AAT Level 4 Apprenticeship Professional Accounting Technician

This apprenticeship consists of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to develop the finance skills needed to enhance your professional status.

As part of this apprenticeship you will undertake the AAT Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians and undertake the following five units:

FNAC – Financial Accounting
This unit provides the skills and understanding needed for drafting the financial statements of single limited companies. You will gain proficient knowledge and understanding of international accounting standards, which will then be applied when drafting financial statements. You will be able to prepare a statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, statement of financial position, statement of changes in equity, and statement of cash flows for a limited company. You will also gain a sound appreciation of the regulatory and conceptual frameworks that underpin the preparation of limited company financial statements.

MNAC – Management Accounting
This unit encompasses the key areas of planning, control, decision making and liquidity management. You will learn how the budgetary process is undertaken and understand how to construct budgets and then identify and report both on areas of success and on areas that should be of concern to key stakeholders. You will gain the knowledge and skills across a range of areas that will help to enhance the control environment of an organisation. You will understand the methods used to deal with the issues surrounding both short-term and long-term decision making. You will also gain the skills to both monitor and manage liquidity.

ATIC – Audit and Internal Controls
This unit looks at the role and importance of internal controls within an organisation and also provides the tools to identify fraud risks and assess how internal controls can be used to mitigate those risks. You will also learn about the principles of audit and assurance and will gain a clear understanding of the regulatory environment and the role of corporate governance. You will gain an awareness of the audit process, from planning and risk assessment to the final completion and production of the audit report. You will understand how internal controls influence audit approaches and will learn to evaluate and test these controls effectively. The unit will also explore various audit assertions and procedures, sampling techniques, and methods for obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence. Finally, this unit focuses on reviewing and reporting audit findings.

PTAX – Principles of Taxation
This unit introduces taxation for taxpayers in the UK. You will look at the different types of income that a UK taxpayer may have, including from employment, self-employment, property and investments. You will be able to calculate each type of income. You will also be able to calculate National Insurance contributions on relevant types of income. This unit also introduces Capital Gains Tax. You will learn how to calculate Corporation Tax for companies, including income from trading, property and interest, as well as chargeable gains for companies.

You will also look at the administrative requirements of UK tax law, including the implications of errors, and late filing or late payments. Finally, you will understand ethical issues facing UK taxpayers and the responsibilities that an agent has in giving advice on tax issues to business clients. You will be able to identify tax planning opportunities, while understanding the importance of maintaining ethical standards.

AVBA – Advanced Business Awareness
This unit will prepare you for real-world challenges and opportunities in the business environment, enhancing your employability and professional growth. By understanding complex business concepts and practices, you will be able to make informed decisions, improve organisational effectiveness, and contribute to sustainable business practices.

You will explore how businesses set their goals and strategies and how to make decisions that align with them. You will develop skills to improve personal effectiveness through effective time management and enhancing communication skills. You will also gain a sound understanding of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, and managing change effectively.

You will be equipped with the skills to collect, clean and analyse data, understanding the principles of data protection, in addition to learning how a business can use data analytics to make better business decisions.

You will look at the difference between laws and ethics and the importance of professional ethics in handling ethical conflicts and legal issues. This knowledge will help you navigate complex ethical and legal challenges in your professional roles, ensuring you act with integrity and uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.

Finally, you will understand key sustainability concepts and standards and will learn how to promote sustainable business practices, whilst understanding the benefits and challenges of implementing sustainability policies.

Functional Skills
Apprentices under 19 years of age will be required to undertake Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths unless exempt.

Off-The-Job Training Hours
You will undertake a minimum of six hours a week of off-the-job training hours, this is learning that takes place during your normal working hours. These could comprise of college lessons, working through online course materials, time spent revising for exams etc.

Classroom Attendance
Classroom lessons are held at our training centre in Godmanchester, just outside of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, and can be started throughout the year. You can choose between the following two options:

• Tuesdays from 9:15am-1pm.
• Mondays from 5:30-8:30pm

Apprentices are also able to stay for the afternoon for tutor supported study time to contribute towards their off-the-job training hours.

Online learning
Our online, distance learning courses can be started at any time. You will work through your online course materials at a time that is convenient to you and be supported by a personal tutor.

You must be competent in complex double-entry bookkeeping and have achieved the AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting. You should also be living and working in England in a suitable finance role.

To complete this apprenticeship within 18-24 months you will need to be working for a minimum of 30 hours per week, if you are working less than 30 hours a week the length of your apprenticeship will be extended depending on your working hours.

International qualifications
Students with foreign qualifications are required to have their certificates translated using a UK ENIC Statement to confirm if they have previously achieved Level 2 English and Level 2 maths for their apprenticeship. If a student has not previously achieved this, they will need to complete Functional Skills English and/or maths as part of their apprenticeship. More information about how to apply, how it works and prices can be found on the UK ENIC’s website here.

Additional Information
As our courses include online learning components, students are required to have access to a PC or laptop with a reliable internet connection.

Your End Point Assessment will consist of:

• Role Scenario Assessment/Exam- Questions based on a scenario in a controlled and invigilated examination environment.
• Portfolio and Reflective Statement - A portfolio of evidence to demonstrate learned knowledge, skills and behaviours, along with a reflective statement.

You will also undertake computer-based AAT exams. 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.

Apprenticeship course fees are payable by the employer. Fees are dependent upon the size of the organisation you are employed in.

Course fees for Growth and Skills (Apprenticeship) Levy Paying Employers
(organisations with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million)

These employers will pay the full apprenticeship amount of £12,000 using their digital account.

Course fees for Non-Levy Paying Employers
(organisations with an annual pay bill of less than £3 million)

These employers will pay 5% (£600 in one payment) towards the cost of the apprenticeship using their digital account.

Please note that fees may be free for those aged 16-21 years, working in a non-levy paying organisation with less than 50 employees.

Awarding Body Fees
The End Point Assessment (EPA) fee is included, however, if a student needs to re-sit an exam, re-sit fees will be payable. In addition, payment for AAT membership, exam fees (approximately £564) and textbooks will also be required.

General Advice

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 (The College of Animal Welfare).

If you have not achieved your qualification by the planned end date detailed in your individual learning plan, your employer will be able to pay monthly direct debit payments to allow you to continue to receive support and access to your course until certification of your award.

After completing the AAT Level 4 Accounting Apprenticeship, you will be able to apply to become an AAT full member and use the letters MAAT after your name. You’ll enjoy elevated professional credibility and status, increasing your opportunities for career progression.

The Level 4 AAT qualification will allow you to work in a variety of roles, such as Assistant Auditor, Assistant Management Accountant, Assistant Financial Accountant, Accounts Payable and Expenses Supervisor, Commercial Analyst, Payroll Manager, Senior Financial Officer, Tax Investigations Officer, Personal Tax Assistant and Business Tax Assistant.

Become self-employed

You may choose to start up your own business. As an AAT member in practice (MIP) you can offer accountancy, taxation or related consultancy services to the public in the UK or Channel Islands. More information on this can be found on the AAT website.

Become a chartered accountant

You may decide to continue your studies by becoming a chartered accountant. All the UK chartered and certified accountancy bodies recognise the AAT Accounting qualification and will give you exemptions from certain modules. Read more.

Yes, you must be employed in a finance role, and be living and working in England, to undertake this apprenticeship. If you are not, then you may wish to look at undertaking the AAT Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians course.

There’s no need to wait, you can start at any time.

Once you are enrolled and ready to start you will work through the online course materials in your own time. You will be allocated a tutor as a point of contact to support you through the course.

Unfortunately not, apprenticeships must be paid for by the employer. It is also important that your employer is supportive of you undertaking the apprenticeship as they would have to allow you a minimum of six hours a week of off-the-job training. You could consider undertaking the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting in your own time if you wish.

Off-the-job (OTJ) training hours are mandatory, paid learning hours for apprentices that take place during normal working hours to help them to gain new skills and knowledge outside of their normal daily work duties. This could be undertaking college lessons, working through online course materials, webinars, time spent on assignments or revising etc. Each apprentice has to undertake a minimum of six OTJ hours per week (this may be pro rata for part time employees).

At the current time, you would need to find your own employment in a finance role to begin this apprenticeship. We are sometimes asked by employers to help them to recruit an apprentice; any apprenticeship vacancies we know about will be advertised on our Apprenticeship Vacancies webpage – you can also sign up to receive new apprenticeship job alerts via this page.