Accountancy
Association of Accounting Technicians
Accounting is a professional, well respected career. The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualifications, provide you with relevant practical accounting and finance skills and a highly regarded accounting qualifications and membership.
Many organisations offer accounting qualifications. However, the AAT is a professional membership body offering the NVQ route.
As an AAT qualified accounting technician, you will have internationally recognized qualifications which shows potential employers that you have been trained to a high standard. The AAT is based on practical work i.e. recording income and receipts, preparing accounts, bank analysis and self assessment for the Inland Revenue. By achieving this qualification employers will know that you have exceptional skills, experience and ability in accounting.
There are three levels: level 2, 3 and 4. You will start at the level suitable to your prior experience or qualifications.
Your training will include day release to our centre in Chester-le-Street and employment in an accounting practice or an accounts department where you will gain vital accounting practical experience.
Entry requirements
Employers recruiting people for Accounting Apprenticeships expect you to have above average GCSE Grades or equivalent, particularly in mathematics. We will match your qualifications with employer’s entry requirements.
Apprenticeships (Level 2 Certificate in Accounting)
You will start your training by studying AAT level 2 Certificate in Accounting. You will learn:
- Principles of recording and processing financial transactions
- Preparing and recording financial documentation
- Processing ledger transactions and extracting a trial balance
- Maintaining and reconciling the cash book
- Banking procedures
- Maintaining petty cash records
- Maintaining the journal
- Maintaining control accounts
- Work effectively in accounting and finance
- Basic principles of costing
- Provide basic cost and revenue information
- Computerised accounting
You will also develop an understanding of Employment Rights and Responsibilities. If needed, to enhance your skills for life we will help you develop your numeracy and communication skills to level 2.
Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3 Diploma in Accounting)
You can progress onto AAT level 3 Diploma in Accounting and develop your accounting skills by learning:
- Principles of accounts preparation
- Extending the trial balance using accounting adjustments
- Accounting for fixed assests
- Preparing accounts for partnership
- Prepare final accounts for sole traders
- Principles of cash management
- Cash management
- Principles of costing
- Providing cost and revenue information
- Principles of VAT
- Preparing and completing VAT returns
- Professional ethics in accounting and finance
- Spreadsheet software
Higher Apprenticeship (Level 4 Diploma in Accounting)
You can progress onto AAT level 4 Diploma in Accounting and learn:
- Principles of drafting financial statements
- Drafting financial statements
- Principles of budgeting
- Drafting budgets
- Principles of managing financial performance
- Measuring financial performance
- Principles of internal control
- Evaluating accounting systems
Optional units:
- Principles of credit management
- Control of debt and credit
- Principles of personal tax
- Calculating personal tax
By completing this level you will have entry to higher professional accounting qualifications and can become a full member of the AAT. This will provide you with exemptions if you wish to progress onto further higher professional accounting qualifications.
Career Progression
To find out more about the Association of Accounting Technicians progression routes log onto http://www.aat.org.uk/. This site gives details on professional accounting qualifications: ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW, ICAS
Local higher education establishments offer further qualifications on a day release part time basis. Visit http://www.ftckaplan.com/based in Newcastle. New College Durham also offers the CIPFA professional accounting qualifications visit http://www.newdur.ac.uk/
What learners have said about us:
- "The training and support is very helpful"
- "I feel I have learnt more since joining the business club and will continue to progress"
- "I am more confident in my ability within my work role"
- "There is always someone to talk to if you have a problem"
PROGRESSION AFTER APPRENTICESHIP AND USEFUL WEBSITES
AAT Facebook page www.facebook.com/youraat
AAT case studies http://www.aat.org.uk/heartheirstories/?page=1&video=2%20
AAT new prospects page http://www.aat.org.uk/joi
See link section on the homepage for details on Higher Education providers and open days/events.