Accounts or Finance Assistant

An accounts or finance assistant is an integral part of the team responsible for maintaining an efficient and accurate finance function within a business.

Role Profile

An Accounts or 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. Accounts or finance assistant can work in almost any sector. An accounts or finance assistant may work in-house for an organisation or they might work for an accountancy firm, bookkeeping practice, Shared Service provider, self-employed or on behalf of several different clients.

Programme

The typical duration of this programme is 12 months in-learning. The programme will be delivered through our online learning platform Equal, with one unit delivered every 8 weeks. The units are as follows:

• Bookkeeping transactions
• Bookkeeping controls
• Elements of costing
• Using computer software

After each unit there will be an end of unit exam, which will assess the knowledge gained. The final synoptic test will take place after 12 months on-programme. Every 6 weeks there will be a one-to-one teaching and learning session to supplement the e-learning modules. Throughout the programme, apprentices will gather a portfolio of evidence to support their competency against the required knowledge, skills and behaviours of the standard.

Requirements

There are no formal entry requirements, however candidates without a qualification in English or maths will need to attain a functional skill in English and maths at Level 1 as a minimum. Apprentices are required to be in a relevant job role and have the development need.

Assessment

Each AAT unit will be assessed by an online exam at a recognised AAT exam centre, a synoptic assessment will take place at the end of the qualification. In addition to this, the end-point assessment for the apprenticeship standard element will consist of a structured interview (supported by a portfolio of evidence summary) and an in-tray test. The in-tray test will examine accounting systems and processes, basic accounting, and the candidate’s attention to detail.