Whether you’re building a finance team, closing skills gaps, or helping existing employees progress into more senior roles, professional training can help you develop the capability your business needs.

An accountancy training provider can do more than prepare employees for exams. The right provider can help you match qualifications to job roles, choose the right study methods, support learners throughout their training, and give managers visibility of progress.

Key takeaways for employers

• Build the skills your finance team needs: develop technical accountancy knowledge alongside skills such as data analysis, technology, and business decision-making.
• Match qualifications to roles: from AAT for developing core accountancy skills to ACCA, CIMA, ACA, and specialist tax qualifications for more experienced professionals.
• Choose training that works for your business: look for flexible delivery options, expert tutors, learner support, and clear reporting for managers.
• Consider apprenticeships: apprenticeships can be used to recruit new talent or upskill existing employees, with government funding available to eligible employers.
• Start with your business goals: identify the skills you need, map them to appropriate qualifications, then discuss delivery and funding options with a training provider.

How can an accountancy training provider help close skills gaps?

The role of an accountant is changing. Finance professionals increasingly need to work with data, technology, automation, and analytical tools, as well as traditional accounting principles.

The right training can help you identify the skills your teams need now and the capabilities they’ll need as their roles develop.

A good training provider should work with you to understand the role, rather than simply recommending a course. This could mean building foundational accountancy knowledge for someone new to finance, developing management accounting skills, or helping an experienced finance professional progress towards a professional qualification.

For example, Kaplan's Level 3 Finance Analyst apprenticeship combines core accountancy knowledge with data skills, reflecting the changing requirements of modern finance roles. The programme is designed for roles including accounts assistant, trainee accountant, and finance data support.

How can professional training support employee development and retention?

Training gives employees a structured way to develop their knowledge, gain recognised qualifications, and take on greater responsibility.

It can also help you create clearer career pathways within your organisation. Rather than looking externally whenever a more senior finance role becomes available, you can identify employees with potential and give them the training and experience they need to progress.

There is no single qualification or learning route that works for every employee. A training provider can help you assess where someone is now, what their role requires, and what their next step could be.

For example, one Kaplan learner, Tom Kelly, progressed from an AAT apprenticeship into CIMA and went on to become a qualified chartered accountant and project accountant.

Which accountancy qualification is right for my team?

The right qualification depends on the employee's existing knowledge, current role, and career goals.

AAT: building core accountancy skills

AAT can be a good starting point for employees who are new to accountancy or who need to build their technical foundations.

It can support roles across areas such as bookkeeping, accounts preparation, payroll, and finance administration, depending on the level and role.

ACCA: developing professional accountancy expertise

ACCA is a professional accountancy qualification covering areas including financial accounting, management accounting, taxation, audit, and financial management.

It can suit employees who are progressing towards a professional accountancy career and want a broad qualification that can support a range of roles and sectors.

CIMA: developing management accounting and business skills

CIMA focuses on management accounting and the use of financial information to support business decisions.

It can be particularly relevant for employees working in commercial finance, management accounting, financial planning, performance analysis, and business partnering.

ACA: progressing towards chartered accountancy

ACA, awarded by ICAEW, is a chartered accountancy qualification combining technical knowledge with practical experience and professional skills.

It can be suitable for employees working towards a career as a chartered accountant, particularly within practice, audit, tax, or industry.

ATT and CTA: developing specialist tax expertise

For employees specialising in taxation, ATT and CTA can provide a progression route into tax.

ATT focuses on practical tax knowledge, while CTA is an advanced tax qualification for professionals looking to develop specialist expertise.

The important thing is not simply choosing the qualification with the most familiar name. Your training provider should help you match the qualification to the employee's role, existing skills, and future responsibilities.

What should I look for when choosing an accountancy training provider?

Choosing a training provider is a significant decision, particularly if you're training multiple employees. Before committing, consider:

1. Relevant experience

How long has the provider been delivering accountancy and finance training? Do they understand the qualifications and roles you're training for?

2. Recent results

Ask to see current pass-rate data and how it compares with the relevant national or global benchmark. Look for transparent, recent results rather than broad claims about being the best.

3. Expert tutors and learning materials

Find out who will teach your employees and how the learning materials are developed. Subject matter expertise matters when you're training people for professional qualifications.

4. Flexible delivery options

Consider whether your employees would benefit from Classroom, Live Online, OnDemand, Distance Learning, or a combination of approaches.

5. Learner support

Find out what support is available outside scheduled teaching, including tutor access, study resources, progress support, and exam preparation.

6. Employer visibility

If you're training several employees, you'll want to understand how they're progressing. Ask what reporting and account management you'll receive as an employer.

7. Apprenticeship expertise

If you're considering apprenticeships, check that the provider can support you with recruitment, eligibility, funding, training plans, progress reviews, and the wider requirements of the programme.

Kaplan currently supports more than 40,000 learners each year across accountancy and professional education. Learners rate Kaplan's tutors 9.4 out of 10 for their ability to explain complex concepts, while 94% say Kaplan has helped them become more confident and capable at work. Kaplan also reports that its pass rates consistently exceed national averages.

For CIMA specifically, Kaplan reports pass rates 31% above the global average and has received the Global Pass Rate Excellence Award for five consecutive years.

Can apprenticeships be used to train existing employees?

Yes. Apprenticeships aren't only for new recruits. They can also be used to develop existing employees where the programme is appropriate for their role and provides new knowledge and skills.

This makes apprenticeships another potential route for building accountancy capability within your existing workforce.

Who can an employer put through an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships can be used for both new hires and existing employees. The individual must meet the relevant eligibility requirements, be employed in England in a suitable role, and be learning new skills through the apprenticeship.

How does apprenticeship funding work?

For new apprenticeship starts from 1 August 2026, funding depends on factors including whether you pay the Apprenticeship Levy, the apprentice's age, and whether you have sufficient levy funds.

For non-levy employers, the government funds 100% of eligible training and assessment costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged 16 to 24. For apprentices aged 25 or over, the government contribution is generally 95%, with the employer contributing the remaining 5%. Levy-paying employers can use funds in their Apprenticeship Service account, with different co-investment rules applying when those funds are exhausted.

How much off-the-job training does an apprentice need?

There isn't one universal number of hours. Each apprenticeship standard has a published minimum volume of off-the-job training, and the training plan should set out how and when this will be delivered.

Off-the-job training must be relevant to the apprenticeship, teach new knowledge, skills, or behaviours, and take place during the apprentice's normal working hours.

How will I know whether my apprentice is progressing?

Your training provider should give you visibility of progress and involve you in reviews. At Kaplan, line managers attend formal progress reviews with the apprentice and Talent Coach at least every 12 weeks, alongside ongoing progress monitoring.

What can an accountancy apprenticeship achieve for an employer?

Apprenticeships can combine structured training with practical experience, allowing employees to apply what they're learning directly to their role.

Marston's, for example, used apprenticeships to develop finance and accountancy knowledge within its workforce. The business reported a 75% retention rate among employees on its apprenticeship programmes, while managers highlighted the benefits of developing employees who could progress into roles requiring additional accountancy knowledge and qualifications.

More recently, Jasmine Wells joined Azets through an accountancy apprenticeship, completed AAT, and progressed into ACCA while working full time. As her technical knowledge developed, she was able to take on more responsibility and work more independently in her role.

These examples illustrate one of the potential benefits of work-based learning: employees can develop their technical knowledge while applying it in the workplace.

How can a training provider support employers?

Training doesn't stop when an employee enrols on a course. For employers, the quality of the support around the learner can be just as important as the course itself.

At Kaplan, employers can have a named Client Solutions contact, access learner progress information, and work with sector-expert tutors and Talent Coaches. For apprenticeships, line managers can also access learner portfolio dashboards and take part in progress reviews.

The aim is to give employers a clearer view of how learning is progressing and how it is being applied in the workplace.

How do I get started with accountancy training?

If you're considering training for your finance or accountancy team, you don't need to start by choosing a qualification. Start with the skills and business outcomes you need.

1. Assess your team's current skills

Look at the roles in your finance team and identify any gaps in technical knowledge, technology, data, leadership, or commercial skills.

2. Identify your development goals

Consider what you want training to achieve. Are you developing new finance talent, preparing employees for promotion, building specialist expertise, or creating a longer-term career pathway?

3. Match roles to qualifications

Use employees' existing knowledge, current responsibilities, and career goals to identify suitable qualifications and levels.

4. Choose the right learning approach

Consider whether Classroom, Live Online, OnDemand, Distance Learning, or an apprenticeship would work best for each employee and your organisation.

5. Check your funding options

If you're considering apprenticeships, establish whether you pay the Apprenticeship Levy and what funding is available for the employees you want to train. Your training provider can help you understand the relevant funding route.

6. Agree what success looks like

Before training begins, agree how you'll measure progress. This could include qualification results, new responsibilities, increased confidence, progression into a new role, or the ability to apply new skills within the business.

7. Talk to a training provider

Once you understand what you need, speak to a provider that can help you build a training plan around your business, rather than simply selling you a course.

Ready to develop your finance team?

Whether you're looking to build accountancy skills from the ground up, develop qualified finance professionals, or use apprenticeships to grow your talent pipeline, Kaplan can help you find the right training solution for your organisation.

Explore accountancy training for employers.