I initially chose the ACA for the wrong reasons - my friends had chosen to do it and I decided to follow their lead. I was part of the first intake in Malta and saw it as a very prestigious qualification that is highly respected around the world, especially in the UK, where I wanted to go and work.

I chose accountancy because I always liked numbers – it was the logical choice for me. The Sixth Form I attended also provided students with three career directions to choose from - medicine, law or accountancy. I chose accountancy. I always knew I wanted to do this.

For me, the ACA was structured in block release. This allowed me to concentrate on studying away from the workplace and gave me the perfect mix of full-time study and full-time work.

The programme gradually built me up for the world of work; it gave me enough time to study and focus 100% on my exams while, at the same time, experiencing full-time employment.

I have been employed full-time since November 2014 and during my time, I have been abroad twice. My first secondment was to Jersey for two months. Jersey is a tiny island with approximately 100,000 people and the office was very small; within the two months the whole team and I got to know everyone in the office. 

My second secondment was to Luxembourg for five months. This time I was much more prepared. I had another year of working full-time under my belt and I was taking control of audit engagements by myself most of the time. This time I was in a much larger office of 2,000 people. This was a completely different experience which enriched my career even more. The experience I gained from Luxembourg gave me a push in my career.

The ACA has given me opportunities abroad and in a variety of industries and I would highly recommend it to other ambitious individuals. 

Thinking back to when I initially read up on the ACA and how prestigious it is, it immediately ticked all my boxes – the flexibility and opportunity to work abroad were just a few things that attracted me to it.