I think that the ICB is trying to play in a different league and it's not one that they're geared up for at all.
If they're not careful they're going to lose out on the bookkeeping side to the IAB whilst never attaining the status they seem to already believe that they have with the accountancy bodies.
Personally I've had it with them. I've just been trying to suss the most cost effective way of jumping ship to the AAT. Unfortunately there seems no way of doing it without a training provider and of those Premier seems to be the best. (Ideal schools do CAT but not AAT).
Had words with Jane at Premier and she's happy for me to start at level 4. I've costed it all out including their fee's, membership, exams etc. and it's yet another thousand pounds which I could really do without spending! Then again, compared to the stress that the ICB are inducing in me it's got to be worth it.
I've not signed on the dotted line yet. Waiting for my ACCA results to come out on the 22nd to see what retakes I will need to do with them. The ACCA exams and AAT exams are on at the same time so no point spending money now if I'm not going to be able to take the AAT exams until the sitting after June. (At least the November exams don't clash).
Talk in a bit,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Oops, we're now into multiple pages on this thread.
There is a lot of commonality between the various qualifications. All revert back to the principles of double entry bookkeeping and put such into the context of the UK regulatory system.
The Kaplan ICB bookkeeping texts would teach you AAT the same as AAT texts would teach ICB.
The exams are slightly different but relate to pretty much the same material.
ICB seems to cover the same subject matter as AAT ABC bookkeeping.
From the main AAT qualification perspective the ICB up to level II covers the same as units 1 to 3. With level III ICB also covering some of the material from AAT unit 5.
You could really do with finding out if the ICB qualification gives you any AAT exemptions. I suspect that it will exempt you from the foundation level but don't quote me on that.
As a general overview of equivalents and hierarchy (going up the tree 1 to 4).
1) ICB = IAB
2) AAT = CAT
3) ACCA = CIMA
4) ICAEW / ICAS (same organisation, different jurisdictions)
Hope that helps,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
It makes financial sense to stay with the ICB at present to get through my two exams and get started.
What is making the ICB have these thoughts that are taking it above its station.
I am a member of the IET and have been through a similar amount of pain with reorganisations. What seems to happen is the senior members get a bee in their bonnet and want to change things, but generally it ends up back at where it started.
If I state that I am AICB will that not be recognised by any one?
Who knows what cunning plans are going through the heads of the powers that be at the ICB? (hey, that rhymes).
I find that Agents know about ICB but many employers don't.
I spoke with Reed a couple of weeks back and the impression that I got was that the training companies are churning out thousands of people with ICB / IAB and the recruitment agencies are being deluged with applications for every job from people with one of these qualifications but no experience.
For that reason agents are emphasising AAT as the minimum qualification for roles and I get the impression that ICB applications are being filed straight in the big round filing cabinet under the desk.
The above said, offering services directly is a different matter and providing that you went into this assuming self employment rather than enhanced visibility in a difficult market place then its not a bad choice.
Of course, the problem is with supply and demand. So many bookkeepers, so few businesses to service. Plus of course in the current economic climate accountants are taking bookkeeping work for their own staff that they might previously have outsourced.
Many of the people on this site have two or three regular clients and are always seeking ad-hoc work. But that's often not enough to sustain a viable business so you need to be thinking about a backup plan.
AAT is no guarantee of work but it will at least get you to the doors that ICB doesn't. Whether they open for you often depends on other complimentary experience that you bring to the table.
Talk later,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
If you want to borrow my hand for some more finger crossing that is fine as I am having a bit of a quiet day today, so I think that I can manage with just the one, and I too will probably end up using that for my own finger crossing.
