nevillek said:
I have B.Com/M.Com from India and a lil work experience in Acctg.. applied to the UoW's Master of Mgmt in Intl. Actg/Finance now but I'm curious to know if a practical diploma in Acctg. would be better suited for job opportunities? Problem is.. a practical diploma is like a Bachelors and I've already done that.. so it feels weird to do a diploma now.. but I heard job opportunities are better with that? Is that really the case? Should I give up on the MoM?
Hi,
It's wrong to compare directly practical diplomas and Master degrees. It's kind of a na-ive question with no definite answer. No single course can guarantee success or failure.
It basically depends on- 1. Which Master degree or practical Accounting diploma you are pursuing and comparing directly. and 2. On your individual capabilities and overall profile.
For example, a Master degree in engineering, higher sciences, MBA from renowned universities is definitely useful and valuable to get you higher - engineering , scientific research or higher management positions while a good practical diploma in Accounting (especially those with co-op), offered by good colleges across Canada can be a stepping stone towards a successful entry level career in Accounting. It really depends on the student. One can be much more successful after pursuing not so renowned Master degrees such as MoM at Univ. of Windsor while one may fare poorly even after pursuing the best practical diploma in Accounting. It is also to be noted that after practical diplomas (especially those with co-op/ providing valuable Canadian work ex.) it is usually easier to break into the job market with an entry level job for international students, rather than trying to find higher level positions in corporates after pursuing not so known Master degrees like MoM (not Odette MBA) at univ. of Windsor. Of-course, if it was an MBA from Univ. of Toronto or say UBC or Victoria or even Windsor...things would have been different... But.. it's for you to ponder, why would corporates select an average international student with an average profile from an average Master degree course to do higher level jobs when they can find applicants with much better profile and highly qualified like the MBAs of top schools to do the same job... (I mean if you were an MBA of Odette, univ. of Windsor... things would be different...) saying this.. it's a general statement and as I said.. one can succeed anywhere...but it all comes down to the student. If you manage to get a skilled management level job after your MoM.. nothing better than that (both in terms of long term career and your satisfaction...since you are so reluctant about diplomas).. But... the fact remains...the higher your degree is.. the more it is competitive to find that level of job. The lower your qualifications are..easier to find jobs in that level...like finding unskilled/minimum wage jobs are not at all an issue..you will find something or other if you try and network a bit.
While in India, we see in terms of degrees, and believe diplomas and ITI certifications have comparatively lower status & value with lesser opportunities and hardly any growth prospect (typical Indian/South Asian mentality..that diplomas are lower level compared to degrees)... whereas in Canada , the thing is very different, where many of youngsters quickly pursue a 1 or 2 year trade qualifications or practical job oriented diplomas in diverse fields, so as to enter the job market quickly and start earning. Then gather experience and eventually climb up the career path. Some of the best opportunities and immediate high paying job prospects are after pursuing practical job oriented high demand diplomas such as skilled trades, practical nursing, Paramedic, physiotherapy assistants, occupational safety diploma at NAIT, diplomas offered in Energy sector by SAIT, Diploma in Business Information technology at Red river college, Accounting (with co-op) etc etc. Forget diplomas... even simple short courses in truck driving, entry level oil and gas worker pay comparatively much higher salary and immediate job prospects because of their high demand. In-fact, if you research on some of these diplomas in majority of well known colleges of Canada, you will see very high or even near 100% employment rate (for some courses)... which is unthinkable for average Master degrees like MoM.
Not to mention, one will be spending near 41,500$ for a course like MoM at Univ. of Windsor, which has no co-op element, very difficult immigration polices under Master stream of Ontario (only 1000 applications per year and even if your application accepted... you will have to show extra near 12,000$ balance in last 6 months of bank statement) or try finding a skilled job (under CEC) with an average profile and no real world Canadian experience... thereby spending 41,500$+12,000$+ 2,000$ say mic. expenses, airfare etc.... total 55,500$ or near 30 lacs INR! Even if you manage to get PR under Ontario Master degree stream (which by the way is pilot scheme, will shut down any time)... you will still have to find a skilled management level job..to get the actual return on your investment. As compared to this... if one pursues say the 2 years diploma in Business Accounting at SIAST(Sask.) of 24 months with 2 real life co-op work experiences (high possibility of earning full time for 2 co-op terms i.e 8 months), spending around 20,000+10,000$+2,000$..in total just 32,000$ or just 17 lacs INR and not only have much greater chances of finding a skilled entry level job as a bookkeeper... but also the easier and very favorable student immigration PNP of Saskatchewan!
Hope you got my point. I'm not encouraging or discouraging to pursue a particular course, but merely tried presenting the general facts and laying out the actual scenario in-front of you. If you are confident on your capabilities, then no matter which path you choose..at the end you will be successful.
Other's may or may not agree with my above said opinions... and are welcome to comment and discuss it further... but I believe this is the case. In Canada, "diplomas" are also respected and valued unlike the case here in India.
Best of Luck.
***All opinions expressed are purely personal, and pieces of information mentioned are to the best of my knowledge... You should consult other sources too.
