AIA qualifications - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Sweetpea · Veteran Member

AIA qualifications

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Laura,

the AIA have been mentioned on here a few times (normally in comparison to the IFA as an ACCA alternative). I can't answer the direct question but was just wondering what your thinking was behind considering this route over the alternatives.

Over on Accountingweb the qualification causes some real hum dingers or arguements with some argueing that it's only a CCAB body on a technicality. However, they cannot get away from the fact that it is so they really need to just live with it. (some quite ammusing takes on the AAT qualification over there as well if ever you fancied having an anonymous firk around over there).

Interested in knowing your views as you've obviously started looking into this option quite seriously. I asked about it some time back but at the time there was an IFA thread on the go so it never really got picked up.

looking forward to seeing where this thread goes,

all the best,

Shaun.

Sweetpea · Veteran Member

Hi Shaun,

Sorry for the late reply just finished attending a speed awareness course.

I have been thinking for a while to study to become an auditor as is something I have always enjoyed doing and I find it quite challenging. Not long ago I read one of your comments where you were recommending PQ Magazine as a good free information resource so I have subscribed to it. Just received my first copy and there it is AIA advertising for audit scholarship. Having looked on their website I found it quite good and professional but to be honest I have not heard of them before.
As I am a bookkeeper, only having passed my Level 3 exam last year, I am still new to this and not sure which body will be the best to study with as I have seen so many different opinions .

AIA looks pretty good and having looked at the requirements they're asking to study with them I think I could make it.
I have just started to have a look into this so I'm sorry if I disappoint you, I am serious about it just not sure where to go yet. Not a lot of employers have as a requirement AIA qualified. Is either ACCA or AAT.

I thought I might find somebody here who knows more about them or even have studied with them. Is just there are so many bodies out there you don't know which one to pick.

I would love to hear your views about it.

Thanks Shaun.

Laura

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Laura,

And they never teach you the important things like handbrake turns and how to do a proper grid start at these speed awareness things do they! (lol).

personally, despite what I've read elsewhere, I think that the AIA seem to be ok.

The key part is that unlike many other options they are actually a CCAB body like ACCA, ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI and CIPFA so it's a top notch qualification even if reading accounting web they do seem to come across as being the runt of that litter.

Whenever someone advertises for a PQ accountant you would be able to apply as you would be a member of a CCAB body (and even CIMA people can't say that!).

Really don't know how the AIA exams compare to ACCA one's or how accessible the AIA exam centres are which may sway you towards ACCA if there's any difficulty in taking the exams from where you are. (one more thing to think about there).

If I get my ACCA membership it seems as though I could swap straight over to AIA if I wanted which is one thing worth considering as the ACCA practice certificate seems near impossible for me the achieve.

On the audit front I think that AIA people can be auditors but like CIPFA you need to be supervised by another body. (something to do with them being recognised qualiying bodies but not recognised supervisory bodies). I think that to be an auditor you would use your AIA status to apply to the ACCA to act as your supervisory body... Not sure whether or not that would mean that you also had to be a member of the ACCA or indeed how that would work? Interested to hear other peoples takes on that.

AIA Learning materials are available from BPP. Have a look at page 25 of their latest catalogue from this link :

http://www.bpp.com/learning-materials/our-products.aspx

Just £480 for the whole lot rather than a minimum of around £800 (text & kit only. or around £2160 for all of the training materials) for the ACCA texts... Then again, go to the next page and all of the IFA materials would only set you back £255... But can IFA accountants be auditors?

I do however notice that Amazon are not big on stocking the AIA texts and there is nothing for resale on Ebay. Of all the signs that this isn't a good move that is probably the one that shouts the loudest.

Hope that you enjoy reading PQ magazine. Sometimes there are some real eye openers in there when reading about what the varius bodies get up to (Money for books was a good one where they revealed how much certain bodies charge publishers to get on the reading lists).

Right, got to go.

I'll wathch this thread with interest to see what develops. Could be a real goldmine of information that ends up being gathered here.

Talk later,

Shaun.

Hal · Veteran Member

I knew they were an RQB and that their members could act as Auditors, but did not know that they had attained CCAB membership.

Figurate · Senior Member

Shamus wrote:

The key part is that unlike many other options they are actually a CCAB body like ACCA, ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI and CIPFA so it's a top notch qualification even if reading accounting web they do seem to come across as being the runt of that litter.

Whenever someone advertises for a PQ accountant you would be able to apply as you would be a member of a CCAB body (and even CIMA people can't say that!).

Really don't know how the AIA exams compare to ACCA one's or how accessible the AIA exam centres are which may sway you towards ACCA if there's any difficulty in taking the exams from where you are. (one more thing to think about there).

If I get my ACCA membership it seems as though I could swap straight over to AIA if I wanted which is one thing worth considering as the ACCA practice certificate seems near impossible for me the achieve.

Shaun.

It seems that CIMA members could also get AIA membership without further exams, and be CCAB again... (at a £price, of course)

Hal · Veteran Member

Just checked on the CCAB website and AIA are not showing as members.

If they have attained membership would be a incentive to join but can't see it on their or the CCAB website.

Am I missing something?

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Hal,

Actually, I think that I might be completely wrong. (I know, shock hits the entire forum!)

AIA is definitely an RQB (they're in the companies act)

They're not an RSB (So cannot do audits under their own banner but have the right to go under someone elses as their RSB).

My CCAB statement is wrong, The only CCAB bodies are (since CIMA left the party) ACCA, ICAEW, ICAI, CIPFA and ICAS.

Sorry about that. I went and gave them a promotion too many (there seems to be a fair size movement out there that seems to think that the RQB status is unjustified when the IFA don't have it).

CIPFA and AIA definitely seem to be the odd one's out amongst the RQB's.

As an aside note, as shown above CIPFA is CCAB (even though like AIA it's not an RSB).

All very confusing but think that I understand who'se what now.

All the best,

Shaun.

Hal · Veteran Member

Shaun

Thanks for the confirmation.

In one respect I hoped you were right on this one as it would have made the AIA more appealing.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

No probs and thanks for many prompting the correction.

Wonder if I should start my own supervisory body as there must be some three / four letter acronyms that haven't been used yet.... Can't imagine that there's that much more to it than that considering the number of bodies that there are out there! lol.

I'm still very interested in hearing peoples thoughts on the AIA as they seem to have a lot going for them which they don't seem to be capitalising on.

Is this a body to watch or a merger waiting to happen?

I'm thinking perhaps the likes of AAT or IFA could capitalise on a reverse acquisition. (such as where limited companies buy smaller Plc's in a share exchange in order to get a listing). That RQB status has to be worth a pretty penny to someone.

Sweetpea · Veteran Member

Wow... thank you everybody for all this information. Still nobody on this forum seems to have been studied with AIA. ??

Not sure where to go now. Reading the blogs on AccountinWeb AIA doesn't seem the right choice. But I have to agree with Shaun that RQB status has to be worth something.

I will have to do a lot more research on AIA, hopefully I will find someone who studied with them.

Thanks again everybody.

Laura

Hal · Veteran Member

I would suggest contacting AIA direct, if you haven't already done so.

I was thinking about joining them a couple of years back [before deciding on the IFA] and they were quick to respond. They provided some good information on their qualifications and exemptions etc and also do a weekly e-mail update which is useful.