Approx. duration: 15 months
Start date: September and January
Attendance: One day a week at the Ipswich Campus
Entry requirements:
- Individual employers will set their selection criteria for applicants
- Apprentices need to be employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week and have a contract of employment
- Entry into the Apprenticeship is subject to a thorough skills scan assessment to clarify course suitability
- Entry onto the Apprenticeship is subject to 4 GCSEs grades 9-1/A-G including Maths and English or Functional Skills Level 1
- Apprentices aged 16-18 years are subject to the mandatory requirement to study towards and achieve English and Maths Functional Skills at Level 2 where the Apprentice only holds the level 1 qualifications (GCSE grades D-G/3-1)
- Following the updated ESFA Apprenticeship rules, from 11th February 2025. Apprentices who begin their apprenticeship training when aged 19+ will no longer be subject to this mandatory requirement. It is now the decision of the apprentice and their employer at the start of their apprenticeship to choose to study towards a Maths and English qualification
On programme learning:
- Accounts or Finance Assistant Standard
- English and Maths (if required) Level 2
- AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting
- Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers Level 2 Certificate in Accounting and Business
- Institute of Certified Bookkeepers Certificate in Bookkeeping
End-point assessment:
Delivered by AAT
Progression:
On completion of this Apprenticeship, an Accounts/Finance assistant will have the opportunity to progress within the industry in a range of roles such as Accounts Assistant, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounts Administrator, Assistant Bookkeeper and Data input Clerk.
Course Summary:
An Accounts or Finance Assistant plays a key role in supporting the efficient and accurate finance function within a business. They assist the accounting team with various junior accounting tasks, which can vary significantly depending on the team structure and size of the business.
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. Potential employers include corporate businesses, sole traders, partnerships, Public sector, not-for-profit organisations and educational institutions. 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.