AAT qualification not making things any better

[Deleted User]

Does anybody else find that the AAT qualification has been down graded since the recession? It doesn't seem to be worth much at the moment unless you are applying for ledger positions. I am also a CIMA student (just started) and even that doesn't seem to help when applying for part qualified roles. I am not slaying the qualification as I am proud that I finally have it but I do feel that if you are not CCAB qualified or a ledger clerk then you are pretty much screwed in this recession.

Can anybody relate?

P.S. It might be the fact that I live in Hull and the recession seems to have hit here the worst.

Thanks

Don

farmergiles

Don Juan wrote: »

Does anybody else find that the AAT qualification has been down graded since the recession? It doesn't seem to be worth much at the moment unless you are applying for ledger positions. I am also a CIMA student (just started) and even that doesn't seem to help when applying for part qualified roles. I am not slaying the qualification as I am proud that I finally have it but I do feel that if you are not CCAB qualified or a ledger clerk then you are pretty much screwed in this recession.

Can anybody relate?

P.S. It might be the fact that I live in Hull and the recession seems to have hit here the worst.

Thanks

Don

Have you also noticed that the salaries on offer have been chopped? I went after a part time job in practice (Doncaster) and they wanted loads of experience and were only offering junior level pay.

columbia

I agree with FG.

I have been applying for part time positions. They want you to do the work of an accountant for not more than minimum wage. It really is a horrible situation to be in.

Bookworm55

Does anybody else find that the AAT qualification has been down graded since the recession? It doesn't seem to be worth much at the moment unless you are applying for ledger positions. I am also a CIMA student (just started) and even that doesn't seem to help when applying for part qualified roles. I am not slaying the qualification as I am proud that I finally have it but I do feel that if you are not CCAB qualified or a ledger clerk then you are pretty much screwed in this recession.

I've seen (and applied for) recent vacancies which specify AAT-qualified as either "essential" or "preferred". And also those who want graduates or AAT members who look to progress to CCAB qualified (usually CIMA or ACCA). But there does seem to be a lot less choice than there was a couple of years back.

I was looking at relocating up north (well, the York/Leeds area) as many of my favourite people live up there. But in the current climate I just can't find anything worth relocating for, especially financially. With my accumulated student debt, there's a lot I need to start paying off soon.

So I'm concentrating on my local (Herts/Cambs/West Essex) region but there's still a relative lack of supply compared to demand for these kind of roles. They are out there, we just have to be patient and vigilant in our searches for them.

Esme

I am not slaying the qualification as I am proud that I finally have it but I do feel that if you are not CCAB qualified or a ledger clerk then you are pretty much screwed in this recession.


Sorry to sound naiive but what is CCAB qualified?

Bookworm55

Sorry to sound naiive but what is CCAB qualified?

The CCAB is a committee made up of members of the six British and Irish professional accountancy bodies:

ICAEW, ICAI, ICAS, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA

So usually CCAB qualified means qualified with any one of the six above.

Esme

Thanks Bookworm.

I live in the Norfolk area and are still seeing many jobs for AAT qualified with a reasonable salary, £22k+, I'm just finding that the competition for these jobs is very high, with an average of 30-40 applicants per post!

Bookworm55

Esme- Well I may be one of those people competing with you! I just graduated from UEA in Norwich last week and have quite a few friends both in the city and out in the surrounding towns: Fakenham and Diss in particular. Although I hadn't got any of the jobs I applied for while I was up there, and the lease on my house expired, I'm still looking in and around Norwich.

Esme

Small world!

I think I'm going to stick where I am until I complete AAT next June (if all goes to plan) even though I'm on what I consider to be a terrible salary at the moment I know my job is pretty safe and my manager is helpful with my studies.

I do look at the job paper each week to see what is around however!

Gianni

I wouldn't say the qualification has been downgraded since the recession. I think what's happening is CCAB candidates are going for lesser jobs which is driving the salary rates down somewhat.

It may be worth sticking in at your current job in the hope when things do pickup internal promotions give you that opportunity?

A-Vic

My other half sent me a text this morning saying the new applicant for creditors job this morning on band 2 NHS 13k has a degree in accounting :ohmy: this just proves what your saying

Gianni

I take people with a degree in accountancy at face value though. They usually have no experience but plenty of theory, that theory probably doesn't even apply to ledger positions as it's usually focused around statements and reporting. It puts them in a difficult position with often their main path way trainee positions at accountancy firms - but even they have tightened up lately.

I can relate to that 13k though because they're offered at 12k here in Liverpool!

Bookworm55

new applicant for creditors job this morning on band 2 NHS 13k has a degree in accounting

Really? I wouldn't even bother applying for something that low. (Yes, my degree is in accounting) I really don't want to make less than I did two years ago: £14,500 as an "Accounts Assistant", albeit one who spent about 60% of his working day on Purchase Ledger.

Weirdly, I've found that recruiters tend to be suspicious of the fact that I chose to do a degree after the AAT. They're really not sure what to do with me.

A-Vic

Bookworm55 wrote: »

Really? I wouldn't even bother applying for something that low. (Yes, my degree is in accounting) I really don't want to make less than I did two years ago: £14,500 as an "Accounts Assistant", albeit one who spent about 60% of his working day on Purchase Ledger.

Weirdly, I've found that recruiters tend to be suspicious of the fact that I chose to do a degree after the AAT. They're really not sure what to do with me.

The thing is without expereince you will take what you can, making it that much harder to get a foot on the ladder, when jobs like creditors were ment as a starting level.

I am the biggest advocate of education i know as i have been studying for over 8 years to get this far, but you have to be prepaired to make sacrifices and if that means taking a pay cut to get to where you want to be i'd do it and probly will do in the next year or so.

[Deleted User]

As much as I would like to stay in my current job, unfortunately I am getting the boot at the end of September. By taking CIMA, I believe I have ruled out practice unless anybody can think of any reason why a practice might want to take on a CIMA studier who doesn't want study support?

innyminy

I agree that there are less jobs for AAT level as higher qualified people are taking the jobs as there's less available for them.... I don't think its that the qualification is 'worth less'.

I was considering looking for a new job just for a change, but decided having worked up to the pay I'm on over 5 years, that I would never find another job with anywhere near the pay I'm on now in the current climate, having looked at whats available.

Innyminy

PGM

Don Juan wrote: »

Does anybody else find that the AAT qualification has been down graded since the recession? It doesn't seem to be worth much at the moment unless you are applying for ledger positions. I am also a CIMA student (just started) and even that doesn't seem to help when applying for part qualified roles. I am not slaying the qualification as I am proud that I finally have it but I do feel that if you are not CCAB qualified or a ledger clerk then you are pretty much screwed in this recession.

Can anybody relate?

P.S. It might be the fact that I live in Hull and the recession seems to have hit here the worst.

Thanks

Don

Its an employers market out there... so many qualified people looking for work, that employers are getting qualified people at much lower rates, and this is having a knock on effect with AAt and part qualified people, to the extent many are unable to get work or are taking very poor salaries. Tough times :crying:

PGM

Bookworm55 wrote: »

Weirdly, I've found that recruiters tend to be suspicious of the fact that I chose to do a degree after the AAT. They're really not sure what to do with me.

I thought AAT was equivalent to degree?!

So maybe they wondered why you would do the 2?

As charted is equivalent to a masters. Just a thought.

[Deleted User]

PGM wrote: »

I thought AAT was equivalent to degree?!

So maybe they wondered why you would do the 2?

As charted is equivalent to a masters. Just a thought.

AAT = 1st year of a BA / BSc. You still have to do years 2 & 3.

CIMA = MSc. As far as I am aware, the other CCAB qualifications have not been accredited with that status.

I spoke to a practice yesterday to see what they would start me on to do ACCA. The result was £10k and I nearly choked. The same practice offered £12k last year to study AAT level 4. I was expecting £15k this year for ACCA. The response was…”That’s how the market place is at the moment”.

P/Q’s are getting screwed left, right and centre.

A-Vic

Don Juan wrote: »

AAT = 1st year of a BA / BSc. You still have to do years 2 & 3.

CIMA = MSc. As far as I am aware, the other CCAB qualifications have not been accredited with that status.

I spoke to a practice yesterday to see what they would start me on to do ACCA. The result was £10k and I nearly choked. The same practice offered £12k last year to study AAT level 4. I was expecting £15k this year for ACCA. The response was…”That’s how the market place is at the moment”.

P/Q’s are getting screwed left, right and centre.

Funny thing is ive just applied for a job last night that will be 2k a year less but with plenty of oppertunity to progress up the ladder and as staited before i have to think long term

Bookworm55

I thought AAT was equivalent to degree?!

It is not. There is a certain amount of crossover, especially when doing a degree in accounting, but as one is professional and one is academic they are fundamentally different things.

CIMA = MSc. As far as I am aware, the other CCAB qualifications have not been accredited with that status.

There are lies, there are damned lies and then there are statistics. What I believe you are referring to is this article from the CIMA website. What it actually says is that the CIMA professional qualification is equal to a Masters Degree for the purposes of assessing immigration. Perhaps they are comparable in difficulty, but we should be careful what we mean when we say two such different things are equal.

EDIT: Sorry guys, that all sounded really harsh when I read it back. All I meant is that we shouldn't conflate professional and academic qualifications, and I will admit there are few people for whom it would be appropriate to pursue both. But I am one of them, so I don't see it as being as strange as some do.

Hasan.Ahmet

Every little helps

Please, every little helps,

"oppertunity to progress up the ladder and as staited before i have to think long term
With respect; If my AAT qualified seasoned accountant made two spelling mistakes in one sentence I would be disappointed.

"AAT = 1st year of a BA / BSc. You still have to do years 2 & 3."
I humbly believe it would be helpfull all round for the writers to briefly mention the authority behind statements like these, or what's to stop claiming it may be just another opinion. .

A-Vic

Hasan.Ahmet wrote: »

Please, every little helps,

"oppertunity to progress up the ladder and as staited before i have to think long term
With respect; If my AAT qualified seasoned accountant made two spelling mistakes in one sentence I would be disappointed.

"AAT = 1st year of a BA / BSc. You still have to do years 2 & 3."
I humbly believe it would be helpfull all round for the writers to briefly mention the authority behind statements like these, or what's to stop claiming it may be just another opinion. .

Good Grief sorry but another one (your quick to point out errors what on earth has that have to do with the topic in question)

Sorry but if what you call a "seasoned accountant" means being an **** i think i will go to the dole que now. Yes i do spell badly but can i ask what on earth gives you any kind of right to have to try and embarrass me by feeling the need to point it out.

[Deleted User]

Hasan.Ahmet wrote: »

Please, every little helps,

"oppertunity to progress up the ladder and as staited before i have to think long term
With respect; If my AAT qualified seasoned accountant made two spelling mistakes in one sentence I would be disappointed.

"AAT = 1st year of a BA / BSc. You still have to do years 2 & 3."
I humbly believe it would be helpfull all round for the writers to briefly mention the authority behind statements like these, or what's to stop claiming it may be just another opinion. .

Hasan,

Is there any point to this? (Is repeaters back?)

My statement justified by the information i received from my local Uni.

Gem7321

Hasan.Ahmet wrote: »

helpfull

So two spelling mistakes in one sentence is not allowed, but this one is?

jay cutler

Salaries are definitely based on experience primarly. They have to be otherwise people without the AAT should earn less! Makes no sense. I'm with the belief that my AAT qualification and my 6 years temp experience will propel me to a 20k+ permanent salary. I hope so. I'm unemployed and refuse low rate temp work now because it's simply not become permanent.

Hasan.Ahmet

Don,
"My statement justified by the information i received from my local Uni."

The following may add more light,
http://www.qcda.gov.uk/libraryAssets/media/QCA-05-1886_NVQ_statement_oct05.pdf

[Deleted User]

Hasan.Ahmet wrote: »

Don,
"My statement justified by the information i received from my local Uni."

The following may add more light,
http://www.qcda.gov.uk/libraryAssets/media/QCA-05-1886_NVQ_statement_oct05.pdf

http://www.aat.org.uk/content/item20747/
This is even better.

joantuba

CCAB or not

I'm finding this very interesting. I am employed in a local authority in Scotland about to finish the AAT (one exam to go) and applying for professional membership. I have a degree completed 3 years ago through the OU in Maths and Business, a HND in Financial Management completed more years ago than I care to remember and after the AAT am being encouraged to do ACCA or CIPFA. Due to single status I am on nearly £20K a year and have 22 years of local authority finance behind me. There is definitely something to staying where you are if you can and working your way up - it took me 16 years to get off general scale 1 (clerical assistant - general ledger) but I made it.

Good look

Joantuba

A-Vic

Don Juan wrote: »

http://www.aat.org.uk/content/item20747/
This is even better.

One thing thats always confused me with the ucas points aparntely i have 23 points and kitemarked when i completed my access to HE in law, business, it and social welfare policy but what exactly does it mean and how long can you use them?

Ryan Dunbar

Tough Times

It's a difficult position to be in at the moment and i completely sypmathise with you, just before the recession hit i lost my job and it took me 3 months to find another one.

You just have to be persistent but don't undersell yourself