Where can one find a mentor? How can I go about embarking on my practical training?

You can find a mentor from any ZICA approved employers. Some of the approved employers also take on students who are not their employees. Please click here to access the Approved employer list: . To embark on practical training, see below the 3 versions of Practical Training;

Version 1 – Approved employer 

• Find a job placement if not employed and sign employment contract.
• Apply for exemptions from mandatory 3 years if you meet exemption policy
• Select at least 2 of the 9 Technical Competency areas
• Find a mentor to supervise you in your selected Technical areas
• Sign a training contract with your employers and Mentorship agreement with your Mentor
• Develop a training plan in conjunction with the Mentor.
• Document the plan
• Record the demonstrated work experience onto the Competence Review Form (CRF) every quarter
• Ensure the CRF (record of experience) (CFR) is signed off quarterly and submitted to ZiCA every quarter
• Complete and submit the Yearly/Half-Yearly Assessment form to ZiCA every year or six months respectively
• Update the Practical training logbook every year end

 

Version 1 – Alternative

• Where organisation cannot provide a mentor, a mentor may be seconded from outside the organisation.
• Develop and document the training plan in conjunction with the Mentor.
• Record the demonstrated work experience onto the Competence Review Form (CRF) every quarter
• Ensure the CRF (record of experience) (CFR) is signed off quarterly and submitted to ZiCA every quarter
• Complete and submit the Yearly/Half-Yearly Assessment form to ZiCA every year or six months respectively
• Update the Practical training logbook every year end

 

Version 2

This version of the practical training policy is applicable to a student who is currently working and is eligible to commence practical training but the student’s employer has not yet signed up the MoU and the organization has professionally qualified Accountant (s) who are qualified to mentor the student.  The requirements of version 2 are as follows:

1. The student should identify a mentor (from the available qualified accountants internally) who must be an Associate or Fellow member of ZICA in good standing with the Institute.
2. The Trainee and the Mentor must sign a Mentorship Agreement prescribed by ZICA.
3. The trainee should then keep a record of work undertaken under each competency area which will be validated by the Mentor after the serving the practical training period depending on the exemptions given (if any).
4. At the end of the practical training period, the Mentor must sign off the Practical Training Experience Log Book for the Trainee to confirm achievement of the competencies.
5. A trainee accountant whose Practical Experience Log book has been signed off and meets the ZICA expectations will then be required to sit for a Practical Experience Competence Examination to confirm the competency.
6. The exemptions in the current policy shall apply to Version 2 of the Practical Training too.

 

Version 3

This version of the practical training policy is applicable to a student who is currently working and is eligible to commence practical training but the employer cannot qualify to be an approved employer because it has no professionally qualified accountants or the student is the highest person in the Accounts department or the organization as the case maybe for students who are owners or CEOs of firms. The requirements of version 3 are as follows:

 

1. The trainee should keep a record of work undertaken under each competency area which will be attested by the supervisor or other external assurance persons (CEO of the organization if applicable or other authorities such as external or internal auditors for students who maybe CEO or owners of firms) after serving the relevant practical training period depending on the exemptions given (if any).
2. At the end of the practical training period, the supervisor or other external assurance persons (CEO or other authorities such as external or internal auditors for students who maybe CEO or owners of firms) must attest achievement of the competencies.
3. A trainee accountant whose Practical Experience has been attested under (ii) above will then be required to sit for a Practical Experience Competence Examination to confirm the competency.
4. The exemptions in the current policy shall apply to Version 3 of the Practical Training too.

 

Using version 3 of the practical training, Commencement will only be recorded once a formal letter addressed to the Director Education & Training is received, indicating the name of the supervisor who will be attesting the competencies for ZICA’s  record and also which Technical competence areas the trainee will specialise in.

• Record the demonstrated work experience onto the Competence Review Form (CRF)
• At end of the practical Training period, the Supervisor must attest achievement of competencies  ( a half yearly submission will be appreciated so that we check your progress).
• Once the competencies have been attested and submitted to ZiCA , you will be ready to sit for a Practical Training Competence Examination.