bookkeeping is bookkeeping no matter which body you learn with but when it comes to finding employment there is a definite preference for those with the AAT qualification over alternatives which to my mind is more than a little unfair as the quality of bookkeeper is not determined by one's qualification alone.
If city and guilds is at some ridiculously cheap price then I would continue to learn with them but be prepared for the qualification to mean very little in the real world.
However, think of it another way. Your learning is not so dissimilar from that of any other body that you could pretty much jump straight to their qualifications (even though I don't believe that C&G provides too much by way of exemptions from the qualifications of other bodies).
At the end of the day you are learning a trade and the bits of paper just proves that to others but do not make you any better at it. At this stage, if you have a good teacher who loves the subject that's worth more to you than the qualification.
When you need to impress a potential employer though fully qualified AAT or part qualified with one of the higher bodies are the only qualifications that will cut the mustard.
That said, you will find some more accomodating employers who think outside the box but due to their rarity value I would be more prone to putting my trust in an AAT qualification behind me than a C&G one.
Also worth considering is that in these days when there are many more people with the qualifications than jobs to fill the flexibility of all employers is limited as they can get better than what they need for less than they are willing to pay (see this months PQ magazine letter about fully qualified accountants reduced to stacking shelves for a living as there is almost no work for those lacking experience no matter how little people are willing to accept).
Hope that the above didn't come accross in any way condescending towards the C&G qualification as that was not my intent. The key is to get some good quality training to lay the foundations for your career. But when you are ready for that career, as I say, AAT is really where you need to be.
Hope that helps and doesn't discourage,
kindest regards,
Shaun.
p.s. edited because of an eroneous "not" in the third paragraph which pretty much changed entirely the gist of what I was attempting to say... Doh.
-- Edited by Shamus on Thursday 23rd of August 2012 09:49:25 PM
__________________
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.
I currently work in Procurement and have done so for the last 10 year but am now looking to have a second child and therefore work from home as a bookkeeper.
I have completed City and Guilds Accounts and Bookkeeping Course and going to embark on Level 2 in January.
My question is can I then go onto level 3 AAT? I have been told that the City & Guild level 3 doesnt cover as much as the AAT. But when I contacted AAT they said it would be up to my AAT provider to decide if I could go onto level 3 with the just the City and Guilds level 1 & 2.
This is rather confusing seeing as they set the syllabus and I even emailed them the syllabus for City and Guild but I have had no response.
I have chose to do level 1 & 2 with City and Guild as the collage I do it at has a very good rate.
no matter where you start out there is an AAT skills test that helps training providers justify the level that they start you at.
Either you do the skillscheck direct from the AAT or your training provider will test you before you enrole.
You only get one go at the skillscheck (at least that used to be the case although with the amount of dumbing down in this industry I may now be wrong).
As a start point before taking the test it's a good idea to go through the BPP AAT revision companion for units 1-4 in order to ensure that you are completely up to date and comfortable with the material the way that the AAT ask the questions (trust me, you see similar exam questions from ICB, AAT and entry level ACCA and you would think that they were complety different subjects! Getting into the way that those setting the exams ask the questions is as much of a skill as picking up the subject matter).
Good luck moving forwards and don't forget to keep us all informaed of your progress,
kind regards,
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.
So would you not advise going down the City & Guild route anymore?
I am half thinking about sacking off the City & Guild path but surely they are a recognised and trusted exam and teaching body so can their teachings be so out of touch from those like AAT? I only ask as the City & Guild course at my college is more than half that of any other teaching body as they are heavily supported by the government for adult learning.
How are you going to study the AAT course? via college or as a distance learning student etc. I enrolled on a City & Guilds Manual Bookkeeping and Accounts level 1 course with my
local college, went on to study and pass City & Guilds Computerised Accounts levels 1 and 2 with them too. Due to massive cock ups with the college administration department i
started looking at alternative ways to study and chose distance learning via Kaplan. College wanted students to pass the C&G manual and computerised level 1 and then would let
them study AAT at level 3. I have never asked anyone if i could start at level 3, i just bought the course. The C&G courses gave me a good base to start from but AAT level 3 needed a
lot of work from me. I am now well into AAT level 4 and it will be 2 years this September since i saw my first ever T account, 12 months of this has been spent achieving the C&G
quals.
Distance learning is worth looking into as you have more freedom to study at your own pace and still have excellent tutor support from the many course providers you can choose
from. If you have a decent grasp of manual Bookkeeping then i say go for it. If you take the AAT course at your college then level 2 C&G will set you up for AAT level 3, just be
prepared to work hard as i was advised by the college that this was a really fast paced course (in college). Like Shaun says, the C&G quals have done nothing to enhance my CV as
employers are really looking for fully qual AAT/Part qual CIMA or ACCA. I am still on the lookout for that elusive employer who see's potential in non experienced applicants. I only
hope that the hard work i will have put into completing AAT shines through.
