Hello! I should thank you for willing to read such a long story. To me its painful to even write it down, but its a privilege to me that I still get to share such history and someone willing to read it. Afterall, its almost 1 zodiac ago, so im grateful people here still ok enough not to call me off. Thanks.

I was in audit only for awhile. Then I continue on with being a commercial accountant. Currently in my second company as I stayed quite awhile in each company. Im never a top scorer in uni, may be avrg or probably below avrg a person, perhaps that's why im still in accounting unlike others that meant to do better things elsewhere. I get to supervise a small team of juniors but progression have been slow for me and pay is definitely not well off. While I do not think I'm good, but as a whole I would find this industry is one that suppress everything/people. Its really not worth to be in this industry. May be next job I will try going towards other things Finance related but no longer accounting/financial reporting.

Actually, many of my batchmates no longer in audit/accounting. I know of quite a number end up became insurance agent, property agent, and a few signed on army/SPF surprisingly. A few top scorer I know alrdy manager/SM in banks. Only a few I know of like myself became commercial accountant. It seems to me my batch which did not qualify for the grandfathering scheme ignite the very start of finding accounting no longer an attractive industry. That's just my perspective, in a sense what I experienced was a lost of the grandfathering scheme (too near!) and little support to pursue the unreasonably difficult crafted SQP, so I have more critics over SQP/SCAQ. Surely, there were far more reasons that make accounting unattractive over the years and we all knew about it.

Being in acccountant really taught me to be humble, really need to be very humble. In office, FP&A, data analysts, comp sci programmer etc. Will be seen as more prestigious kind of people. Business development, marketing and sales also doing better than us accountant because they generate profits whereas accountants will always be seen as cost. It always felt like my team will be the no.1 to get cost cutting and reduced headcount, somehow work (mthly/qtryly/yearly closing etc.) always gets more but nvr felt like pay/progression goes up. Automation not even there yet but higher management alrdy like to sound like we are redundant already. Nowonder people no longer find accounting attractive.

My batch would have became CA sg long ago if they have pursued SQP/SCAQ. But I do not think many have done it. So far I did not know of any of my batchmate became CA sg. But may be is because my network not wide enough to know. Did thought of pursuing SCAQ now if the past rate is higher and recently ISCA introduced things like lessons and SCAQ academy, heard can study online? But after thinking for awhile, I do not think I will do it... Really do not feel the motivation, maybe age is catching up and I simply do not have the energy to pursue such high commitment thing after tiring work day and limited weekends. At this age, we usually have more family commitment (aging parents, attention consuming spouse&kids, housework). It may sound like giving excuses, but its really difficult to do. Also, my batch will not qualify for any exemptions nor the APP which current undergrad get to enjoy various sponsorship and frontloading exams. For us, taking on full 5 papers while managing work/family commitment is as good as volunteering ourselves at the bottom of the bell curves of exams? Its seems like whats lost were lost for us oldies and our priorities changed. Despite what my batch don't get to enjoy, I still felt its really good and glad that ISCA finally came out with all these support (exemptions & APP) for new gen of those who wanna pursue the CA sg title. Imo, It makes the difficulty level more manageable or reasonable, I felt that should be the way earlier. Just my perspectives.