The Chartered Accountants Ireland second level 2025 “Boot Camp” schools’ programme has drawn to a close, with almost 10,000 students participating nationwide since its launch in 2019. Students from around the country gathered in Chartered Accountants House this week where the winners of the “Be the Boss” challenge, the culmination of Boot Camp, were announced.
“Be the Boss”, sponsored by GRID Finance, is a gamified business simulation exercise in which entrants take on the role of CEO of their own fictitious company. They must tackle a business crisis by applying the learnings from Boot Camp, including interpreting financial statements, problem solving, collaboration and leadership skills to develop a solution to overcome the challenge and justify their rationale.
Commenting, Boot Camp programme creator Brian Feighan said
“The real learning in Be the Boss comes not from working out specific answers but from the decision-making journey. Be the Boss challenges students to research and evaluate information, assess risks and benefits and then think critically about the results. They need to be creative in how they solve problems and exercise good judgement and commercial awareness.
“Boot Camp and Be the Boss show what it’s like to run a real business – you must both work with others and think independently. Crucially, you must also be confident in your information. As the world becomes ever more complex, these essential business skills set great business leaders apart and they will serve all these great students well in their lives and professional careers.”
Presenting the prize, Immediate Past President of Chartered Accountants Ireland Sinead Donovan said
“I congratulate the more than 60 entrants to this year’s challenge. The talent and knowledge evidenced in all these submissions show the students’ vitality and enthusiasm, nurtured by their teachers and schools who are so important in supporting this profession. This opportunity to see the next generation of leaders at work is inspiring, and equally, it gives them the opportunity to see what being a Chartered Accountant is all about.
“With the future of the profession in mind, Chartered Accountants Ireland, under the auspices of the CCAB-I, recently contributed our views to the public consultation on the new specification for Leaving Certificate Accounting currently being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The publication of a revised specification marks an important step forward in modernising the teaching of accounting at second level and contains a series of new themes in the areas of sustainability, digital technology and ethics that more closely align the curriculum’s subject matter with the work of the modern accountant. The students at our awards ceremony this week truly represent the future of the profession.”
Boot Camp can be taken by full class groups or solo students, either independently or with teacher guidance. It can be taken as an introduction to accounting in TY or as revision in 5th and 6th year. Several large employers who take work experience students in their firms have also used Boot Camp as an introduction to their work.
Boot Camp is open for enrolment - https://chartered-bootcamp.teachable.com or contact Veronica.Byrne@charteredaccountants.ie
Finalists
- First prize: The winning team were from transition year in Edmund Rice College in Carrigaline, who entered the competition having completed the Boot Camp online course with support from their teacher.
- Second prize: Kristiana Bogdonova from Mercy College Coolock who completed the challenge with support from her teacher, Rachel Shaughnessy.
- Third prize: Olivia Fahey from The Teresian School in Dublin 4 who completed the challenge independently as a solo student.
Commendations
- Jack White, Matteo Binay and Timon Kozlovs – Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline
- Shreya Rajesh and Martina Gibas – St Mary's,Edenderry
- Molly Hennessy Murphy – St Mary's, New Ross
- Jamie Kennedy – Glanmire Community College
- Nil Sevin – Loreto College, St Stephen's Green (Work experience participant with Grant Thornton)
- Tristan Sextan, Jacob Molloy and Molly McElroy – Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline
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