Should AAT membership designation letters be changed?

David Ballantyne

Hi all,

Just ruminating on AAT designation letters while my daughter is in her ballet class.

I have always thought that AAT membership designation letters are a bit cumbersome, i.e. MAAT, FMAAT, AATQB. Do they really need to have so many letters in them?

How about AT for full members, AT(F) or ATF for fellow members and ATB for an AATQB (the 'B' standing for bookkeeper).

Succinct and to the point without overstatement, like CA or ACA.

Just a thought.

Didn't post this in the members section because I don't have access to it yet.

David.

Cheesypeesy

My main gripe is how they translate. For example, AATQB is AAT Qualified Bookkeeper, makes sense. But then MAAT stands for Full Member of AAT. Where does the 'Full' come from exactly? By that logic, FMAAT should be Fellow Full Member of AAT. What a mouthful!

MAAT could just be something like AATFM (AAT Full Member), and FMAAT could be AATSM (AAT Senior Member?). Just spit-balling some suggestions.

If AAT could find a way to make the letters and titles consistent I think it could make things more straightforward.

David Ballantyne

Hi Matthew,

I see what you mean although I was trying to think of ways to reduce the number of letters.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel that professional bodies designations should be as minimal as possible, otherwise it seems that they are trying too hard to impress.

burg

I was glad to get mine shortened when I changed careers. Before I had MPharmTech.

I do see your point but It doesn't bother me that much.

MarieNoelle

burg said:

I was glad to get mine shortened when I changed careers. Before I had MPharmTech.

I do see your point but It doesn't bother me that much.

And it bothers the clients even less!

reader

I would prefer to see them get rid of the "technician" bit (I'm not too fussed about the number of letters)

e.g. Association of Accounting Professionals (AAP) or Association of Accounting Advisers (AAA) or Association of Accounting Consultants (AAC)

Then the professional body letters would be AAP or AAA or AAC, (or FAAP or FAAA or FAAC for fellows)

David Ballantyne

I agree clients don't care.

If we are going to change the name of the AAT, how about working the word "accountant" into it? Anyone for Association of Technician Accountants!