Getting an education doesn't have to mean leaving home for years at a time.

Takiyah Tucker, one of the newest certified public accountants (CPA) at the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) received her entire education in Bermuda.

She is a senior analyst with the BMA on the compliance team within the Insurance Department

Miss Tucker, 31, started working for her CPA certification while working at Ernst & Young.

She was a staff accountant in Investment Accounting Services at Ernst & Young where she was responsible for providing accounting services and financial statements for the Bermuda Trust Company.

In addition to these responsibilities she spent time working as part of an audit team on many of Ernst & Young's investment and local clients.

"I had to stop studying for my CPA halfway through to have a daughter," she said. "She is now four years old. I always wanted to finish it, but I had to wait until I had enough time. Early on, it was too hard to study and take care of my daughter."

She went to work for the BMA in 2005, and started studying again a year ago.

She earned her CPA through a distance learning programme offered by Mount Saint Vincent University in association with the Bermuda College..

In 2002 she earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration also from Mount Saint Vincent University distance learning, and in she 1999 earned an Associate's degree in Business Administration from Bermuda College.

Miss Tucker said a good support network has been vital for her.

"I have a lot of family," she said. "They are really helpful."

She said her mother would pick up her daughter from nursery school and stay until she was finished studying for the evening.

"Having a child does change everything," she said. "When you have a kid you know that it isn't just yourself you have to support."

Her mother also helped when Miss Tucker had to go abroad to take exams relating to her CPA.

She said she enjoys her job at the BMA.

"I deal with different sorts of issues and processes relating to companies. Companies have certain standards that they have to adhere to," she said.

Miss Tucker said she enjoys her job and field of work.

"You do your job knowing that it has an impact on Bermuda and the economy," she said. "I think with other jobs you don't always see what it does for the Country."

Miss Tucker said one of the challenges was sticking to the programme.

"It took a long time, and sometimes I was tempted to give up, but I stuck with it."

Jeremy Cox, deputy chief executive officer, of the BMA called Takiyah's achievement "significant".

He said: "The manner in which she has earned this professional designation is impressive and speaks to her dedication, discipline and focus which are all wonderful qualities for an insurance supervisor.

"We are very proud to have Takiyah as a member of the Authority's team. I would also like to acknowledge Harry Whitcher, the director of the Authority's Restoration Run-off & Monitoring (RR&M) unit, and Takiyah's manager."

Mr. Cox said Mr. Whitcher was recruited to the BMA in 2007 to build a focused insurance company Restoration, Run-off & Monitoring unit.

"He was also brought in with the task of staffing and training a unit with qualified Bermudians," Mr. Cox said.

"Takiyah has used her talent and professional goals to both contribute to, and benefit from, this effort to grow young Bermudians."