Intermediate Apprenticeship (Level 2) Accounts or Finance Assistant
Role overview
Level: 2
Duration: 16 months
Awarding organisation:
AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians)
AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians)
Code: AP2XAAT
An Accounts or finance assistant is an integral part of the team responsible for maintaining an efficient and accurate finance function within a business.
The Accounts or finance assistant is responsible for assisting the team of accountants with junior accounting duties. These can vary massively depending on the team structure and size of 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.
Entry requirements
GCSE grades C/4 (and above) or Level 2 equivalents in English and/or Maths is desirable.
If an apprentice has not already achieved a Level 2 qualification in Maths and/or English, they must study for and achieve Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and/or English as part of their Apprenticeship.
Prior learning certificates to be provided on enrolment for English and/or Maths in order to exempt from Functional Skills.
Initial Assessment results on enrolment Entry 3 or higher in Maths & English to be achieved.
Qualifications obtained
- L2 Apprenticeship Standard in Accounts or Finance Assistant
- L2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting
- L2 Functional Skills English and/or maths (if required)
Programme includes
Regular formative assessment, development of a portfolio demonstrating learning and development activities with their application in the workplace and job role. As part of the qualification, Apprentices must complete all units and be competent in real work environment.
- Introduction of Bookkeeping
- Principles of Bookkeeping Controls
- Business Environment / Synoptic
- Principles of Costings
Where can you work?
New or existing employees working within a finance profession who have hands on experience but desire a business qualification for further development. Typical job roles include:
- Accounts Clerk
- Cashier Finance Assistant
- Purchase Ledger Clerk
- Sales Ledger Clerk
- Invoicing Processing
- Accounts Administrator
- Accounts Payable Clerk
- Purchase/Sales Ledger Clerk
- Trainee Finance Assistant
Key information
- Start date is set college Cohorts – September and February – Enrolment to take place the month prior to cohort start date.
- The apprenticeship is primarily based in the workplace.
- Within the first 12 months additional training is delivered at Loughborough College weekly on either Tuesday or Thursday 9.30-12.30 then 13.30- 15.00 Workshop / Portfolio (Dates to be provided on enrolment) - study day will be confirmed on enrolment.
Progression opportunities
- Assistant Accountant L3
- Business Administration L3
- Team Leader/Supervisor L3
Additional opportunities
This Apprenticeship consists of attending college on a day release and your trainer assessor visting in the work place. Taught delivery is undertaken on a weekly basis during term time at Loughborough College. Taught delivery includes Portfolio Building Class, Preparation for End Point Assessment, Tutorial and the Teaching Element. If functional skills are required, these are taught in college lessons.
The AAT membership sits with the learner as their personal membership to the professional body of AAT and costs £172 for the Level 2 certificate in Accounting.
AAT membership, books (approximately cost £100 for Level 2), or any exam resits (approx £60 each) sit with the learner / employer to cover.
End Point Assessment resits are an additional cost which sit with the learner and employer to cover.
Off the job training
On-programme is the learning phase for Apprentices to apply the academic theory to their own organisations and role, and to capture the skills, knowledge and behaviours developed on the programme and in the workplace. To achieve this, Apprentices need to complete off-the-job training during the on-programme phase of their Apprenticeship, this is tracked and monitored through our e-portfolio. This might be achieved through shadowing colleagues, E-learning, internal training and research as well as taught sessions by Loughborough College.
