Over the last month I have been taking a part time finance course (Finance for Non Financial Managers). Although I come from an accountancy background I love finance as it is such an important part of business.

Although I have a technology role within the business, it is very important to understand the finances of the company. You will need to assess the health of the company and how well it is performing by analysing the monthly management accounts. The profitability of the company will affect your bonus, or the stability of your job if you do not share in the profits of the company.

Having a sound knowledge of investment appraisal techniques can help you make decisions on whether to spend money or whether you can use the money in more efficient ways.

The Course

The course is very easy to understand and is very well structured with both computer based learning and a workbook that is perfect for my commute into London each day. The material covers a lot of different industries and has a lot of exercises where you can add your own figures.

I would highly recommend the course for someone who wants to understand financial jargon and have a clearer picture of how healthy your company is. In these tough economic times good financial management can mean the difference between survival and extinction.