Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship

As an accounting assistant apprentice, you will provide support to internal and external customers and will work predominately either as an assistant accountant, or within the finance function of an organisation. Part of your role will involve assisting in day-to-day financial activities such as data entry, month end management accounts, and/or year-end financial statements. In addition, you may find yourself involved in regulatory financial requirements such as the completion of VAT returns or assisting in the preparation of tax computations.

This apprenticeship is designed for applicants who are developing into roles such as assistant accountant, trainee accounting technician, accounts clerk, finance assistant, purchase ledger clerk, or sales ledger clerk.

Your programme of study with lead you through the fundamentals of accounting, ensuring a basic knowledge before moving on to the core knowledge, skills, and behaviours required of this level 3 apprenticeship. The knowledge, skills, and behaviours covered during the programme are:

Knowledge:

Business awareness

IT systems and processes

Ethical standards

Financial accounting and reporting

Management accounting.

Skills:

Analysis

Communication

Produces quality and accurate information

Uses systems and processes

Problem solving.

Behaviour:

Embracing change

Adding value

Ethics and integrity

Personal accountability

Productivity

Teamworking and collaboration.

Assessment includes two distinct elements: on-programme learning and an end-point assessment (EPA). On-programme learning is an important element of the learning process as apprentices acquire the relevant knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Assessment of this learning will take an exam-based route, with the option to complete the AAT level 3 qualification.

The end-point assessment will comprise of two components and will be assessed by an approved end-point assessment organisation. Both components must be individually passed for you to be deemed competent:

• A portfolio of evidence will be collected during your time on programme and submitted to showcase your work. You will be invited to discuss this portfolio with the independent end-point assessor. The independent assessor will seek to gain assurance of your competence by questioning. The outcomes of the portfolio and discussion will be graded.

A role simulation (synoptic) gives you the opportunity to tackle a series of business-related tasks through a simulation that reflects activities undertaken in a typical role at this level of compet

Delivery will be in partnership with employers and adopt a blended approach of on-the-job and off-the-job training and professional development. You will receive training and mentoring in the workplace to enable you to demonstrate skills and create a portfolio of evidence which showcases the skills, knowledge, and behaviours. You will also attend weekly classes at college, during which all knowledge elements of the standard will be covered, and you will work towards achievement of on-programme knowledge exams via AAT.

At the end of your apprenticeship, the college will work with you and your employer to help you go on to the next level of training or gain full-time employment, either with your current employer or another employer the college has access to.

As well as ensuring full competency as an assistant accountant, this standard provides the foundation for progression into a number of career paths in the accounting sector, including audit trainee, corporate recovery analyst, credit controller, or tax accountant.

You will be allocated a designated tutor to guide you through your apprenticeship. We have a team of staff dedicated to providing learning support if required, as well as a Welfare Team that is on hand to offer guidance, support and help when needed.

Click here for learning support: https://wvr.ac.uk/college-life/learning-support

We are one of the top-performing further education colleges for apprenticeships. Over nine in ten of our apprentices continue in employment or receive a promotion once they have completed their apprenticeship. We also have a dedicated apprenticeship matching service which matches your skills to a suitable apprenticeship employer. The college is dedicated to supporting you on-programme and helping you progress on to the next step.

Individual employers set the selection criteria, but this is likely to include five GCSEs, including English and maths. However, some employers will accept other relevant qualifications and experience, including a relevant level 2 qualification. If you do not have English or maths at level 2, you must achieve this prior to taking the end-point assessment.

In addition to this, you must have previous experience or knowledge of bookkeeping and controls, otherwise you will be required to complete the level 2 apprenticeship beforehand. If you do not hold GCSE maths grade 4/C or above, there is an expectation you will have functional skills maths level 2 or equivalent.