In June 2018, Accountancy graduate Ng Si Jia emerged Top Scorer for the Financial Reporting Module of the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification (SCAQ) Exams. A year later, Si Jia continues to impress at the SCAQ exams, emerging Top Scorer in the Assurance module this time. The question on our minds is, “How does she do it?”
Q. Congratulations on being the Top Scorer for the Assurance module at the June 2019 Singapore CA Qualification (SCAQ) exams! More incredibly, this is the second time you have emerged Top Scorer at a SCAQ Exam. Can you share your thoughts about your achievement?
Thank you! This would not have been possible without the support network from DFS, SAA Global Education and the academic foundation built from the SMU School of Accountancy (SOA) curriculum. This achievement will continue to serve as a motivation for my remaining modules.
Q. It must have been challenging balancing your career and studying for SCAQ, yet you have achieved the incredible feat of emerging Top Scorer not once but twice! What’s your secret?
It is challenging having to juggle both work and study commitments, and I think it is inevitable that there are times when you have to prioritise work commitments. To prevent myself from neglecting study revisions, it was helpful for me to have a study schedule and to impose a work “cut-off” timing to dedicate time for revisions nearer to the exam date. Attending lessons at SAA Global Education was a good refresher on accounting knowledge gained from the SOA curriculum and the mock exams were useful in identifying areas that require further revision. Moreover, DFS also supports employees pursuing further education by providing one-to-one mentoring sessions and encourages employees to enrol in external workshops, where exam tips were being shared. These avenues of support were useful in keeping the study momentum going amidst the work commitments.
Si Jia taking her graduation photos with her friends
Q. Do you think your education at SMU SOA has helped you as you pursue your SCAQ today and why?
Definitely! Not only does SOA provide a rigorous curriculum, there is also a strong support network within the community. This ranges from having a group of dedicated professors, who are willing to share their experiences within the accounting industry and provide the necessary academic support outside of lectures, to the peer tutor sessions made available to the entire cohort. With this, SOA has helped to lay a strong academic foundation, which made it easier to comprehend new concepts and any changes to accounting standards.
Q. After pursuing your SCAQ for a year, can you share with us some of the insights you have gained regarding the value of pursuing a Professional Qualification?
Pursuing a professional qualification allows me to keep abreast of the latest developments within the accounting industry and to assess the potential accounting impact to every business. With the SCAQ exams being more application-based, this also further hones my analytical and evaluation skills, which is beneficial in my daily work.
Si Jia with her colleagues
Q. What do you hope to achieve upon successful completion of the Singapore CA Qualification programme?
Given the demanding curriculum of the SCAQ programme, I would definitely hope to develop a stronger technical understanding at the end of the programme, while developing myself holistically. I believe that the completion of the programme is not the end. Instead, I look forward to continually keeping myself aware of the latest developments within the accounting industry and to ensure that my accounting knowledge remains up-to-date.
