Accounting apprenticeships are a great way to learn new skills and improve your career prospects. Achieving an accounting qualification gives you access to excellent careers in this respected profession, as well as a fresh perspective. One of the best things about an apprenticeship is the method of learning. By practising tasks in real world settings. You’ll find it’s easier to learn and remember new things.
Training to be an accountant involves learning to manage a whole host of different tasks using existing and new skills. Theory is learnt in an academic setting such as a college. And then you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge in a workplace setting. Practising as an accountant involves learning a range of technical and practical skills and techniques. Here we’ve listed a few things you can look forward to.
IT Skills
Whether or not you have a base or even a sophisticated understanding of IT processes. You will build on this during an accountancy apprenticeship. Your tasks will likely include helping to process payroll, producing and sending invoices, and preparing reports on how money is used in the company. Each of these tasks will involve different programmes and techniques.
People Skills
Working as an accountant involves working as part of a team. You’ll learn how to present your thoughts and findings to peers and superiors. This includes how you present yourself, making conversation and communicating clearly.
Communication Skills
As well as learning how to communicate with your colleagues. You will learn how to communicate with people outside of the business too. This includes best practice for making and taking calls. You might get to go to meetings where you can watch your supervisors present and interact with clients.
Time Management
Having an office job involves prioritising tasks and thinking for yourself about what needs to be done and when. You may be required to complete a piece of work to meet a deadline. For example, companies are required to make certain filings by particular dates each year. If you work on tax or accounts filings. You may be part of a team working towards such deadlines.
Attention to Detail
Working with numbers requires you to be organised and attentive. Remembering to look in the right places, account for all eventualities and produce high-quality work is all part of the day job for an accounts professional.
What Accounting Apprenticeships are Available?
The tasks you carry out will depend upon the level of accounting apprenticeship you undertake. All apprenticeships can lead to you becoming a professional accountant. Recognised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. This is a sign of professional excellence that you should strive to achieve long-term.
There are three levels of accounting apprenticeships. In an intermediate apprenticeship you could train to be a cashier, accounts clerk or accounts assistant, or similar. Advanced qualifications include assistant accountant and accounting technician roles. Higher apprenticeships, on the other hand. Will lead to roles in account management.
This level involves 1-2 years with an employer. You might learn how to check financial statements, keep track of assets, and carry out audits to make sure money is being recorded fairly and accurately. You could be tasked with completing and recording tax calculations. As well as making filings.
Real World Experience is Important
Having hands-on experience means you learn quickly and have plenty of opportunities to practise your new skills. Learning from people who are doing the job. Rather than in a purely academic setting puts things into context. That makes it easier to grasp the real world meaning of new concepts and unfamiliar processes.