Help regarding ICB, IAB, AAT - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

yukti · Veteran Member

Help regarding ICB, IAB, AAT

Wella · Expert

Hi Yukti

If you are looking for employment at a later date, then I think AAT is the one that will open more doors for you. Although the ICB are working hard to gain a recognition in the employer market.

There are few good/ excellent training providers (not all do AAT). The only advise I can give is do not approach HLC. I and many others on here have had bad experiences.
Premier Training always get good reviews here (I would recommend Ideal Schools but they do not do AAT)

http://www.premiertraining.co.uk/

HTH
Bill

yukti · Veteran Member

Hi,
Thanks Wella. I tried searching AAT trainig providers but didnt find many.I didn't come across any HLC yet. Thanks for the red alert. I won't even look at their website. M going through the website you gave. Can you pls tell me what jobs/ self employed oppotunitis r their in AAT. I assume you doing/ completed your AAT.
Is AAT something doesnt help for self employmnt? Am not very keen into self employment though. M just wondering what r the job prospects after or during AAT?

-- Edited by yukti on Thursday 17th of March 2011 03:37:02 PM

Wella · Expert

Hi Yukti

I am self employed and went the ICB route.

I went with ICB because it was all round the best one for me financially, their support, speed of assignment completion, professional indemnity insurance and MLR supervision.

AAT is industry recognised, and therefore a door opener for interviews. It would serve well on a self employed basis too but it takes longer to get to a position where you can start a practice.

At this present moment in time things are tough everywhere, so either way it isn't easy, especially with so many redundancies in the financial sector, many are out there, either setting up their own practices, or hunting for the elusive job interview.

Hopefully by the time you are ready to get out there things will be better.

Just a thought but another option you might consider, is that with your degree, you could go for the ICB to refresh yourself and bring you up to date with any changes (I am sure it would all come flooding back) and emphasise your degree on any CV you send out.

HLC is the Home learning College by the way, just in case you didn't know.

Bill

yukti · Veteran Member

Hi,
Many Many Thanks.
HLC...i came across that..Lol didn't know the full form. I did inquire them about Sage computerized Payroll ONLY. And the course itself costs £1250 and that too if you want to go for installments then they do charge some interest. And in the Ideal school a combined package of ICB level 1,2,3,Sage computerized bookkeeping n Diploma in Payroll cost £1299 and also no interest on intstallments. I found Home learning very costly so never had a second thought for that.
I went through the website you gave and already gave AAT level 1 exemption paper. It seemed easy to me. lets see wht the result is.

Now after your reply am again moving towards ICB :)

Is there a difference between the ICB payroll and AAT payroll?
It is such a tough job to pick a course. I have been browsing since almost a month and yet haven't come to any conclusion.

YLB-HO · Guru

Yuti,

You should do the course that is easiest for you to access and get the most support. I presume your local course provider does the IAB courses because they are accredited to QCF. The IAB have a computer course which is backed up by Sage so that in addition to your IAB qualification, you receive a Sage Qualification too.

IAB qualifications give you exemptions to some of the qualifications of other bodies including the AAT, should you want to continue to study.
see: http://www.iab.org.uk/qual_exemptions.asp This is because the IAB qualifications are QCF (OFQUAL) accredited.

Have you tried your local college? They should be able to give you the best options, flexibility for the least cost.

-- Edited by YLB-HO on Thursday 17th of March 2011 05:18:05 PM

yukti · Veteran Member

Hello Frauke,
I am basically very confused for what to do. All i want is to do a course which allows me to have flexible working hours, if the company at all allows me. I cannot go to college as am having a little one to look after.

@Wella, I did inquire iwith Premier Training today morning. Found very positive. But confused as i never came accross any course provider who do not take the name n number of the person inquiring. But the person was quite friendly. Poor girl, i confused her too regarding my choice of courses. What she told me is that the awarding body of AAT is changing this Dec so if u complete b4 Dec then it would be AAT but later not sure who.. and she also told me that AAT is a better choice and ICB is also not bad... Now am back to zero.. AAT is in more details i think. Can u pls tell me what all job profiles are availale after AAT?? i have googled it but its too confusing.

Thank You,
Yukti

Wella · Expert

Yukti

From what you have said, I think your choce is narrowed to either AAT or ICB.

Most employers would recognise an AAT qualification, and a lot of job vacancies, and employment agencies stipulate that qualification, for work in accounts departments, or accountants.

It can also lead onto higher accountancy qualifications, if you wanted to go down that path at a later date.

If you went the AAT route then I think Premier Training would be the best option
If you went the ICB route, I can from personal experience recommend Ideal Schools (the career path bundle, is the best value, I think).

HTH
Bill

ghis · Senior Member

Hi There

I'm in the same predicament here. I have 2 young children and looking to get qualified as a bookkeeper to maybe moving into accountancy, depending how bookkeeping course goes. I have looked at soooooo many i'm confused now. ICB ,IAB or AAT. The impression i get is ICB and IAB are equally as good as one another. AAT covers bookkeeping but you more going into accountancy where as the other 2 are bookeeping. Also i do get the impression that AAT seems to open up more doors, however i am veering to do the ICB with Kaplan long distance learning they do a package deal of IAB 1&2 Manual and level 2 in computerised for £483.00.

I also read about AAT you should have good bookkeeping prior to doing AAT. So start at the bottom and work your way up is what i say. Thats what i'm going to do anyways

Ghislane

yukti · Veteran Member

Hello Ghislane,
i have searched Premier Training, Training Link n Ideal schools for ICB n AAT.. m not sure about IAB. if you planning to go for ICB 1,2 manual n 2 computerised then do try Training link too. I have read good feedback about them and they offer teh whole MICB package for 925 and i guess there is a problem with their wesite which says if you purchase that course online then it gives you for 275. lol..what a gr8 deal. and the whole ICBpackage with payroll is for 1250. i guess its the same with Ideal schools.

Haven't read anything about Kaplan but guess thats a nice one.. i too will have a lookat it.. Right now my state of mind is 50-50.

ghis · Senior Member

I will look into training link as not yet come across it. Like you am still so indecisive. As i have just read that IAB course will exempt towards AAT which ICB doesn't, and if you want to be employed AAT is the one to have. It's so confusing

ghis · Senior Member

I did come across Training Link... theres so many you lose track. I'm thinking of starting of ICB 1 & 2 and computerised 2 then working towards AAT i think....l'll most probably change my mind in 5 minutes..lol

yukti · Veteran Member

Hi,
but wont it b a saving if u take it as a bundle? m wondering the same. Should i go one by one? what if i take a bundle offer n then it is not hlpful, what if what if n what if...lol too confusing.. but i guess both icb n AAT r best in its field.. I did try to clear my confusion wit a course provider n she said AAT is in more detail, there are more chances of upgrading urself later. But as of now m not very keen for a big degree. I really need to make my mind.lol. do let me know what you decide.

yukti · Veteran Member

After you complete ICB evel 1 n 2 + level 2 in computerized , you will b a AICB, then dont you want to go for one more level and then be a MICB ?

ghis · Senior Member

I suppose need to establish what i want to do. Book keeping or move into accountancy. All i know at the moment is that i want to to book keeping and then progress from there. Either i do the advance ICB level 3 or transfer to the AAT as more doors open to that qualification. If i decide to be self employed then i won't bother with the AAT. So i guess one step at a time to see what direction i will end up taking. I might find it really hard and give up at 2...lol

yukti · Veteran Member

Ya, i guess u r right. can we change our path after level 2? would we b getting any exemptions then? I read that in ICB n AAT u can get exemptions if u have prior knowledge. I like what you said, if thats possible.

ghis · Senior Member

Hi Yukti

The IAB gives you exemption towards AAT not the ICB, however i couldn't find package deals on IAB thats why i'm going with ICB. Plus i like the look and sound of Kaplan theres no real reviews on it though.

What are your thoughts??

ghis · Senior Member

Just read some good reviews about Kaplan on here so here i come Kaplan....

yukti · Veteran Member

oh god.. its so confusing..lol... so u decided with kaplan n ICB? gr8.. M too planning ICB.. for the moment. Am waiting for a reply to my email from Premier Training and then come to a conclusion.
But if you planning to go for AAT later, then it will be from the start.. level 1 of AAT.. no exemptions then. Won't that be time and money consuming? As with you 2 kids it would be difficult. I have 1 and i already have hard time..lol..

ghis · Senior Member

Hi Yukti

I see it as getting the ground work done first gaining the knowledge of bookkeeping and qualification behind me to become a certified bookkeeper. AAT will cover a major part of the bookkeeping course you do so it may be repetitive if i have to start from scratch but if i have the ICB then i can use that work as reference to the AAT.

With home learning you can do it in your own time. so once kids are in bed my time to learn.... That is the plan anyway.

Also my local college does the AAT course in the evening 6-9pm which i will bear in mind when it comes round to it.

chellawson · Senior Member

Hi,

Level 2 AAT is very repetitive if you have already done a bookkeeping course but there is a big jump between level 2 and 3 in the AAT course structure. So the more you can learn the better. I did OCR bookkeeping then AAT level 2 and felt like I repeated a whole year.

ghis · Senior Member

Hello Michelle

I have read that you should do a manual book keeping course prior to doing the AAT that is why i've chosen the ICB route to gain the knowledge first. so maybe once i've completed the course i might jump in to AAT level 3 to prevent repetitive.

yukti · Veteran Member

Yes thats my time to study as well. when my son is in bed, its time for me to hold my book. I have got a book for refreshing the basic of accoutancy from my local library. I too might go the same way as you Ghames.

Yes Michelle, thats what i want to avoid too. No repetitive course. What is OCR bookkeeping btw? I am too planning to go for 2 levels of ICB first along with Payroll. I found many payroll job adverts in my town. So i guess, for a start alongwith my studies i might get a job in either bookkeeping or payroll..

ghis · Senior Member

Well i have taken the plunge and have enrolled with Kaplan ICB, i have to start somewhere..lol

I am very nervous now whether i will be able to grasp and understand it or if it's going to be to hard.

I currently do my husband's books but i use Business books, rather then double entry or sage.

Any advise regarding the above course

yukti · Veteran Member

gr8.u joined? let me know hw the courseware n tutorial support is. i too m planning the same path. but planning to do payroll alonwith it

ghis · Senior Member

I will keep you inform how the course is and how Kaplan is. Good luck with yours.