AAT Level 2 Apprenticeship Accounts/Finance Assistant

This apprenticeship consists of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by someone in an accounts/finance assistant role. As part of this apprenticeship you will undertake the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting and undertake the following units:

Introduction to Bookkeeping
This unit will provide you with an understanding of manual and digital bookkeeping systems, including the associated documents and processes. You will learn the basic principles that underpin the double-entry bookkeeping system and discover how digital accounting systems are automating some of the stages in the process

• Principles and procedures related to processing business transactions, financial documents and payments for customers and suppliers.
• Developing skills in processing ledger transactions and preparing an initial trial balance.

Principles of Bookkeeping Controls
This unit builds on the knowledge and skills acquired from the Introduction to Bookkeeping unit and explores control accounts, journals and reconciliations. It will take you through a number of processes used in bookkeeping that help verify and validate the entries made. These processes enable you to understand the purpose of control accounts and associated reconciliations. You will also look at the use of the journal to the stage of redrafting the trial balance, following initial adjustments.

• Maintenance and reconciliation of a cash book by accurately entering receipts and payments, balancing and reconciling with bank statements.
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK banking system and related organisational activities.
• Petty cash transactions and the importance of the Journal as a primary accounting record.
• Maintaining control over debtors and creditors, aided by preparation and use of debtor and creditor control accounts.
• Non-standard bookkeeping transactions and double-entry bookkeeping records.

The Business Environment
The business environment is dynamic and is changing considerably as the digital age progresses to facilitate the global nature of business. It is essential that you are aware of the impact that this environment has on organisations, from sole traders to large companies operating in local, national and global markets.

This unit provides knowledge and understanding of key business concepts and their practical application in the external and internal environment in which you will work. You will gain an understanding of the legal system and principles of contract law and an appreciation of the legal implications of setting up a business and the consequences this may have. Wider issues impacting businesses will be considered, including the global economic environment in which it operates, how governments impact upon it and the competitive nature of the global economy.

• Developing transferable skills and effective working in an accounting environment.
• Teamwork skills and the ability to work independently.
• Demonstrating workplace-ready standards of literacy and numeracy.

Principles of Costing
This unit introduces the principles of basic costing and builds a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills required for more complex costing and management accounting. You will learn the importance of the costing system as a source of information that allows management to plan, make decisions and control costs. You will be able to recognise the key differences from a business perspective between costing and financial accounting.  You will learn a range of techniques to cost materials, labour and overheads to establish the unit cost of a product or service, and this will include understanding and applying codes. You will learn how to classify costs and understand how different classifications of cost can be used for internal management decision making.

• Cost recording systems within an organisation and how best to respond to requests for information relating to costs and expenditure.
• Recording and extracting information, and using a costing system to provide information for management.

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.

Your End Point Assessment will consist of a structured interview with an independent assessor and a knowledge test.

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.

Classroom Attendance
Classroom lessons are held at our training centre in Godmanchester, just outside of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. You will attend college each week during term time on a Wednesday from 9:15am-12:30pm. 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.

There are no formal entry requirements, however you should have a good basic level of maths and English, and be living and working in England in a suitable finance role.

To complete this apprenticeship within 12-14 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.

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 £7,000 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% (£350 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 £424) 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).

On completion of the level 2 AAT apprenticeship, you can apply for the AAT Level 3 Apprenticeship Assistant Accountant or AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting programme.

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 2 Certificate in Accounting 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 2 Certificate in 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.