Anyone done the AAT Accounting Technician Qualification (diploma pathway)?

therealdessie

Yes, you should see them and clarify exactly what you'll be getting for the money, as you may be expected to buy additional official revision material as required. There is an initial registration fee and an annual renewal thereafter to be aware of; check whether the price is for two intensive sessions, five night classes, day releases etc.

As for the Skills Tests, yes there are three as I recall and they are apparently incredibly simple. They don't have to be taken at a study centre, your employer can do these with you in private if they are accredited.

The prices I mention are for CIMA, which is fundamentally different in scope to AAT and so runs at different costs, but they should broadly be the same pricing.

3plus1

Have you thought about joining an accountancy firm?

I work for one of the Big 4 and I'm on a graduate entry route at the moment. The firm is paying for me to get my CA qualification over three years and well, they're paying me a full time salary as well. Pretty good going.

What a lot of people don't realise however, is that you can join a Big 4 accountancy firm without a degree and study for your AAT or ATT with reasonably good results from school and no degree to your name. Yes, this route is primarily aimed at school leavers, but we have a culture where age discrimination doesn't exist. I realise you have kids, but so do lots of accountants! My office is primarily staffed by women and they juggle perfectly - if someone needs to get away without notice because their kid is ill and needs picking up from school or nursery, no one bats an eyelid.

With the CA qualification, most of our students get sent away on block release, but I'm pretty sure the ATT folk train in their home location, which is probably better for you anyway if you've got children to worry about.

You may want to leave the country in a year - you may not. I think it's definitely a route worth considering anyway - there's nothing more MSE than getting an employer to pay you a salary and also pay for all of your training! I know there is no way I could afford to get an accountancy qualification out of my own pocket!

therealdessie

One danger of working in one of the big 4s is the requirement to take (and pass) ongoing exams. You can be fired for failing them, and I've known plenty of people who have been.

And, well, they don't pay that well either However as a starting point it is a good option.

Strapped

I've worked for two of the Big 5 (now 4) firms and I had a somewhat different experience: my department only interviewed people with First Class Hons, the hours were long, the clients were demanding and certainly would not have been happy if you had to down tools to pick up a sick kid. On top of the long hours, if you were studying (which fortunately I wasn't, as I joined as an "experienced hire") you were expected to pass first time; you were allowed one retake but had to pay for it yourself. When on assignment in the Far East, one of my colleagues had to fly back to the UK to sit a paper, and then fly back out again. The pay was good but you do work for it and I wouldn't say they are the most family-friendly of firms.

3plus1

Strapped wrote: »

I've worked for two of the Big 5 (now 4) firms and I had a somewhat different experience: my department only interviewed people with First Class Hons

I just scraped a 2:1.

Strapped wrote: »

the hours were long

At my firm, it's the people who do regular overtime who get pulled up for it. We're contracted to work X hours a week. Yes, sometimes overtime is necessary, but shouldn't be necessary on a regular basis and it's something we're trying to stamp out.

Strapped wrote: »

, the clients were demanding and certainly would not have been happy if you had to down tools to pick up a sick kid.

I've been out on a job once where the senior member of staff accompanying me decided to knock off early so she could go pick up her son. The client told her she should go pick him up and not to worry about it. We've not lost any repeat business there.

Strapped wrote: »

On top of the long hours, if you were studying (which fortunately I wasn't, as I joined as an "experienced hire") you were expected to pass first time; you were allowed one retake but had to pay for it yourself.

I think this is actually an accounting institute rule rather than a firm rule.

Strapped wrote: »

When on assignment in the Far East, one of my colleagues had to fly back to the UK to sit a paper, and then fly back out again.

Not knowing the circumstances, I can't really comment, but this does sound a bit unusual.

Strapped wrote: »

The pay was good but you do work for it and I wouldn't say they are the most family-friendly of firms.

In my office, there are hardly any men. A lot of the mothers have flexed their working hours so that they only work three or four days a week or they finish up early each day. If someone needs to pick up an ill child, no one complains - the majority of people have kids too, so they understand.

Could be the firms you worked for... maybe the city you worked in. But in my personal experience, my Big 4 firm is doing everything to keep families together and people happy.

When I first started, I was in a long distance relationship with my OH (we now live together) and I was allowed to finish up ridiculously early on a Friday to travel to spend the weekend with him. I doubt many other employers would have entertained that idea, but I'm glad my firm did, as it really did help us get through the tough times.

I still think joining a Big 4 firm is a good option for the OP to consider - yes, if you fail an exam, you do have to pay for your retake... but given that the firm will pay for all your other normal study costs and also pay you a salary... even if you were to fail all of your exams repeatedly, you'd still be making a profit and you'd still be better off than if you were to pay to study independently from a distance.

If you apply to join the Big 4 and you get through to the interview stage... that's when you start to really meet people who work at the office you're considering working at and at that point, you can judge for yourself whether it's particularly family friendly or not. I know my office is - but people do vary from city to city. Definitely worth making up your own mind.

There are also mid tier firms to consider - but I don't have a massive amount of experience in what they offer.

CompletelyLost

^I am a uni dropout too, undersector. I doubt very much that anyone would employ me as I have a two-year gap which is difficult to explain, and I have never worked before!

I'm going to the advice and enrolment evening at the local college tonight... I'm so nervous, I'll be going alone too. Apart from asking what's included in the price, is there anything else I need to ask?

pinky13_2

Ooh I forgot about this thread.

Seems that I won't be going away after all, so I am free (apart from looking after my LO) to do a course.

I am going to try and find out about CIMA and how I can study it from home.

I have a degree (2:2) from UCL. Will this help or hinder me?

Belated thank you for all those very helpful replies

robin_banks

The degree wont help or hinder, depending on the subject you might get an exemption.

CIMA or ACCA are more demanding than AAT no doubt, from experience it is very very (and I mean very ,very) 'challenging' to study these exams when you've got kids.

Good luck - you'll need it !!!