Good afternoon everyone, having just completed my c&g level 1 computerised accounts at the age of 28 I am obviously just starting out in my accounts training, its something ive always been interested in but due to one reason or another have never done anything about it, im not after the top qualifications, like cima or acca, just enough to get a job as an accounts assistant, I know this may still take a few years and im thinking of going down the aat route but am wary of spending a Lot of money on courses books etc and not getting a job at the end of it, any information would be gratefully recieved, thanks
The reason that I ask is before making your decision think carefully about CAT via the ACCA which is the equivalent of AAT and, similar to AAT level IV gaining CAT gives you exemption from the fundamentals level of ACCA should you wish to progress once you are in a suitable position.
There is nothing wrong with AAT and it would be the preferred route as most employers ask for either that or PQ status but I'm reading the line that you don't want to spend a lot of money which is where CAT wins over AAT as with AAT you need to train through a training provider but for CAT you need only register with the ACCA, buy your books from Amazon and then sit exams at the exams centres in June and December (the books and exams will still cost a small fortune but at least you don't have to pay a trainer).
Have a look at the ACCAGlobal website for details on CAT.
Here's a link that may help to get you started :
http://www2.accaglobal.com/students/cat/
There are also lots of past exam papers to try out for all of the subjects which unlike AAT anyone can access.
Of all of the qualifications out there CAT is the equivalent of AAT the same as ACCA is the equivalent level to CIMA and ICB to IAB.
Good luck with your studies and hope to talk soon,
All the best,
Shaun.
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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.
Just to add to Shaun's post; All the CAT/FIA (Foundations in Accountancy) papers, except the option papers, can also be sat any time through the year as CBE (computer based exams) at centres across the country - this starts from Dec 2011. The option papers still have to be sat in June/Dec.
Thanks shaun, no I havnt paid for the course yet, just a couple of questions about the cats, been on the website and im not clear weather its an online course or you study it through a training provider and with my basic knowledge of sage would I be thrown in the deep end so to speak, it also seem the cat is less recognised by companys than the aat's, many thanks
Kerry seems to know a bit more about CAT and the new FIA than myself so if she posts please take here responses in preference to mine.
CAT is studied in the same way as ACCA.
You sign up with the ACCA as a CAT student.
You buy your books from Amazon (or a local retailer who stock accountancy study texts... Harder to find than you might think!).
You lock yourself away with the books, a plentiful supply of buscuits and energy drinks in handy Litre sizes and just keep reading and doing the inbuilt test your understanding questions.
You take the exams (you book them through the ACCA website and they send you an attendance docket a couple of weeks before the exams).
Its not an online course.
You don't need a training provider (although some may find that the best route if you have difficulty being motivated to study alone).
Your Sage studies will not help much with the CAT papers which concentrate on the manual side of bookkeeping. However, once the ball starts rolling it will be like a snowball rolling down a hillside with you gaining knowledge quickly based on understanding from previous learning and linked subjects (You'll get to know which exams it's best to take at the same time as you study).
I won't lie though, for starters you really might feel that you're drowning under all the study. I know that I still get a feeling that no matter what I'm studying it means that there's something more important that I'm not.
You wouldn't believe how much stuff that you will never in a thousand years need to use, you need to know inside out, upside down and backwards... Actually, maybe I should just start trying to read it the right way round and then maybe I would get through my exam!
I find the Kaplan books better than the BPP one's but BPP also have I-Learn CD ROMs where for £40(ish) you can have a course on your computer.
I find the I-Learn courses don't cover the material in enough depth and they don't give you chance to practice which the Kaplan Study texts do.
The I-Learn CD's do however set you targets and with a simple click of the mouse keep moving you forwards.
On the CAT / AAT which is more recognised front... More difficult to differentiate than you might imagine.
Employers advertising for AAT qualified generally have in their ad's : AAT Qualified or PQ Accountant.
By PQ Accountant they are implying ACCA or CIMA.
I've seen peoples CVs where candidates put ACCA CAT qualified to ensure that agent searches pick up the ACCA line and their CV at least gets noticed. Perhaps ahead of the AAT ones.
Many people who take CAT go on to study the full ACCA qualification which must say good things about the ACCA.
You're 28 now, you would be 30-31 before you are CAT qualified then 36-37 before ACCA qualified so this is a long term study commitment that your getting into.
Whichever qualification that you take it's a complete lottery as to whether you find a paying position at the moment as there are so many people competing for so few jobs. Taking a quality qualification which both AAT and CAT fall into the category of may give you an advantage but it still doesn't guarantee employment.
Good luck with whichever route you choose and if you have any follow up questions just post on here and either myself of one of the other regulars will try to help move you forwards.
All the best,
Shaun.
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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.
Wow Shamus, you definitely know your stuff :) I especially like the part about locking yourself away with books and energy drinks!
The CAT/FIA compared to AAT is just something I have done a lot of research on over the past couple of months, especially since all the changes that have come about with the CAT/FIA. I have completed 2 years AAT study (quite a few years ago though) and have recently just completed ICB up to level 3. My next route is the ACCA/FIA route, but this is purely because it suits me a lot more than the AAT.
I think both are very good, it's all down to personal preference and what you want as the final result; I am planning to attempt the whole of ACCA, hence my choice of technician qualification.
