSM in a real-world scenario?

Steve has used leadership and communication skills from the EPSM to guide teams through transitions and changes, ensuring minimal disruption to projects.

What does being an ethical professional mean to Steve?

For Steve, being an ethical professional means embodying a commitment to doing what is right, even when it's challenging, and maintaining integrity even when no one is looking.

What are the three pillars of success that Steve suggests for students or affiliates working towards ACCA membership?

Steve suggests the three pillars of success are: staying committed, being patient, and learning to love the learning process.

How does Steve view the importance of the ACCA qualification in terms of global recognition?

Steve values the ACCA qualification for its global recognition, noting that it doesn't change from one region to another, which is a significant advantage for career opportunities and mobility.

What is Steve's perspective on the importance of ethical behavior in the accounting profession?

Steve believes that ethical behavior is essential for shaping the quality of work and the environment in which accountants operate, and it contributes to the broader impact on people around them.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction to ACCA and Ethics Discussion

Isabelle, an ACCA Community Manager, introduces the podcast featuring Steve, an ACCA member and Senior Finance professional. They discuss Steve's journey to ACCA qualification, focusing on ethics and professional skills. Steve shares his evolution from foundational finance roles to strategic leadership positions and his current role as Head of Financial Operations. The conversation emphasizes the importance of the Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM) for developing skills employers seek and supporting exam success.

05:00

🌐 Global Recognition and Benefits of ACCA Membership

Steve discusses the global recognition of the ACCA qualification and its importance in his career. He highlights the benefits of ACCA membership, such as better career prospects, taking on more responsibilities, and career progression. Steve also talks about the vast network of professionals ACCA provides access to, which has been invaluable for him in making professional connections. The conversation underscores the flexibility of ACCA, allowing students to continue their studies and exams in different parts of the world.

10:01

📚 The Importance of Ethics and Professional Skills

Steve shares his experience with the EPSM, which he completed after starting the Strategic Professional exams. He advises doing the EPSM before these exams, as it provides foundational knowledge that can aid in exam success. Steve reflects on how the ethical and professional skills he learned have been crucial in his career, particularly in cross-functional project work, change management, and communication with diverse teams. He emphasizes the importance of confidentiality and integrity in his role, especially when handling confidential projects.

15:04

💼 Practical Application of Ethical Behavior and Career Advice

Steve talks about the practical application of ethical behavior in the workplace, such as maintaining confidentiality and integrity in confidential projects. He defines being an ethical professional as going beyond rule-following to embodying a commitment to doing what is right, even when it's challenging. Steve offers advice to ACCA students and affiliates, emphasizing the importance of commitment, patience, and embracing the learning process. He encourages continuous learning and moving forward, no matter how small the steps, to achieve career goals.

Keywords

💡Ethics

Ethics refers to the moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity. In the context of the video, ethics is a core component of the ACCA qualification, emphasizing the importance of ethical judgment and behavior in the professional life of accountants. Steve, the guest, highlights how ethics is not just about following rules but about doing what is right even when it's challenging, which is crucial for maintaining trust and integrity in the workplace.

💡Professional Skills

Professional skills encompass a range of competencies that are valued in the workplace, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. The video discusses how ACCA's Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM) helps students develop these skills, which are essential for success in professional roles. Steve shares his experience, indicating that these skills are not only beneficial for exam success but also for navigating real-world workplace scenarios.

💡ACCA

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a global professional accounting body offering the ACCA qualification to those seeking a career in accountancy and finance. The video features a discussion about the benefits of becoming an ACCA member, including global recognition, career progression opportunities, and access to a vast professional network. ACCA's curriculum, including the EPSM, is designed to prepare students for a wide range of professional roles.

💡EPSM

EPSM stands for Ethics and Professional Skills Module, a requirement for ACCA students to complete before they can become members. The module is highlighted in the video as a critical component of the ACCA qualification that helps students understand and apply ethical and professional standards in their future careers. Steve suggests that completing EPSM before the Strategic Professional exams can provide a foundational understanding that aids in exam preparation.

💡Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is the concept of lifelong education and skill development. In the video, Steve emphasizes the importance of continuous learning in his career journey, suggesting that professional development is an ongoing process. This aligns with the ACCA's approach to education, which includes modules like EPSM to ensure that students are not only prepared for their exams but also for the evolving demands of the profession.

💡Strategic Professional Exams

These are advanced-level exams within the ACCA qualification that test students' ability to apply technical knowledge and professional skills in complex, strategic contexts. The video suggests that the skills and knowledge gained from EPSM are particularly relevant to these exams, underlining the importance of ethical and professional skills in strategic decision-making and leadership roles.

💡Global Recognition

Global recognition refers to the acceptance and value of a qualification or standard across different countries and regions. The video discusses how ACCA's global recognition is a significant advantage for members, as it allows for career mobility and the ability to work in various parts of the world without the qualification's value being diminished.

💡Career Progression

Career progression is the process of moving forward in one's professional career, often through promotions or taking on more responsibilities. Steve mentions that ACCA qualification has opened doors for career progression, allowing him to move from foundational finance roles to strategic leadership positions. This highlights the value of professional qualifications in enabling career growth.

💡Accountant

An accountant is a professional who manages financial records and ensures compliance with financial regulations. The video emphasizes that being an accountant involves more than just technical knowledge; it requires a broad set of professional skills, including ethics, communication, and leadership, which are developed through the ACCA qualification and particularly through the EPSM.

💡Exam Strategy

Exam strategy refers to the approach and techniques used to prepare for and pass exams effectively. Steve shares his experience with self-study for the ACCA exams and suggests that understanding exam strategies, along with foundational knowledge from modules like EPSM, is crucial for success. This highlights the importance of not only knowing the subject matter but also how to apply it in an exam setting.

Highlights

Isabelle introduces the podcast's focus on ethics and professional skills with ACCA member Steve.

Steve discusses his journey to becoming an ACCA-qualified senior Finance professional.

The importance of the Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM) for exam preparation and professional life.

Steve shares his career evolution from foundational finance roles to strategic leadership positions.

The global recognition and flexibility of the ACCA qualification.

Benefits of ACCA membership include better career prospects and a vast professional network.

Steve advises completing the EPSM before strategic professional exams for better exam success.

The EPSM's role in developing ethical judgment, effective communication, and leadership skills.

Steve's personal experience applying EPSM skills in cross-functional project work and change management.

The significance of confidentiality and integrity in professional projects.

Being an ethical professional means embodying a commitment to doing what is right, even when it's challenging.

The impact of ethical professional behaviors on the work environment and the broader community.

Steve's three pillars for success: commitment, patience, and loving the learning process.

The importance of resilience and determination in overcoming exam setbacks.

Advice for ACCA students to keep moving forward and consider completing the EPSM early in their studies.

Encouragement for ACCA students to embrace the learning process and stay committed to their goals.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello everyone I'm Isabelle and I'm an

education Community manager here at Acca

and today I'm joined by a very special

guest his name is Steve and he's an Acca

member he's here today to discuss with

me his journey to qualification with a

focus on ethics and professional skills

the ethics and professional skills

module or epsm as will refer to it help

students develop an understanding of the

ethical and professional skills that

employers are increasingly come to

expect from their teams but epsm also

supports exam success which is why it's

so good to have someone here who can

talk about their first uh firsthand

experience of that so in this podcast

we're going to have a chat about how

epsm epsm helps Steve prepare for exams

how the skill tools he developed during

his studies support his professional

life and what it's like to become an

Acca member so Steve thank you for

joining us today I'll hand over to you

now for a quick

introduction sure so uh my name is Steve

D um I am a senior Finance professional

with over 15 years of experience now um

I hold the Acca qualification as you

mentioned and I'm also lean Six Sigma

greenbell trained so for me in my

journey um my role has evolved from you

know foundational Finance roles to more

strategic leadership positions and in my

current role I'm the head of financial

operations at a company called air um my

role there covers a wide range of

responsibilities that ensure the smooth

and efficient functioning of the

company's Financial controls and

processes um regarding my Learning

Journey um I would say that throughout

my career I've very much been being

driven by a commitment to professional

learning and uh sorry continuous

learning and professional development so

um it it's certainly a journey and um

you know I'm still very much on

it well that's a good overview and I

wondered actually if we could quickly

start with a a little bit of insight

into why you chose

Acca oh yeah absolutely so um for me

really when you know when I started like

considering what I was going to do as a

career

um chared accountancy came up and um I

looked at kind of all the different

designations and I actually came true um

from doing a degree in accounting and

finance so um for me the the flexibility

around doing Acca was incredibly

important to me at the time um and on

top of that you know from speaking to

people who had done Acca um you know it

was clear that the qualification was

recognized globally as Acca you know it

didn't change from one region to another

which I know some other designates can

um so having looked at the curriculum I

thought it was really comprehensive um

and you know I just kind of felt overall

that it was the right choice for me and

that it would you know afford me certain

career opportunities once I you know I

suppose attained the

qualification amazing and I think you've

touched upon some of the um points there

but what would you say are some of the

main benefits of having become an Acca

member um I suppose along the journey

from you know starting the process of

exams through to the skills modules and

the uh experience module the pr um I

suppose it's kind of really taught me a

lot of skills and knowledge that I apply

daily now in both life and work um so

having that qualification has really

brought benefits like um better career

prospects would be certainly one it's

it's open doors to me for you know

taking on more responsibilities at work

or you know in a lot of cases you know

since I've qualified it's it's opened up

a lot of career progression to new roles

of of higher responsibilities as well so

um that would be kind of on that side of

things on the other side I suppose it's

also an incredibly vast network of you

know like-minded people or in some cases

not so like-minded and which is is very

useful to get different perspectives on

things from different you know um topics

and subjects you know and like as part

of the network you know you'd cover an

awful lot of different things from

around regions as well so for me the

I've made a lot of valuable professional

connections through the Acca Network as

well which has been a huge

benefit I think that's why it's always

so nice to talk to members because I

know that sometimes students in

particular when they're in the midst of

exams and it's very very stressful it's

always good to hear what happens at the

end you know how how uh Acca can really

benefit you and your career um and like

you said there abely

lots of people always mention as well

that kind of global nature of it the

global Network that you you get access

to so it's really nice to hear that

that's been a positive aspect for you so

it helped you then you would say like so

many so many um students you know

whether they kind of decide to you know

come away from study for a while and go

back to it or whether they decide that

you know following qualification they

want to to move to another part of the

world or even during qualification like

I know some people who you know as part

of you know their Journey they were at a

particular stage in the exams and they

decided to relocate to a different part

of the world and they just pick up where

they left off you know and Acca means

Acca you know and it's not a case of you

know you're in one part of the world

where it's it's a c your ca but CA means

something else somewhere else and so

you've got like all this kind of jargon

that goes on around the acronyms but you

know regardless of where you are

everyone knows Acca is Acca and you know

that's incredibly valuable you know once

you qualify and you know if if moving

abroad or you know relocating to for for

a role or to a different country is is

for you like so yeah it's such a

fantastic benefit it's it's nice to hear

stories as well about people who do it

in the the middle of their exams as well

because I know that the flexibility is

something that people really value so

it's good to see yeah absolutely

practice so um wanted to talk to you

today more specifically about ethics and

professional

skills um this is obviously something

that's a requirement of membership and

something that students need to complete

to become a member so at what stage did

you complete the

epsm um I actually did it after I

started the Strategic professional exam

so I think if I recall correctly I had

done the um strategic business reporting

exam and then

the I can't remember the the Strategic

uh business exam and basically when I

completed both of them um I decided at

that point to do the epsm module now um

if I was to give anybody advice I would

say do it do their way around because

what I kind of learned was when I did

the epsm there was so much in it that I

suppose were foundations for all the

Strategic business exams or strategic

professional exams um and had I done it

that way there would have been quite a

lot of um key information that would

have really really helped along the way

now

when you're doing those strategic

professional exams just so much of it

relates back to or refers back to epsm

and there's marks to be picked up just

from anybody that's doing it should try

and Slot it in kind of just before doing

the Strategic professional exams because

it will certainly help with the the

exams to

follow and you're certainly not the

first person who said that they they've

done it after exams and realized how

helpful and beneficial it is to have

completed it before you start the

Strategic professional exams because let

you say it does highlight the knowledge

and the content that is most closely

linked to those exams I think in

particular and you're learning how to

demonstrate General professional skills

alongside the technical knowledge so

yeah we do really strongly recommend to

anyone who hasn't already done it to

consider completing the module before

you start the Strategic professional

exam so it's yeah exactly yeah useful to

get your Insight so a de way around and

I I kind of

I I certainly struggled a little bit you

know on the first attempt

of um you know I kind of took the

approach

of you know getting the books and and

the the kind of I way kind of the self

tutor kind of Route it kind of you know

I very much felt like you know I could

just you know get the books kind of go

through the the modules myself and and

you know be able to kind of walk into

the exam and just you know go at it but

there's a lot to be kind of considered

when it comes to like I suppose exam

strategy and like that knowing the

little tips and tricks as to how to

really succeed in your exams you know

and then adding into that then the

foundational knowledge which epsm would

have would have given you before you

even started or SB you know in hin site

I definitely would have done it first

so that's good to know so in terms of

your The Wider career um how have the

ethical and professional skills the kind

of behaviors and values that are high

highed in epsm how have they helped you

in your

career um well I suppose they you know

it's like it's like kind of the rest of

the the syllabus you you know it's

really there to prepare you for various

workplace situations scenarios that

you're going to come across in your in

your professional life um and even to

some extent your personal life um so it

really kind of requires that ethical

judgment effective

communication um leadership skills and

overall kind of professional Behavior so

you're gonna bring all of that to your

workplace daily or at least you're you

know you should um and I've certainly

found that over the course of my career

there are scenarios where I've used

those skills um dayto day month-to month

at certain projects you know we you'll

come up against situations where you

will rely on those to kind of help you

through

so yeah I think kind of one of the

benefits as I understand is that it

gives students an appreciation of the

the importance and the usefulness as

well that you say of these skills when

you go to apply them in the real

workplace and how I guess it's all about

trying to understand how to apply them

to the role of an accountant as well

because yeah it's all it's one thing to

study to be learning the technical

knowledge but unless you can go away and

apply it to to real world scenarios then

absolutely there's so much more to being

an accountant than just knowing

accounting um you know there's there's a

whole kind of ancillary component to to

your your role which you know just in

should be it should be inherent um in

kind of your development over the years

but you know what Acca kind of does is

take it to a you know a level where

you're kind of in instilling those

skills from an early um stage I suppose

before you qualify and to make sure that

you carry that on throughout your career

after you qualify yeah absolutely and

can you think of any scenarios in the

workplace where you've had to put

um some of these behaviors into practice

in your in your working

life yeah have we got all day um I

suppose if you just give me a second

like to think about it um like a lot of

the work that I do now is cross

functional Project work um so like I

regularly kind of deal with change

management and communication from team

members with different backgrounds or

sorry with team members from different

backgrounds um so whether that's

functional background differences or

cultural background differences there's

often you know communication issues or

misunderstandings and um I kind of felt

like the leadership and communication

skills that epsm cover are crucial um

you know for me personally I need to be

able to really clearly communicate

reasons for change um address concerns

and guide teams through any transition

so I'm all well ensuring that a project

is uh you know there's minimal to the

project so that's that's critical for me

and um if I could think of just one

other one then for me is the you know

confidentiality and integrity would be

incredibly important and personally for

me um like I said some of the projects

that I deal with are confidential

projects and they'd be kind of a

relatively small number of people that

work on them so it's hely important for

me that those people you know can trust

that I'm I can Safeguard confidential

information and that they can trust me

with that you know that's that's a huge

kind of um supp it's just hugely

important to

me oh I mean my follow-up question it

sounds like you've already kind of

answered it but my follow-up question

was going to be about what being an

ethical professional means to you and

why it's so important but you you've

touched upon some really good examples

there but I don't know if you have any

other thoughts about why it's so inte a

good question um I suppose you know

being an ethical professional is I

suppose for me it's just it's more than

just following the rules right um you

know it's really about embodying a

commitment to doing what is right even

when it's challenging um and I think

somebody had kind of said I remember

interviewing um a candidate for a role a

few years ago and um I'd asked them

about you know what traits they would

see in themselves and they said

integrity and I asked I kind of drilled

into a bit more and they said you know

he he was traveling and he was staying

in um in a dorm somewhere and I had on

the wall I had Integrity it's about

doing the right thing even when no one

is looking you know and that's kind of

what for me epsm is all about right it's

about these key skills and behaviors

that are really about embodying doing

what is right even when it's hard and

even when no one is looking um these

Prof these behaviors are essential to

shaping not only your quality of work

but also the environment in which we

operate um and it will shape the the

broader impact that you have on people

around you so if you demonstrate strong

ethical professional behaviors the

people around you are likely to follow

suit yeah and I think it's about I guess

it's accountability as well isn't it to

your the the network that you were

talking about earlier you're yeah

keeping each other accountable and

supporting each other making sure that

the profession you know you're you're

you're playing a part in making sure the

profession as a whole is an ethical one

and sustainable and I think that's

that's really important as well everyone

plays their own part in your your wider

Community I guess your Acca Community

yeah yeah I think like as a you know

when we think of the the standard that

the Acca holds you know um as members

it's you know it's in our interest to

ensure that that standard continues to

rise you know and so daily in our

behaviors it's reflected you know what

we do How We Do It um and I suppose that

that that's how we kind of continue to

increase the standards of you know our

our membership I suppose and like you

said it earlier on that's why those four

letters are so recognizable around the

world and why it's such an achievement

to to reach that goal when you qualify

but um I won't keep you much longer uh

you're a busy man but I wanted to wrap

up with some advice that you might want

to share for students or current

Affiliates as well people who are still

working towards the um goal of

membership what what's your advice you

would give to them on that Journey yeah

I know I I I really like being asked

that question for because for me there's

like there's three pillars to this and I

remember when I was doing my own exams

they were the pillars that I lived by

and that's stay committed um be patient

and really really learn to love the

learning process um you know don't just

focus on you know getting through your

exams or just passing your exams but you

know really learn the process of

learning because it is lifelong and you

know you should all we should be all

focused on developing the skills that we

need to you know Define the rest of our

careers um careers Will Change Daily the

world is always changing um the needs of

the day are not the needs of tomorrow

and it's incredibly important that you

know you keep that in mind um and as

well finally I just say like keep moving

forward um no matter how small each step

just keep moving forward and it'll bring

you closer to achieving your goals so

keep going you've got this and that' be

it that's so nice and I think I I've

kind of said similar in the past about

how um the skills that you're developing

during your studies or during the the

Acca Journey just as important as as

passing the exams you know even if you

fail exam for example you're learning

resilience and and you know um

determination so I completely agree I

think it's it's such a nice way to look

at things you're learning and it's not

just something to just get through it's

something to kind of embrace and and I

think so many people when they do exams

um you know from what we learn of exams

throughout our schooling life and even

to some extent in college you know you a

lot of a lot of people you know would

expect that you know they go into

professional exams and you know they're

pass first time every time and you the

reality is completely different but

you're not on your own in that you know

um like you you can kind of see it in in

the Pass rates of some of the exams when

you know they come out and they say it's

incredibly difficult right it's not an

easy it's not an easy feat um and you

know I think some people like you said

will determine and build resilient

skills you know by just just being able

to kind of deal with those setbacks and

how you deal with those setbacks and

pick yourself up Move Yourself on um

that's that's incredibly valuable for

the rest of your career because you're

always going to come across big

challenges you're always going to come

across setbacks um and like I said it's

really just about being committed

patient and learning to love the process

really yeah that's so nice to talk to

you because the the enthusiasm and the

positivity really comes through in your

answers I'm sure everyone watching this

will find it really useful and hopefully

motivating to to like you said keep

pushing forward consider as we mentioned

um completing the ethics and

professional skills module before your

strategic professional exams if you can

but yeah as as you've said just keep on

pushing through that's that's the most

keep moving forward yeah thank you so

much St it's been really really nice to

thank you been wonderful to talk um and

yeah look just to everybody just keep

going all we can say thanks everyone for

watching bye

[Music]