Striking the right balance
Ptap introduces new part-time scheme

For many people the idea of juggling a full-time day job whilst studying can be daunting enough to discourage them from sharpening their skills and talent. In the current economic climate however, professional training, gaining more practical skills and developing versatility is not only essential to getting a job, but also keeping it and helping the company survive the difficult times. As Sarah Caplan, Associate Partner at KPMG explains, companies need to support the right skills training if they are to survive the recession.
“Britain has a long way to go to ensure that we have an adequately qualified workforce for our future economic and business needs. Our continued investment in skills now more than ever, is absolutely vital.”
The question remains, how can one combine full-time work with professional training? For those who have to work full-time and wish to sharpen their practical skills simultaneously, Ptap is an excellent solution. Ptap offers an invaluable flexibility for those working in casual jobs and seeking to get more practical experience. Ptap has recently launched an exclusive 12 months and 6 months part-time programme which includes workshops such as Financial Accounting, Computerised Accounting, Spreadsheet(Excel), Incomplete Records, Payroll and Management Accounting, each lasting 4 days. After completing the workshops, Ptap’s training enables you to attend a Practice Firm twice a week and work on real clients’ accounts through the Practice Attachment™. Ptap is a great route for those who work full-time but need to acquire practical experience quickly and on a part-time basis. Their approach is unique and the most popular workshop, Financial Accounting is designed to give students the ability to prepare accounts manually – from the source document to the balance sheet. Ptap’s courses are an essential step towards securing employment or retaining jobs for all those who wish to work in accountancy and finance sector.

Practical experience the only employment route for graduates

In the latest quarterly research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), nearly half of the UK-based companies surveyed said that they were not planning to recruit those leaving school or college this year.

Recent reports confirm that graduates face a gruelling search for jobs this summer as companies struggling through the economic downturn reluctant to take on newcomers to the job market.
Gerwyn Davies, the public policy adviser at the CIPD, which carried out the research in conjunction with KPMG, said: “It is going to be a long, hot summer for many of this year’s graduates and school-leavers as they sweat over their chances of finding work. They need to sharpen their case for being picked ahead of their classmates – and fast.” Getting relevant work experience and demonstrating a range of skills are among the ways in which students can get ahead when applying for jobs, the CIPD said.”
Ptap – the leading institute specialising in Practical Training in Accountancy and Payroll is proving to be the answer for all Accountancy and Finance students of the ‘credit-crunch’ generation in the UK.
In a bid to counteract rising unemployment figures and help fresh graduates move ahead of fierce competition, Ptap has initiated a new summer programme which will allow students to get advanced practise in accounts preparation – manually and by using Sage. Additionally, it allows them to be placed in a Practice Firm, where they can work on clients’ accounts, experience the real working conditions and develop skills essential to obtain an accountancy role.
Ali Rizvi, a trainer at Ptap comments:
“Professional degrees and other certificates will provide a theoretical base in accountancy but does not cover the development of practical skills that can only be acquired in a working environment i.e in the industry or practice. Ptap’s summer programme helps you develop those skills and it is a unique opportunity every student and graduate should consider.”

As an invaluable experience for all university graduates, Ptap is emerging as one of the greatest avenues for all those now looking to gain practical experience before restarting their courses in September.

Firms struggling to recruit skilled people

London, UK – 22 June, 2009 Recent report from Manpower Annual Talent Shortage Survey shows that more than 1 in 10 employers struggle to fill staff vacancies despite the recession.
Although unemployment has soared to more than 2.2 million, businesses confirm they are facing difficulties in recruiting people with skills they need.
Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower UK, said:
“Despite the highest levels of unemployment the UK has experienced for over a decade, employers are still struggling to recruit people with the skills they require.”
“In this climate employers can afford to be very specific when looking to hire new staff and therefore companies are demanding more from employees.
“For example, a PA may now need to have accounting or language skills to be considered for a role when traditionally these skills would not have been essential to secure employment.”
In the current economic climate, many people see professional training as a cost to be cut. However, the most astute managers will continue to invest in training and skills development for their staff.  They know that the recession will eventually come to an end and the decision to up-skill employees will ensure a better future for the company.
Sara Caplan, Associate Partner at KPMG also strongly believes companies need to look at the current economic slide as an opportunity to support the right skills training if they are to survive the looming recession.
“Britain has a long way to go to ensure that we have an adequately qualified workforce for our future economic and business needs. Our continued investment in skills now more than ever, is absolutely vital.  I learnt in the last recession that it was the smart companies – those who had continued to plug their skills gaps – which survived the recession and grew more quickly.”
Ptap is the leading institute specialising in Practical Training in Accountancy and Payroll. The trainers at Ptap are working practitioners, which means their knowledge is right up to date and their focus is practical rather than purely theoretical. Their approach is unique and their most popular workshop, Financial Accounting is designed to give even those without any accountancy knowledge, the ability to prepare accounts manually – from the source document to the balance sheet. Their courses are an essential step towards securing employment or retaining jobs not only for those in the accountancy and finance but any other sector.
Ali Rizvi, a trainer at Ptap comments:
“Rather than cutting costs, the solution in financial turmoil is, to train all members of the corporate structure – from managers to secretaries with additional practical skills. This could have a profound effect on the success of any business, making every employee more versatile and invaluable to the company.”