PQ confusion

The Magician

Hi there,

Very, very close to finishing my AAT studies and was told by my friend that I am unable to call myself a "PQ Accountant".

I understand the term "Accountant" in not a legally protected term like solicitor or doctor.

The PQ magazine allows us AAT studiers the designatory PQ.

To belittle our qualification is unacceptable!

Can someone please clarify?

Mike.

NicF

Sorry if I'm being stupid, but what's PQ?

SarahJS

I would say we are part qualified accounting technicians, not accountants. But like you said it's not protected, but I'd say it would be misleading to people.

I don't think it's belittling, the qualification is actually for being an accounting technician. As far as the chartered accountancy exams go, I don't really think I'm putting AAT down to say that these qualifications tend to be much harder and more rigorous.

Whirlwind

As far as am aware, part-qualified is related to the chartered and certified qualification.

We are fully qualified accounting technicians, and yes we can call ourselves Accountants. If we were to enrol for ACCA, ACA or CIMA and received the exemptions for parts of the first level, then we would be a PQ chartered or certified Accountant as we were part way through the qualification.

This is how Ive understood it, but I may be wrong.

SandyHood

I agree with Whirlwind

To describe yourself as an accountant requires no qualification.
If you have AAT membership you are an accounting technician
If you have started ACCA or ACA or CIMA but haven't completed the qualification as far as membership you are a part-qualified Certified, Chartered or Management Accountant.

stevef

I think the term "part qualified" is very misleading, it just leaves so many unanswered questons. which part are you qualified in? How big a part are you qualified in?

ACCA quite correctly don't recognise part qualified as a status, you are either: a student, a graduate, an associate member or a fellow. You can not be ACCA qualified until you have passed all the necessary exams and met the experience regulations, so I am not sure how part qualified would work.

NeilH

Hi

Part qualified was a term (apparently) created in the recruitment market and refereed to people part way through their CCAB qualification. I've yet to find any accounting body actually put a definition on it and different people have different interpretations of what it means. When I completed AAT and was looking for a new job with first stage CIMA exemptions, recruiters were referring to me being in the "part qualified" market.

Neil