Cash Mananagement and Credit Control
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I read an response by blobbyh in relation to this subject and felt it was sufficiently important to be worthy of its own topic
I think blobbyh's points are valid. The current treatment of the unit within the two AAT routes adds to the confusion.
For the benefit of anyone not aware of this issue:
The Diploma route tests Cash Management and Credit Control as part of the Advanced Certificate (equivalent to NVQ Intermediate Level) whereas the NVQ route tests this unit at Technician level.
In addition to the fact that the same simulations are testing two different levels, I have heard increasing concerns from fellow lecturers about the complexity of these simulations.
I have the impression that the Cash Management and Credit Control simulations have become more difficult in the last year.
I don't think any AAT Intermediate or Technician has ever been easy. I don't think they should be. However, the Cash Management and Credit Control unit and the Personal Tax unit tended to be attractive to a lot of Technician students as the course content and the assessment tended to be less demanding than say Business Tax.
Now that Cash Management and Credit Control has been beefed up, it is no longer a soft option (and I'm not sure soft option is an appropriate description). It is rigorous (and in a couple of examples it is all the more difficult because of errors in the data and tasks).
I am sure the gliches can be ironed out. When they are taking the simulations, the Technician students will face a test they can be proud of passing, and cannot go into such tests without a fair amount of preparation. The level of respect these simulations demand now are fine for technician students. Using the same unit as a way of achieving an advanced certificate does make life more difficult that perhaps it should for students at that level.
I recently looked across the range of units that Advanced Certificate students take. The standard of complexity is generally very consistent. This can change with the Cash Management and Credit Control unit. An older simulation is pretty much on a par in terms of difficulty with current Advanced Certificate assessments in other units. A newer Cash Management and Credit Control simulation is clearly more difficult and stands out from the other assessments in terms of its complexity.
Blobbyh, I think AAT are supporting your case for a serious Cash Management and Credit Control unit on technician. Woe be tide those students who do not give it the respect it needs, and woe be tide those companies that do not give the subject matter the necessary respect. But it does rather confuse students and lecturers on advanced certificate when a rigorous technician assessment sits along side the intermediate level assessment of other units.
sandy.hood@chichester.ac.uk
I believe Cash Management and Credit Control is a crucially underestimated subject - especially if you're in a manufacturing or supply industry such as the one I work in. Most people seem to unfairly trash this subject but it's not just coincidence that many companies go bust because of poor credit control and/or cashflow forecasting techniques. Unfortunately I know this all too well, having inherited the main accounting role of a manufacturing company locked in a seemingly never-ending cashflow crisis!
I think blobbyh's points are valid. The current treatment of the unit within the two AAT routes adds to the confusion.
For the benefit of anyone not aware of this issue:
The Diploma route tests Cash Management and Credit Control as part of the Advanced Certificate (equivalent to NVQ Intermediate Level) whereas the NVQ route tests this unit at Technician level.
In addition to the fact that the same simulations are testing two different levels, I have heard increasing concerns from fellow lecturers about the complexity of these simulations.
I have the impression that the Cash Management and Credit Control simulations have become more difficult in the last year.
I don't think any AAT Intermediate or Technician has ever been easy. I don't think they should be. However, the Cash Management and Credit Control unit and the Personal Tax unit tended to be attractive to a lot of Technician students as the course content and the assessment tended to be less demanding than say Business Tax.
Now that Cash Management and Credit Control has been beefed up, it is no longer a soft option (and I'm not sure soft option is an appropriate description). It is rigorous (and in a couple of examples it is all the more difficult because of errors in the data and tasks).
I am sure the gliches can be ironed out. When they are taking the simulations, the Technician students will face a test they can be proud of passing, and cannot go into such tests without a fair amount of preparation. The level of respect these simulations demand now are fine for technician students. Using the same unit as a way of achieving an advanced certificate does make life more difficult that perhaps it should for students at that level.
I recently looked across the range of units that Advanced Certificate students take. The standard of complexity is generally very consistent. This can change with the Cash Management and Credit Control unit. An older simulation is pretty much on a par in terms of difficulty with current Advanced Certificate assessments in other units. A newer Cash Management and Credit Control simulation is clearly more difficult and stands out from the other assessments in terms of its complexity.
Blobbyh, I think AAT are supporting your case for a serious Cash Management and Credit Control unit on technician. Woe be tide those students who do not give it the respect it needs, and woe be tide those companies that do not give the subject matter the necessary respect. But it does rather confuse students and lecturers on advanced certificate when a rigorous technician assessment sits along side the intermediate level assessment of other units.
sandy.hood@chichester.ac.uk
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