AAT Level 2 Accounts/Finance Assistant Apprenticeship
Subject: Accounting & Bookkeeping
This apprenticeship is ideal for those members of your team that are responsible for assisting the team with junior accounting duties or those are looking as first step into their accounting career.
Alongside working towards a Level 2 AAT qualification an Accounts/Finance Assistant’s work could include basic bookkeeping activities, working with sales and purchase ledgers, running calculations to ensure that records and payments are correct, recording of cash and data entry.
Providing the opportunity for members of your team to undergo apprenticeship training has many benefits to your organisation:
- Growing productivity: Maximise staff efficiency though the development of knowledge and increasing team motivation by developing a learning culture.
- Cost effective: Provide valuable opportunities which improve retention to minimising recruitment costs
- Develop your business: Affordable way to expand and improve your business
- Enhanced reputation: Provide customer reassurance by investing in trained staff.
The CAW Business School has a well-earned reputation for excellence; delivering quality training and education and employer support. Your apprentice will benefit from:
- Tuition, support and assessment provided in the workplace, online and via email and telephone contact
- Access to our unique Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and extensive eLibrary resources
Key Facts
- Attendance: Attend college one day per week during term times (9.15am-4pm) or study via distance learning (No college attendance, start at any time)
- Duration: 12-14 months (20% of your time must be spent studying off the job).
- Next start dates: September 2020
- Location: Godmanchester (Near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)
Entry Requirements
In order for you to have an apprentice they must be living and working in England in a suitable role and cannot already hold a Level 2 (or above) qualification in a similar subject.
For the apprenticeship to be completed within 12-14 months the apprentice must be working a minimum of 30 hours per week. If they are employed for fewer hours then the length of their apprenticeship will be proportionately extended.
There are no formal academic entry requirements although competency in basic maths and English is necessary.
Should you be looking to recruit a new trainee to join your team we can help to advertise your vacancy and screen applicants free of charge, contact us for more information.
Course Content
This apprenticeship consists of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by someone in an Accounts/Finance Assistant role to develop the required finance skills and enhance professional status.
The professional qualification, Level 2 AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting, will also be undertaken.
Knowledge
The knowledge gained will provide the opportunity to improve both accounting skills and business awareness:
- General Business
- Understanding Your Organisation
- Accounting Systems & Processes
- Basic Accounting
- Ethical Standards
Skills
Transferrable skills will be gained to provide the confidence for the knowledge to be applied:
- Attention to Detail
- Communication
- Uses Systems and Processes
- Personal Effectiveness
Behaviours
Attitude and behaviours covered will provide the opportunity to learn what is required for occupational competence:
- Team Work
- Personal Development
- Professionalism
- Customer Focus
Assessment
An End Point Assessment will be required to achieve the apprenticeship. This consists of the following:
Structured interview - An independently assessed discussion which will be supported by a portfolio of evidence summary
In-tray test – A computer based test lasting 105 minutes which will consist of a combination of questions and data evaluations covering knowledge and skills of accounting systems and processes, basic accounting, attention to detail.
For the AAT Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting that is included within this apprenticeship computer based exams or projects will be undertaken. As we are an AAT accredited exam centre these exams can be taken at College without the need to travel to an external exam centre.
Unless exempt Level 2 Functional Skills are assessed via online examinations and practical assessments.
Course Fees
Apprenticeship fees are payable by you as the employer. Prior to commencing the course an invoice will be issued for the total course fee.
As an employer you will either be an Apprenticeship Levy Payer (employers with over a £3 million pay bill) or Non-Levy Payers (employers with less than a £3 million pay bill).
Employ an apprentice aged 16-18 and save over £1,000!
If you take on an apprentice under 19 years of age, you will receive a £1,000 incentive from the government towards the training fees! In addition, if your organisation has less than 50 contracted employees the course fees will be fully funded!
Course fees for Apprenticeship Levy Payers
Digital account payment – £6,000
Course fees for Non-Levy Payers
Course fees for Non-Levy Payers are paid via co-investment with the government, meaning that the government provide 95% of funding towards course fees.
Full fee payable by the employer – £300
All fees are fully inclusive of applicable awarding organisation and End Point Assessment (EPA) fees. However, if a student needs to re-sit an exam, re-sit fees will be payable.
Before making any financial decision it is recommended that you seek advice from an independent source, for example the Money Advice Service.
These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of CAW Business School.
What Next?
Following this qualification many employers choose to continue supporting their staff and develop them further such as by supporting them to undertake the AAT Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship or related areas of business, such as Customer Service or Business Administration
Testimonials
What our AAT students say…
We asked our students what aspects of their AAT course they have most enjoyed. Here are some of the things they had to say!
- “Learning new skills, socialising with people within a similar field of work and with similar goals”
- “I have really enjoyed the classes and follow up activities for homework. The resources are very good”
- “Manageable sections. Broken down so not overloaded with information”
- “Good tutor making a hard subject easy to understand with good examples”
Apprenticeship Vacancies
Accounting vacancies in the South East