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There are jobs going in financial services in South Africa: the sector is healthy and still growing. The question, recruiters say, is matching employers’ demands with the relevant skills, which can be hard to find. We have conducted a survey of some of the most respected recruitment firms, among them Capital Assignments, Michael Page SA and Robert Walters SA, and asked them what the top qualifications they are interested in are. Here is the list, in order of importance:

1) Chartered Accountant (CA):

To add your name to the list of over 30,000 members of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) first you need a BCom accounting degree or equivalent from a university that is accredited by Saica.

Then you must complete your Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA), which focuses on accounting, auditing, taxation and financial management and takes a minimum of one year.

Once you have got your CTA, then you are eligible to enter into a 3-year learnership with a registered training office if you want to specialise in auditing or an approved training organisation if you intend to specialise in financial management. Finally you have to successfully complete part one and two of the Qualifying Examination, at which point you can register with Saica to be a member and can use the all-important CA(SA) designation. Saica recognises the gap between supply and demand and has a number of projects to grow the profession, such as the Thuthuka Bursary Fund. “There is an urgent need to grow the profession to address the nation’s skills shortage,” says Nthato Selebi, project director at Saica. “The biggest growth for these skills can only come from African and Coloured (mixed-race) population groups. We not only identify and fund the students but also nurture them through their tertiary studies.”

2) Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The CFA is a global, US-based qualification in three parts, and South Africa has 900 members. The course a graduate-level, self-study curriculum and examination programme for investment specialists, especially securities analysts, money managers and investment advisors.

To qualify for membership, applicants must have at least a bachelors’ degree followed by four years of acceptable work experience in investment decision-making (part-time or summer jobs and internships positions do not qualify.) After completion of level 1 you can become an affiliate member and after completing levels 2 and 3 ask for a status change to fully-fledged member. Various institutions, like the Johannesburg School of Finance, offer courses and workshops to prepare for the exams.

3)  Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

The CFP qualification, guaranteed by the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa, is valued and recognised as it is a single standard adopted in over twenty countries. Candidates must meet the four “Es” of the profession: Education, Examination, Ethics and Experience. The first step is obtaining a relevant degree, usually a B.Com in financial planning or finance or a post-graduate diploma in financial planning from approved institutions. The second is completing the professional board examination and the third is agreeing to the code of ethics. Finally, candidates must complete either 1 year of practice supervised by a FP professional or three years of unsupervised practice in order to become a member, In addition, members must prove they have maintained their technical competence every two years by completing at least 60 hours of continuous professional development.

4)  Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA)

In order to qualify as a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants member, you must complete a total of ten exams: three each at operational level, management level and strategic level and a final case study. The exam subjects are the fundamentals of management accounting, of financial accounting, of business mathematics, of business economics and of ethics, corporate governance and business law, completed by computer-based assessment.The test of professional competence in management accounting requires you to complete three years of practical work experience in management accounting, business management or financial management and pass a final exam where you apply your knowledge to a business problem. The CIMA qualification is valued because the syllabus is updated every four years to maintain its relevance to business. It was last updated in 2010.