Thanks Neil I have the sage software already, I was wondering whether I could self teach myself but wanted to have a look at a past paper to see what I need to know.

How much are the exams?

Oh not as bad as I thought then, if I get a past paper and see what is needed.
the home learning course is £271 which I can pay with tesco clubcards (dont laugh!)
But wondering whether to just go for it. I know it wont be as easy as that.

Thanks, think I will start with the past paper and take it from there.

Hi Pam,

Welcome to the forum, sorry, I've not been around as much as normal due to study.

I've read where you are at the moment and the big question has to be is where do you want to go with this?

If it's into employment with the option of self employment then you need to be looking at AAT.

If it's self employment only then either IAB or ICB.

I'm in the process of changing from ICB to IAB due to disagreements over the ICB lack of recognition of qualifications from some other supervisory bodies. However, your experience of them may be completely different.

The IAB's qualifications are more widely recognised than the ICB's as exemptions towards higher qualifications if ever you wanted to advance further.

On the Sage front the book that Neil recommended takes you through setting up the books of a company. Doing that combined with an ICB Mock is all that you would need to take ICB level II computerised if that was the way that you wanted to go. So around £50 in total rather than £271 (which if you've got that in Tesco vouchers is almost 6600 airmiles so a nice holiday in Barbados!).

Just a cautionary note. Before jumping in with both feet know that the training providers lie through their teeth about there being loads of work out there and for most it's a real struggle for the first few years to even cover your costs.

That said, many of us are in the same boat as yourself and have young families at home and need to work around them. Just thought that I had better add the warning though as so many believe the blatant lies about this being an easy route to serious income.

Good luck with whatever path you take. We're always happy to help with any queries that you may have.

Shaun.

I live in Wellingborough now Rob, so thats a bizarre coincidence.

Shaun - On the career side of things I guess what I am looking at is to get a few qualifications to possible become an accounts assistant or to work in payroll/purchase/sales ledger. The qualifications as a mean to get my foot in the door and possibly the opportunity to progress my skils further within a company.

On looking at salaries it seems they are not as good as they used to be and I am thinking that maybe companies are taking advantage of the fact jobs are scarce and people are wiling to take a lesser paid job. I think to get where you want to be as with everything you need to start at the bottom and work your way up, most companies ask for expereince and although I have been in admin for over 14 years I need to get more accounts experience.
I have no preconceptions that once the qualifications are done that things will be easier but its a start on the road to a better career for me.

I know AAT is expensive, in an ideal world I'd love to get a company tp put me through it haha I can dream can't I?

Excellent advice there from Rhianrach...What is your real first name by the way? Seems so impersonal calling you by your userid.

Is it better to spend half the amount on a course that will give you a piece of paper or twice the amount on a qualification that will get you a job?

As mentioned in my original post, don't pay for the full AAT. Just get yourself through foundation (Which from Premier training would be around £600 (see below)), get an entry level job in Sales or Purchase ledger from that and then you will probably find that your employer will support your studies through the rest of the qualification so you get a job and £2000+ worth of support for quite a low initial investment.

There's actually no guarantee of a job but it's more likely as AAT Part Qualified than ICB fully qualified. But don't take my word for it. Phone Reed and ask their advice.

I've had a look at the premier training website for you and the prices are :

Including Sage training and certification if you take the Diploma route AAT foundation is £357 (plus £16 delivery charge) with Premier (includes the study books).

AAT student membership will set you back around £105.

There's one exam at this level which will cost another £41 and I believe one simulation which I think costs £75.

You may be able to get cheaper than this if you do Foundation with a local college as the simulation and exam fee's will probably be included in the course fee (but you would still have the £105 student membership to find).

The AAT qualification is changing from June this year but you would still have 12 months to pass the two modules of the diploma route!

To me, if you want to stand any chance of getting a job out of this it seems like a no brainer but others may have different opinions.

Shaun.

Neil wrote:

---

Hi Pam

I just passed the ICB Level II computerised exam with 98% after self tutoring using this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundation-Bookkeeping-Sage-Spreadsheets-Workbook/dp/0751746479/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269030056&sr=8-1

I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Cheers
Neil

---

 Well I have ordered this last night and it is all systems go, does anyone know where I can get free or cheap past papers for ICB level 2 computerised? I want to be able to try as many as possible before I go for the actual one.

thanks guys for any help :)


On another question regarding AAT qualified, do you have to pay for membership to carry on being AAT or is just while you are studying?

-- Edited by pammyj on Monday 22nd of March 2010 07:07:57 PM

so if you want to state that you are AAT then you have to pay that every year? Why is that?

Hi Pam,

you do realise that you have to pay for all of them every year don't you! It's not just the AAT. All of them expire annually including your current ICB membership.

The reasoning behind it is that you choose an allegiance, be that IAB, ICB, AAT, ACCA etc. and then pay an annual subscription to support your chosen body.

Also note that the membership fee is in addition to the annual practicing certificate.

Hope that this helps,

Shaun.

in laymans terms as im a complete novice so forgive me i dont understand the abbr.

PII
MLR
CPD

???

So if I pass an ICB exam I cant class myself as having that qualification if I dont pay the membership fee?

Say I pay for a year, get a job, stay in that jpb for 3 years but dont renew amd then get another job could i renew the membership after poss doing an 'entry' exam.

thank you,

What we need on this forum for ignorant people l;ike me is a FAQ thread so you experts dont have to keep repeating yourself and to somehow have it stuck at the top of the training thread!!

Evening Sheila,

I'm probably one of the slowest typists on the face of the planet.

Two fingers and one thumbs for the space bar.

About my only redeeming feature is that at least I don't have to look for the keys (hardly surprising the amount of practice that I get!).

What's happening with your case against the guy with the dog? Any positive movement there?

I think that it must be getting late as you made a slight whoopsi in that last reply.

It's Professional Indemnity insurance (and Public Liability Insurance).

... And the tortoise comes up the inside track! (lol)

have a good one and talk later,

Shaun.

Well I have been studying and after getting in touch with ICB and ideal schools it turns out that I did level 1 over two years ago and so I have to start straight from scratch again and although I have the books for level 2 I do not have the support unless I pay:

another £49 to Ideal schools for a years assistance (I didnt even use them for level 1 apaprt from assignment marking)
another £45 to ICB for annual student membership
another £25 to do level 1 exam again.

I have bought the foundation accounting book for sage and excel as recommended on here for level 3 computerised.

I have my car tax due this month so cant afford the above at the moment (quite skint!)so will just carry on studying and using websites I have found that are helping.

Does anyone know of any FREE past paper downloads please?
Thanks for any advice

pammyj wrote:

---

Does anyone know of any FREE past paper downloads please?
Thanks for any advice

---

The Level 1 exam is done online now (as from 4pm this afternoon). Cost £20.

 

Can anyone anwer about the online exam, is it timed online or is it online and you print it off?

Have been studying but finding it a bit hard doing it at home alone :(

so you order it, print it off, go over it and then press start when you are ready and enter the answers in the two hours?
its not 2 hours from when you order it?

what do you mean by radio buttons? are they the option buttons?

ah right so its not like before when you got it sent to you andyou had two weeks to complete it at home, you have to do it there and then.
it should be fairly simple anyway I guess, I remember doing it two years ago.

Thank you peasie

I am considering though going down the AAT route instead and starting at their ABC stage and then foundation. the amount of jobs I have seen advertised where they offer study support when training towards an AAT qualification.

Any help and advice gratefully received :D

-- Edited by pammyj on Monday 26th of April 2010 08:54:52 PM

yeah, 3rd of may haha, do you have anything planned? I don't really but my children have planned to spoil me with breakfast in bed as its bank holiday and we are all off.

I have looked at the ABC as you suggested and on AAT site they have like a little study exercise that I have been working through. It states that you can just apply to do the exam (after becoming a member of course) and once they do exams CBE then hopefully I wont have to wait until December.

working through the study at home has is downsides when you dont have the tutor support as there are some things that I read and dont understand why that is done that way but if I get really stuck I will post it on here and ask why. :)