Agnes Perez graduated from Herzing's Accounting and Payroll program in 2019, and got her first full-time job in Canada working on the finance team at Venture Healthcare.
Agnes Perez's story is very similar to many other students at Herzing. She moved to Canada from the Philippines with a good education, but her credentials and work experience were not recognized by Canadian employers.
Back home, she was a successful optometrist with 12 years of professional experience. But Agnes quickly realized that if she wanted a successful career here in Winnipeg, she would have to go back to school and earn a Canadian diploma.
Following a life-long interest in numbers and finance, Agnes decided to get a diploma in accounting and payroll. Just 10 months later, she was offered her very first full-time job in Canada...working in accounting with a respected Winnipeg healthcare company.
Like so many determined, hard-working students, Agnes used the power of education to make a fresh start, and lay the foundation for a brand new career.
We interviewed her this month, to learn more about her experience in the Accounting and Payroll program, and find out how her new job is going.
Here are the highlights from our conversation.
Q: Agnes, can you share a little about your background? What inspired you to go back to school?
Agnes: I am originally from the Philippines. I graduated as an optometrist in the Philippines, and worked for 12 years in optical shops in the Philippines and in Kuwait. We came to Canada in January, 2017 and discovered life here is very different.
My education and work experience were not enough to be certified or practice optometry, so I decided to look for other alternatives.That is what inspired me to return to school.
Q: Why the Accounting and Payroll program? Have you always been interested in finance?
Agnes: It was always my dream to work in an office with a finance team. I have always been interested in analyzing numbers and computations. Plus, I knew there were good employment opportunities in accounting here in Winnipeg.
These are the reasons why I decided to enroll in the Office Assistant program, and then continued on to take Accounting and Payroll training.
Q: What made you choose Herzing over the other accounting colleges in Winnipeg?
Agnes: I tried contacting different accounting colleges, but in the end, Herzing was the most accommodating and helpful. They made everything simple.
Q: What is your overall opinion of the accounting and payroll program? How was the instructor and course material?
Agnes: Overall, the Accounting and Payroll program is excellent. The teachers are very good and helpful. The course material is easy to understand and follow. I have developed many new skills in accounting techniques, and have become comfortable using accounting software.
This program fully prepared me for my first accounting job. By the time I graduated, I had the skills and confidence needed to be successful in this field.
Q: What about your classmates? What was the group like?
Agnes: In the accounting class, we had a mixture of different age groups and nationalities. I did not have any issues with my classmates because I am flexible to mingle with other people, and everyone was so helpful and friendly.
Q: What was your favourite part of the accounting program? What did you enjoy most?
Agnes: I really enjoyed learning the accounting software. The program is a mixture of everything you need to be successful at work. In the real accounting world, of course it will be more complicated than in school. But at Herzing you learn the fundamentals, which you can build on to understand more advanced accounting work.
Q: Can you tell us about the internship? What company did you work at, and what responsibilities did you have?
Agnes: I did my internship at Venture Healthcare in Winnipeg. I got a lot of practice doing spreadsheets in their accounting system. Excel is very essential in preparing billing as well as payroll. I also used QuickBooks, and analyzed different accounting computations.
I had many different duties and responsibilities. Multitasking was an important part of my internship!
Q: How long did it take you to find work after graduating from Herzing? Where are you working now?
Agnes: I got hired straight out of my internship at Venture Healthcare. After I completed the internship, I signed a contract to join their finance team. I do payroll and billing (accounts receivables).
The skills I learned at Herzing helped me get my first full-time job in Canada! I'm really enjoying the work.
Q: What advice would you give someone who is considering a career in accounting? What skills will they need to be successful?
Agnes: Accounting is challenging. Flexibility and patience are very important to be successful. You need to be detail-oriented, determined, and have a positive attitude about learning new skills.
It also helps to have some basic computer knowledge. If you have all, or some of these characteristics, you can be successful in accounting.
Thank-you, Agnes for sharing your story with us! We're so proud of your performance in the accounting program and your success at work. We know you have a very bright future in finance.
Learn more about the Accounting and Payroll program
Herzing's Accounting and Payroll program is 10 months long, including a guaranteed 6-week internship at a local business. Training includes all the accounting techniques and computer software needed to qualify for entry-level accounting and payroll jobs.
Have questions about this program, or want to learn more about your career options?
We strongly recommend speaking with an Admissions Advisor. An Advisor can explain the program, the course schedule, job opportunities, and skills you'll need to succeed in class.
Meet with an Advisor to tour the college, learn about financial aid options, and find out if this career path is right for you.
Click below to get started. Explore the Accounting and Payroll program, request free information by email, or chat live with an Admissions Advisor right away. We're here to help!
