ACCA
The importance of finance in engineering: Helmi Ali’s story
27 Nov 2023
If you ask yourself “what is an accountant?” what comes to mind? In the past, a lot of people would characterise an accountant as someone who’s great at maths, sitting in the office while crunching numbers. However, the reality is that accountancy and finance is such a diverse area, and this profession is required across all industries.
Former ACCA learner, Helmi Ali, acknowledged the wide range of opportunities that can come with studying accounting and finance, and shared his career journey with us…
Working at PETRONAS
Helmi’s educational journey began as he studied towards his engineering degree at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), with a full scholarship from PETRONAS. After graduating with his degree, Helmi found himself working for the same organisation in supply chain management:
“A lot of experiences that I’ve gained are all thanks to PETRONAS. The company contributed to where I am today. My experience also taught me the value of resilience, which enables me to take on any challenges that come my way.”
But during a particular project, Helmi experienced a transformative shift in his perspective regarding finance and accounting.
“Engineers conceive great ideas and materialise them into remarkable realities. However, a comprehensive understanding of cost implications and revenue is a crucial element for any ambitious plan to work.”
His newfound appreciation of accounting and finance led to Helmi completing his ACCA qualification at Kaplan:
“The focus by the teachers is on understanding instead of memorising. In accountancy, there are a lot of standards to memorise. To make it easier, they ensured that we understand why standards are there and how we can apply them to real-life situations.
I can still remember the explanations about accounting standards by the tutors from Kaplan from over a decade ago. The way they describe fundamental concepts are so effective that they stick in your mind.”
Watch the full conversation with Helmi.
However, his educational pursuits did not stop after ACCA. Upon its completion, Helmi then opted to study his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) at Imperial College, London.
A happy life
Fast forward to today, and Helmi now resides in Qatar while holding a crucial position as the Senior Venture Control at Qatargas - an environment that is perfect for his family dynamic. For many of us, a healthy work life balance is necessary to enjoy a career, and Helmi provides a great example of this.
Describing the management teams in his workplace, Helmi explained that:
“Management is proactive - attentively addressing employees’ suggestions and concerns, and then swiftly implementing rational solutions within the workplace.”
He expanded on this by stating that he “feels blessed to return home to his family with a serene mind,” and he “even manages to squeeze in workout sessions amidst demanding schedules.”
Final thoughts
Helmi is a great example of someone who identifies a passion and puts in the hard work and dedication to achieving success. Studying ACCA helped him to achieve the goal of navigating his engineering career through an accounting and finance lens. And after dedicating his career to the oil and gas industry, he now has over 14 years of experience, a variety of progression opportunities, and a happy and healthy work life balance.
If you’re feeling inspired by Helmi’s career journey, you can start working towards your dream career by studying ACCA with us at Kaplan Learning. We offer a subscription method so you can enrol onto the full ACCA qualification and study at your own pace.
ACCA
The importance of finance in engineering: Helmi Ali’s story
27 Nov 2023
If you ask yourself “what is an accountant?” what comes to mind? In the past, a lot of people would characterise an accountant as someone who’s great at maths, sitting in the office while crunching numbers. However, the reality is that accountancy and finance is such a diverse area, and this profession is required across all industries.
Former ACCA learner, Helmi Ali, acknowledged the wide range of opportunities that can come with studying accounting and finance, and shared his career journey with us…
Working at PETRONAS
Helmi’s educational journey began as he studied towards his engineering degree at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), with a full scholarship from PETRONAS. After graduating with his degree, Helmi found himself working for the same organisation in supply chain management:
“A lot of experiences that I’ve gained are all thanks to PETRONAS. The company contributed to where I am today. My experience also taught me the value of resilience, which enables me to take on any challenges that come my way.”
But during a particular project, Helmi experienced a transformative shift in his perspective regarding finance and accounting.
“Engineers conceive great ideas and materialise them into remarkable realities. However, a comprehensive understanding of cost implications and revenue is a crucial element for any ambitious plan to work.”
His newfound appreciation of accounting and finance led to Helmi completing his ACCA qualification at Kaplan:
“The focus by the teachers is on understanding instead of memorising. In accountancy, there are a lot of standards to memorise. To make it easier, they ensured that we understand why standards are there and how we can apply them to real-life situations.
I can still remember the explanations about accounting standards by the tutors from Kaplan from over a decade ago. The way they describe fundamental concepts are so effective that they stick in your mind.”
Watch the full conversation with Helmi.
However, his educational pursuits did not stop after ACCA. Upon its completion, Helmi then opted to study his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) at Imperial College, London.
A happy life
Fast forward to today, and Helmi now resides in Qatar while holding a crucial position as the Senior Venture Control at Qatargas - an environment that is perfect for his family dynamic. For many of us, a healthy work life balance is necessary to enjoy a career, and Helmi provides a great example of this.
Describing the management teams in his workplace, Helmi explained that:
“Management is proactive - attentively addressing employees’ suggestions and concerns, and then swiftly implementing rational solutions within the workplace.”
He expanded on this by stating that he “feels blessed to return home to his family with a serene mind,” and he “even manages to squeeze in workout sessions amidst demanding schedules.”
Final thoughts
Helmi is a great example of someone who identifies a passion and puts in the hard work and dedication to achieving success. Studying ACCA helped him to achieve the goal of navigating his engineering career through an accounting and finance lens. And after dedicating his career to the oil and gas industry, he now has over 14 years of experience, a variety of progression opportunities, and a happy and healthy work life balance.
If you’re feeling inspired by Helmi’s career journey, you can start working towards your dream career by studying ACCA with us at Kaplan Learning. We offer a subscription method so you can enrol onto the full ACCA qualification and study at your own pace.
