Meet Lakshman Meyyappan, a 16-year-old ACCA Affiliate and CFA Level I candidate

Lakshman Meyyappan is a grade 11 high school student who started his journey in ACCA with PwC’s Academy at the age of 15. Within a short span of one year and with his consistent effort and interest, Lakshman earned the ACCA qualification and is already ready to take his upskilling to the next level with the CFA qualification.

How did you kickstart your ACCA journey at such a young age?

I was always curious to learn new things and I took advantage of every opportunity available to expand my knowledge. When COVID-19 hit and we were forced to stay home, I was constantly looking for something productive to do. That’s when my mother, who is an ACCA herself, introduced me to basic accounting concepts which I found extremely fascinating! This was the stepping stone to start my ACCA journey. Once I got started, there was no looking back and I took on the qualification with full commitment!

How did you manage to become an ACCA Affiliate in just one year?

I believe the most important thing that helped me sail through the ACCA was being constantly motivated by my mentors, parents and grandparents to complete the qualification. The trainers at PwC’s Academy were very supportive in my journey and paid attention to not just my strengths but my weaknesses as well and worked towards it. Everytime I made a mistake, they ensured that I understood the problem properly first before rushing for a solution and guided me throughout the entire journey. I pushed myself to take on multiple papers in each exam schedule. This meant I would need to invest more time and effort to ensure that I pass, but I took on this challenge, and made it through!

What’s your message to other students who are on a similar journey?

I would tell all the students looking to successfully pursue the ACCA qualification to first believe in themselves that they can do it and enjoy learning new things. The moment you start loving what you do, success comes to you.

Secondly, remember it is also very important to understand the fundamentals and get your concepts correct before moving on to tougher tasks. Make sure you’ve got a good grasp of the basics and increase the level of difficulty with time.

What’s next for you?

Learning never stops! I have already enrolled myself for the CFA qualification and am ready to put my ACCA knowledge to work.