Accounts or Finance Assistant (Level 2)

Learning the core accounting principles and building blocks of the modern accountant, this apprenticeship is a perfect match for someone without any prior accountancy or bookkeeping knowledge. Not only will they grasp the fundamentals of bookkeeping, the apprenticeship will help them develop and apply important skills and behaviours within their everyday role

Apprentices will also sit the exams to gain the AAT Certificate in Accounting. Our programme also provides access to optional Microsoft Specialist courses in both Microsoft Word and Excel to develop core digital productivity skills.

Developed in partnership with globally recognised institutes, employers, and firms of all sizes, a Kaplan Accountancy apprenticeship is anything but standard.

Who's it for?

Ideal for building the Accountancy talent pipeline within your organisation, this apprenticeship is ideal for new starters in your business who are just leaving school or college, or for existing employees with limited experience who are looking to build their skills in this essential role.

This apprenticeship will benefit individuals already working at a junior role within an Accountancy department or finance function, or Kaplan can also support you with sourcing new talent.

If you’re seeking to maximise the benefit of time used as part of off-the-job training and develop technical excellence coupled with sector relevant skills that can be directly applied to the role, this apprenticeship might be the right option for you.

Job roles

This apprenticeship is suitable for a wide range of roles including Accounts administrator, Accounts Assistant, Accounts payable clerk, Assistant bookkeeper, Business accounts administrator, cost accountant assistant, Finance assistant junior, Junior cashier, but this list isn’t exhaustive.

One of the key things to success is that the job role and Line Manager provide the opportunities, support and relevant work based projects to be able to contextualise and apply the apprentice’s learning back in the workplace, to gain real competency in that area.

Career progression

An apprentice’s journey doesn’t end when their apprenticeship has finished. With an appropriate role that can demonstrate significant new learning, the next steps could be to progress onto our Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship, Level 4 Professional Accounting or Taxation Technician Apprenticeship, or even a Level 7 Accountancy or Taxation Professional Apprenticeship, which would also enable them to become fully qualified Accountants.

Eligibility

Regardless of age or prior attainment, anyone can do an Apprenticeship provided they’re learning new skills and are employed in England, in a relevant role. Kaplan will support you to assess the job role suitability as part of your application.

To do this apprenticeship, employers may specify that candidates have at least a grade of 5 GCSE (or equivalent) in Maths and English. If apprentices don’t have this level of Maths and English, Kaplan offers free resources and support to make sure they develop their understanding and application of these subjects by the end of the apprenticeship. Learners starting their apprenticeship without Level 2 in maths or English will complete a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification.

Level

Level 2

Apprenticeship

Accounts / Finance Assistant Apprenticeship

Qualifications

AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting

Optional Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

15 months with Gateway at 13 months

Costs / funding band

£7,000
Free for learners

Looking to recruit or upskill existing staff?

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Aiming to launch your career?

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About the programme

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Build your talent pipeline

While talent is so transactional and often scarce, a Level 2 apprenticeship provides a great opportunity to build future talent for your organisation.

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Workbased learning

Our programmes provide a structured, applied learning route that ensures learning and skills are directly applied to the role and maximises the time used as part of off-the-job training.

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Support and insight for managers

We have robust processes and reporting in place to ensure you and your line managers have all the insight you need to help your apprentices progress and succeed.

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Support for apprentices

Each learner has regular 1:1 contact and progress reviews to keep them on track, review their portfolio, and get them fully prepared for their final assessments in addition to academic and learning support.

Included in this apprenticeship

Our Accounts or Finance Assistant apprenticeship programme integrates four modules of technical training with work based experience. This ensures that learning and skills are directly applied to the apprentice’s role, and maximises the time used as part of off-the-job training.

For each module, apprentices benefit from attending scheduled classes taught by expert tutors in one of our training locations or via Live Online, combined with additional online learning that can be completed at their own pace. Classes are interactive and discursive, giving apprentices quality time with tutors and sector peers to support the development of their knowledge and skills. Through the workplace showcase, learners are encouraged to link their new knowledge, skills and behaviours to the tasks they have completed in their role, and bring new perspectives to their thinking. Apprentices will also benefit from an additional teaching day where they will complete a mock exam and receive personalised feedback.

Learners also get access to engaging exercises which help them to apply their learning in real business scenarios. Relevant examples within the context of an Accountancy practice offer a proven method of enhancing understanding and application of a broad range of subjects whilst developing vital skills and behaviours.

AAT modules

Introduction to Bookkeeping

Apprentices learn the basic principles of double-entry bookkeeping systems and ledger accounts, and how to process day-to-day financial transactions.

Principles of Bookkeeping Control

This builds on the knowledge and skills from Introduction to Bookkeeping. Apprentices learn about control accounts, bank reconciliation, payroll, dealing with errors, and the purpose of using the journal.

Principles of Costing

Apprentices will learn about cost recording systems within an organisation, use cost recording techniques, provide information on actual and budgeted costs and income, and basic spreadsheet skills to support cost calculations.

Business Environment

This unit will prepare apprentices for the internal and external business environment. Learn about the legal system, principles of contract law, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and sustainability. This unit is the EPA assessment and learners will sit the exam once they have gone through Gateway.

Self study

Innovative skills and behaviours

To complement the technical training, apprentices receive access to a series of online modules designed to support the development of sector relevant skills at the right time for their job role. Set within the context of familiar financial sector settings, learners are challenged to think about their role and the critical skills they need to develop to have a successful career working in finance. The modules give apprentices a safe place to think about topics such as:

How to deal effectively with a range of stakeholders using appropriate communication methods to deliver accurate and timely results.
Adhering to the organisational code of conduct and showing integrity.
Demonstrating personal pride in the job through appropriate dress and positive and confident language.
Supporting colleagues and collaborating to achieve results.
Building working relationships within own team and other parts of the organisation.
Organising own tasks, prioritising workload and activity to meet deadlines.
Commitment to learning and self-improvement.
Delivering excellent service, identifying and meeting or exceeding customer expectations.

Through discussion with their talent coach and Line Manager, apprentices will be directed to these modules at the most optimal point in their programme and depending on the specific needs of their job role. Their talent coach will then support the ongoing development of these skills in the workplace during progress review meetings.

Self study

Microsoft Specialist Skills

Optional modules covering core Microsoft products, over 100 hours of online tuition supports learners in preparing for Microsoft accreditations. Globally recognised, our tuition and exams available at Associate and Expert levels will equip apprentices with the skills to unlock the potential of Microsoft Office products.

Available in a range of subjects including

Word
Excel
Powerpoint

date_range Timetables

Programmes are running regularly throughout the year. View our timetables for scheduled Live Online sessions to see when the next one is running.

View timetables

Why choose Kaplan?

The leaders in accountancy training

Kaplan has over 80 years experience in designing and delivering programmes that help individuals to achieve results and business to achieve success.

Future facing

Our apprenticeships equip your employees to make a positive difference in the workplace, applying their learning in real life projects which can transform teams and cultures.

Comprehensive learning

Learners attend scheduled classes involving lots of practical discussion and application, and combine this with additional online learning that can be completed at their own pace.

Expert teaching

Our tutors are all subject matter experts, with real world experience, and teach groups of diverse learners from organisations across the UK.

Support for employers:

Named client solutions point of contact to support you at every stage
Recruitment service to help you hire an apprentice for a new vacancy
Transparency throughout the application and onboarding process for your learners
Sector expert tutors and talent coaches delivering relevant training and development
Learning that is applied to your organisation through work based experience
Accurate, timely and accessible tracking for each learner
Line Manager visibility of your learner’s portfolio dashboards

Support for learners:

Expert tutor contact through our Academic Support team available outside of scheduled classes 362 days a year.
Regular 1:1 contact and progress reviews with their line manager and a named, industry experienced talent coach to keep them on track, review their portfolio and get them fully prepared for their End Point Assessment.
Peer to peer contacts from across the industry as part of a small cohort - creating opportunities to spark new ideas and get new perspectives
Apprenticeship ePortfolio to track their progress, capture off-the-job activity and hours, manage and capture progress reviews, upload evidence, as well as communication with their Talent Coach
Student Service support available 362 days a year
Work based projects and support from a line manager to be able to contextualise and apply their learning back in the workplace