Worried I have made the wrong choice - please help

I have almost completed Level 3 and plan to start Level 4 in September. I chose to study AAT because I was informed that you do not need work experience in finance to acquire the diploma. I would like to apply for professional membership when I finish Level 4. However, I have recently read that I would need to have completed 12 months work experience in a financial role to be considered for full membership. This was never made clear when I first signed up and I am now concerned that I may have made the wrong choice in studying AAT.
I have a degree in Graphic Design but have worked as a Contracts Administrator for a provider of financial software for the past 6 years. I chose AAT as I thought it would be an excellent professional qualification to support the work I have done for the past few years. My job is not a finance role but it does involve working with calculations, margins and mark-ups, raising of invoices and credit notes, and signing off maintenance costs for payment.
Please can someone clarify what kind of work experience is required to apply for full membership? If I am not considered for full membership, would there be any other reason for me to pay my membership fee next year?
Thanks in advance.
I have a degree in Graphic Design but have worked as a Contracts Administrator for a provider of financial software for the past 6 years. I chose AAT as I thought it would be an excellent professional qualification to support the work I have done for the past few years. My job is not a finance role but it does involve working with calculations, margins and mark-ups, raising of invoices and credit notes, and signing off maintenance costs for payment.
Please can someone clarify what kind of work experience is required to apply for full membership? If I am not considered for full membership, would there be any other reason for me to pay my membership fee next year?
Thanks in advance.
Comments
Even if you cannot gain full membership once you have completed your AAT qualification you can say you are AAT qualified, which may help getting another role if that is what you want. Even if you are happy in the work you are doing the AAT qualificaiton will give you further insite in to the accounting side of what you are doing. I certainly think it would be worth you continuing with the qualification and I would suggest doing Credit Management and Control and possibly External Auditing as options in level 4 as I think they would be helpful to you in your current role.
Incidentally I have an MSc in Computer Studies but this counts for nothing in the accounting world. Having AAT (when I finally complete my ICAS) will give me a qualification in the area I have been working in for the last 10 years. I'm living in Australia now and AAT isn't something employers here have heard of, but it is still better than not having any accounting qualification.
Everything you want to know about MAAT - Tuesday 4 September 2012
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