“Pioneering, tech-savvy and employer-focused”: Why AAT is the perfect fit for our trainees

The finance team at Worcestershire County Council explain how AAT qualifications are driving the success of their apprenticeship scheme.

Previously, Worcestershire County Council (WCC) talked about how they are currently building a pipeline of future accounting talent through their apprenticeship scheme. Here, the council’s employers/managers tell us how AAT qualifications have helped its new workers progress within the organisation and secure permanent roles.

Employers and managers

We value AAT because its new syllabus equips trainees with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate today’s ever-changing business world

Steph Simcox, Deputy CFO: “Ever since I’ve worked with AAT, they’ve always been forward-thinking and recognise the world is changing. Because they anticipate trends so early, it helps students get ready for what the working world will be like in four to five years. For example, today we’re having conversations with AAT about AI and how it’ll affect accountancy. It illustrates what a pioneering, student-focused organisation they are.”

Sarah McDonald, Senior Finance Business Partner: “The AAT syllabus recently changed [AAT Q2022] to focus more on business strategy and tech skills. It’s perfect for local authorities such as us. Because we’re public sector, we don’t work on profit and loss. Therefore, the type of IT and business skills that AAT teach are paramount. It helps trainees realise accountancy isn’t just about bean-counting anymore…”

… it produces students like this savvy trainee

Simcox: “I recently gave one of our AAT trainees a task which involved summarising spreadsheets. Instead of that, she suggested creating a new salary database. We use this system today and it probably saves us around six hours of working time! It’s a testament to her creativity and inquisitiveness, but also the skills she learned at AAT.”

… the training is instantly relevant to the job

Christopher Bird, Chief Accountant: “I did a university degree, followed by a chartered qualification. I felt I had loads of good technical knowledge from my chartered qualification, but when I started working as a purchase clerk and was asked to do double-entry bookkeeping, I didn’t know what to do! By comparison, our AAT trainees come in and their skills are much more married to the job.”

… it knows what employers want and it meets employers’ needs

Simcox: “AAT isn’t just interested in students, but employers too. When the relationship between us, the AAT and our college/training provider works well, it gives a well-rounded offering to the students.”

… we also studied AAT and still apply what we learned today

Richard Stocks, Senior Finance Business Partner: “I credit AAT with giving me the building blocks to progress my career and I’m always using skills that it taught me, such as T-accounts. AAT has also helped me challenge information – I still recall the ‘five Ws’ (“Who, What, Where, When, Why) – and encourage others to think outside the box. This lateral thinking can be crucial when working for public sector organisations, where we often need to think of different ways of supporting Worcestershire residents with the funding available. “

Kate Goldey, Finance Business Partner: “There is still stuff I learned through AAT 20 years ago that I use in my current job, such as T-accounts or double-entry… Most, if not all, our AAT apprentices end up being taken on as permanent members of staff. I can’t praise AAT enough.”

Apprentices and trainees

We value AAT because it allows our bosses to trust our abilities in the workplace

Claire Prescott, Senior Finance Officer: “AAT gives employers confidence that you’ve got the capabilities to fulfil your role. It also gives you – as a student – confidence too.”

… it never throws you into the deep end

Prescott: “I started studying AAT Level 2 despite having no background in finance [Prescott is a former journalist]. AAT is brilliant at pacing the learning in incremental jumps, allowing students to steadily progress through accessible building blocks before reaching more difficult topics.”

… it teaches us vital communication skills

Charlie Spain, Audit Assistant; AAT Level 4 apprentice: “Through the AAT’s professional discussion [where apprentices are required to reflect on their portfolio with an AAT assessor] I’ve had to build a portfolio and practise speaking to [WCC] managers in mock-interview situations. It’s really helped me get used to that side of the work environment.”

… its content and study resources are first-rate

Spain: “The amount of learning resources AAT has is incredible. There’s so much info on aat.org.uk that I never feel under-equipped entering exams. For example, the practice assessments are similar to AAT exams, while the quiz-style questions of the Green Light tests hugely broaden knowledge.”

… it raises our business awareness

Yen-Hua Tseng, Accountancy Assistant; AAT Level 4 apprentice: “I did a master’s degree in international business at the University of Birmingham and although there is some crossover, AAT makes me feel I need to learn more. AAT also teaches you it’s not just about knowing the numbers. You also need to be good at writing, communication and storytelling… If I had known an AAT apprenticeship was an option 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have done my master’s degree.”

Prescott: “Having done AAT qualifications, I realise it’s not all about the numbers. There’s so much more to being an accountant today: analysis, explanation, being able to communicate to people what’s happening with the accounts. AAT helps you become this rounded professional.”

… it’s making me more curious about the workplace

Sian Killoran, Senior Finance Officer; AAT Level 4 apprentice: “Since studying AAT, I ask more questions at work. Previously, I would have just accepted that’s how things are done, but now I’m more of a ‘tell me why…’ person. I think my line manager appreciates me being so interested, as it helps solve problems if more than one person in a team knows the info needed.”

Spain: “AAT has taught me to become more curious. When we recently covered the Data Protection Act through AAT, it encouraged me to learn more about this legislation outside of work.”

… It offers a seamless transition to CIPFA

Roxanne Small, Finance Business Partner: “AAT hasn’t just prepared me for CIPFA, but for a job too. I was also exempt from the first year of CIPFA because I’d already studied much of it at AAT… Somebody who hasn’t done AAT may struggle with CIPFA.”

… it’s made me more confident at work

Maria Regla Garcia-Bernal, Assistant Internal Auditor; AAT Level 4 apprentice: “Since working in audit, I’ve realised it’s a department where you need to know what you’re talking about. This is where AAT really helps me: it gives me the confidence to know what is right or wrong and I feel less stressed in situations too.”

Read more about Worcestershire County Council

A case study in running a successful AAT apprenticeship

“We’re creating our own CFOs and leaders of the future”

The magic of mentoring trainees

Christian Koch is an award-winning journalist/editor who has written for the Evening Standard, Sunday Times, Guardian, Telegraph, The Independent, Q, The Face and Metro. He's also written about business for Accounting Technician, 20 and Director, where he is contributing editor.