BF&M Ltd. chief executive officer John Wight says training to be a chartered accountant is well worth the effort — despite the widespread job losses seen in the financial sector in recent months.

Mr. Wight, who is chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bermuda, said the CA designation opens up opportunities in virtually every line of business and there was a huge demand for CAs in Bermuda and elsewhere.

"I can say categorically that the experience and training CAs receive, coming out of university, is better than that offered by any other professional body if your goal is to succeed in business," Mr. Wight said.

"You are exposed to so many different companies business operations, and that combined with working with so many bright and talented individuals put me streets ahead of my friends from university who chose different careers paths in business.

"I can say with some certainty that I wouldn't be where I am today without my CA training."

Mr. Wight said the Institute's staff and members were happy to offer face-to-face advice to anyone considering training to become a CA.

"Education has never been more important then it is right now," Mr. Wight said. "International and local companies based in Bermuda need qualified CAs like never before to fill the many challenging financial, operational, and administrative jobs that are offered.

"There is unprecedented demand for CAs at a time when long term demographic trends of an ageing population show the demand for CAs outstripping the supply. The current economic climate makes education even more critical. Those that take their education seriously and apply themselves accordingly are more likely to be the ones who succeed in these tough economic times."

Students selected by accounting firms are provided with interesting and challenging training that readies students for the Chartered Accountancy examinations that must be passed along with work requirements before the designation is official.

Those considering embarking on the challenging path towards becoming a CA should not be put off by the old image of accountants being boring, Mr. Wight said.

"In past generations, when people thought of an accountant they thought of someone with a shoebox full of papers," Mr. Wight said. "That is anything but what the profession is all about today.

"You can be involved in interesting issues in the full scope of industries."

Mr. Wight said that in spite of the most difficult economic conditions since the Second World War, chartered accountants were in demand. "It's not just in financial services, you needs CAs in just about every operating business," Mr. Wight said.

The Institute is hoping to encourage more of Bermuda's "best and brightest" to work towards their CA designation to help to fulfil the enormous demand for such skills on the Island.

The Institute, which is affiliated with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, can be contacted on 292-7479, or by e-mail at info@icab.bm.