Getting your company to pay for AAT?

LondonMatt

We had an *appraisal a while ago and I thought I'd mention that I'd like the company to pay for my third year AAT. They sounded...er...interested? I don't know eactly - they sounded keen, but then straight away set me up for the excuse for not paying out - so I'm not sure if they were just trying to be polite. I need to get some leaflets together and hand them in. Anyway....my question is, should I let them pay for it? I'm a purchase clerk and not really sure if I want to stay with the company 'forever'. When I finish AAT, I plan to start ACCA or CIMA and I want to be employed in a more indepth accounts role while studying for one of those, and I'm not sure if this company will be able to provide for that.

So, I want to know, if they pay for my third year AAT, how long would I be obliged to stay with this company for, in the same role? I'm not nessecarily talking about my contract (I am permanent), but as a **good person. The people here are great and I don't want to dick them around.


*My first appraisal - I started 3 months ago

**I am a very good person :cool2:

jorja1986

You won'tbe bound with them forever however if they do decide to pay al or a part of your fees if you leave before the time stated in your revised contract you will hvae to pay the fees back. Some do it on a pro rata so the lobger you arethere the les you pay back other you will pay back the whole fee.

I fyou could find some of the fee maybeit may make your empoyers more favourable to the idea?

peugeot

Hi,

You need to look at it two-fold really.

First of all - the firm want to know how committed you are to studying before they shell out a load of money in getting you AAT qualified. That you can understand. You also need to appreciate that in today's market you're in a "win win" situation - not everyone has that opportunity. You also need to understand that it costs a lot to train AAT trainees and the firm will have the right to demand you pay back some of the fees if you leave within a specified time.

Secondly why not use the fact that you want to progress to ACCA/CIMA to your advantage - you won't know unless you ask. Tell them your aspirations - if they don't know they can't offer. At the end of the day they're only human - unless you tell them where you want to get to they'll assume your happy doing purchase ledger. There is absolutely nothing wrong with self promotion.

Best wishes
Steve

Sevren

I got in a real mess with my employers over this (many years ago now !)

My contract had a clause in which said that I had to pay back fees if I left after 3 years. It was also a condition of my employment that I complete AAT within 3 years.

So far so good !

But I left after 5 years and then we had the debate over whether AAT is a single course or 3 seperate NVQs - I can't remember the figures now but it was the difference between having to pay back either £1K or £3K !

So whatever you decide - make sure that everybody is clear from the beginning !

Why not make it clear to your employers that you are prepared to put yourself through it (you are a good person !) but with a salary increment on passing each level. That way you won't put undue pressure on yourself, can leave when you want, stop the course if you want or get your money back over time ?

Kris

Suggesting any kind of payback clause would make your employer think you want to leave or that they could charge you....

Not all employers will charge you for AAT, so unless they mention paying fees back and signing any contract, i wouldn't advise mentioning it.

Unless you sign something they can't charge you when you leave.

rebeccas

Does your company have investors in people status? If so then part of that is them contributing to their staff members learning and development.

My company doesnt have any sort of clauses in our contract and we can leave at any time. They will pay for us to do any course that is relevant to our job. Whilst in the pub (for a lemonade) I asked our HR manager why everything is "free" and was told quite frankly that I (and others) have been taken on at the bottom and been trained and have worked my way up not only gaining the AAT knowledge but learning our accounts department inside and out. Now two years later (and I have had pay rises) they have a member of staff who is AAT qualified (nearly lol) and could write our accounts department manual in her sleep. Was they to go out and get an AAT qualified person the knowledge that that person has wouldnt be as good as mine as I have experience of the company and it would probably cost them an extra couple of grand plus £5-£8K to recruit them.

So in conclusion! You will be gaining a qualification which will benefit your company and it will cost them approx £1K a term Compare this to the cost of them recruiting an AAT qualified? The company is in a win-win!

BTW...I started off as the accounts clerk at my company and I am now the management accountant and in charge of the department reporting to Finance Manager, so the AAT does pay off!!! How much would it have cost my company to recruit a Management Accountant from the "outside?" I think they have had a result personally!

Good luck and have confidence in yourself and your ability!:thumbup:

JayneHogan

That reminds me....................sicilian lemonade has my name on it after DFS tomorrow.................

JayneHogan

Well, go on then. Chicken curry instead!