Why Become an Accounting Technician

There are many reasons to choose accounting as a career. Accounting is a profession which attracts people who can expect to be in the higher proportion of salary earners. Salaries therefore compare well with those in other sectors. For instance, AAT Students at Intermediate Stage (NVQ/SVQ Level 3) can expect to receive a higher salary than the average retail manager in the U.K.

"The AAT will benefit my career progression at work, hopefully helping me to seize greater opportunities for promotion." Aisha Al-Harthy, AAT Student, Oman

Aisha is aiming to become a Member of the AAT once she has completed the Technician Stage. She wants to develop her career in the accounts department where she is currently working.

Another reason to consider accountancy is that the training and qualifications it entails are in demand with major employers. This trend is getting stronger year after year, which means that the salaries offered are very attractive. A school-leaver who goes into commerce might start on a relatively low salary, but this could rise quite rapidly after three years, with the AAT qualification.

Accounting Technicians are also less likely to encounter barriers or face age discrimination in the same way as those who are qualified just by experience. You are never too old to start AAT training, and it can significantly improve your options if you want to change careers or are returning to work after having children.

Once you have decided on a career in accountancy you need to pick your market - accounting practice, public and voluntary sectors, commerce or industry. Many Accounting Technicians work in accountancy firms and their roles have developed from audit and accounts preparation for clients into specialist areas such as forensic accounting, insolvency, tax and business services. These practices range from firms with just one or two staff to the huge international concerns that have been recruiting increasing numbers of Accounting Technicians in recent years.

Accounting Technicians also work in finance departments in local and central government, the NHS and educational institutions. They are active in the charity or non-profit sector and growing numbers of large retailers, media, energy and manufacturing companies are now employing and training them. The opportunities have increased as the qualification's reputation has grown and now include areas such as internal audit, project accounting and financial and management accounting.

"AAT training provides us with professional personnel in our accounts department which improves our image amongst our customers. We benefit from the knowledge of having trained individuals in the department and employing staff who belong to an internally recognised professional body. As Gibraltar Telecommunications is accredited with ISO 9001, employing as many professionals as possible adds to the credibility of this accreditation. It also benefits staff because pay scale barriers are related to qualifications and therefore progression through the stages of the AAT, will result in increased remuneration."
Frank Perera, MAAT, Gibraltar Telecommunications

Gibraltar Telecommunications International Limited actively supports the training of their finance staff with the AAT. The company encourages fully qualified AAT Accounting Technicians to progress to Membership of the Association and later onto chartered accountancies such as CIMA. Gibraltar Telecommunications provides funding for their staff who are training with the AAT and grants them study leave prior to their examinations. They currently employ four AAT Accounting Technicians.

As the AAT qualification gains more recognition, the opportunities will widen still further. Over the next three years more Accounting Technicians will move into strategic business areas such as systems implementation, product re-engineering and analysis, as opposed to just strict accountancy roles. They will enjoy the same opportunities as part-qualified graduates on accountancy training.

In the longer term, should we see a downturn in the economy there will still be demand for the better qualified candidates just as there was in the last recession. As companies start to look more closely at their recruitment budgets, qualified Accounting Technicians and Students will win over those qualified only by experience.

When you are considering potential employers there are various factors to look at. Will the company support the cost of your AAT studies? Will the external training be provided on a day-release basis or will you have to study in your own time? Will it give you the opportunity to work in different areas of finance to complement your studies? Read up on the firm to get a copy of its latest annual report to see its approach to employee training and progression.

Employers value practical experience so you must build this up as quickly as possible. Aim to combine study with work - employers are impressed by people who can juggle the two areas. If you are changing your career or returning to work you may initially have to take on temporary assignments.

Once you have completed the AAT qualification and gained the relevant work experience, you can become a Member of the AAT (MAAT).

As an AAT Member, you can choose to progress further with CIPFA, ICAEW, CIMA and ICAS, the senior professional accountancy bodies that sponsor the AAT. By gaining entry to these institutes you are able to progress our career into the higher echelons of management both from an accountancy and a commercial perspective. A recent survey found that a high proportion of managing directors of quoted companies are qualified accountants.