Doing an Intermediate Apprenticeship in accounting

Emma Finamore
Last updated 21 Jan 2019

Explore the apprenticeship options available in accounting, for those wanting to complete an Intermediate Apprenticeship.

There are many accounting apprentice opportunities at Intermediate Apprenticeship level, sitting within the government’s business, administration and law apprenticeship framework.

These programmes will train you to work in an accounts department, helping a business or organisation manage their money properly.

Running a business involves a lot of financial activities, from expenses and bills to taxes and payroll. Accounting is a highly skilled profession, with accounting staff working at many different levels.

Accounting Intermediate Apprenticeships: career progression

If you move up the levels of apprenticeship and complete a Higher Apprenticeship, you could then progress to full membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians. You could then complete a professional accountancy qualification with a chartered body.

This progression can lead to a specialist role in accounting. It’s also possible to enter a higher education course in a subject related to accounting, banking, insurance, or other financial services.

In some cases, people who have done a relevant Intermediate Apprenticeship and consequent apprenticeships / qualifications could do a Degree Apprenticeship in accounting. These programmes are fairly new so the areas you could move into are fairly limited, but extremely exciting. Degree Apprenticeships are available in accountancy, business, finance and law, and finance and accountancy.

Depending on the programme, those moving on from their Intermediate Apprenticeship in the accounting industry, could gain enough qualifications (via Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships, for example) to do a sponsored degree or school leaver programme in a related job. Sponsored degrees are available in accountancy, accountancy and finance, and economics.

Accounting Intermediate Apprenticeships: skills

Apprentices who qualify as accounting technicians might work as accounts assistants, credit control clerks, accounts clerks, or finance assistants, all helping accountants to keep financial records and prepare accounts.

You’ll learn how to:

· Balance accounts

· Process invoices and payments

· Complete VAT returns

· Help prepare financial statements and reports

· Handling banking and petty cash.

Accounting Intermediate Apprenticeships: job roles

At Intermediate Apprenticeship level you could train in roles like:

· Accounts assistant

· Accounts clerk

· Cashier

· Credit control clerk

· Finance assistant

· Purchase ledger clerk

· Sales ledger clerk

You might want to continue and progress your career in one of the above job roles after completing the Intermediate Apprenticeship, but you could also do further qualifications to build on your skills. You could do an Advanced Apprenticeship in roles like trainee accounting technician, assistant accountant; and Higher Apprenticeships as an accounts manager or accounts technician.

There are school leaver programmes available in jobs such as trainee tax assistant, trainee accounts assistant and consulting.

As with all apprenticeships, accounting Intermediate Apprenticeships will involve a combination of paid work and assessed training, with a training provider such as a further education college, all while being paid a proper wage.

Image courtesy of Olu Eletu