Accounting Apprenticeships (Levels 2, 3 and 4)
Our accounting apprenticeships are designed to develop rounded accounting professionals who are technically competent and have the wider business and interpersonal skills to make positive impact at work, foster innovation and support the future success of their organisations.
Accounts or finance assistants work in accountancy firms and in-house, assisting the finance function with junior accounting duties. These vary but could include basic bookkeeping activities, working with sales and purchase ledgers, running calculations to ensure that records and payments are correct, recording of cash and data entry.
Assistant Accountants support internal and external customers and work in accountancy firms or the finance functions of organisations. The role will involve assisting in the day-to-day financial activities such as data entry, month-end management accounts and/or year-end financial statements. Assistant Accountants may also become involved in regulatory financial requirements such as the completion of VAT returns or assisting in the preparation of tax computations.
Professional Accounting Technicians are responsible for creating, and/or verifying and reviewing, accurate and timely financial information within the organisation in which they are employed or for clients. They must meet relevant ethical, professional and legal standards, and use their knowledge of business systems and processes, as well as standard accounting and tax practices.
Benefits to your business
Accounting apprenticeships can bring many benefits to your business. For example, apprentices can:
- Create a team with excellent customer service, business and people skills, as well as accounting knowledge
- Bring ambition, a fresh perspective and an entrepreneurial spirit
- Build a diverse talent pipeline
- Increase accounting support, freeing up time for managersand senior accountants.
The Damar Difference
Here at Damar, we aim to deliver impactful apprenticeships for our employer partners. Some key features of our accounting apprenticeships include:
- Specialist workshops: Structured AAT workshops take place every 2 – 3 weeks (or every week during AAT units on the level 2 programme).
- Experience: All AAT subject specialists are qualified and experienced accounting professionals.
- Resources: High quality online and paper-based resources from Kaplan.
- Impact: Beyond technical knowledge, apprentices develop key skills and behaviours critical in today’s workplace, creating accountants who can effectively communicate, adapt, problem-solve and make an impact.
- Professional recognition: Successful level 3 apprentices can apply for Bookkeeping Membership (AATQB) with AAT, successful level 4 apprentices can apply for Full Membership (MAAT) with AAT.
- Our people: An experienced team to support and empower you and your apprentice, to ensure they achieve the qualification and have an impact on your organisation.
- Our processes: Our one-team approach offers a seamless enrolment and onboarding process, which leads into carefully planned, manageable chunks of learning.
- Our systems: Our accessible and engaging systems include OneFile, Profiler, Damar OpenLearning, and our apprentice forums.
“The accounting apprentices at provide invaluable day-to-day support to our teams. They use and build upon their learning, adding immediate value to our business. These apprenticeships allow for future progression within our firm and they are helping to shape our future workforce.
Claire Dowd
Finance Operations Assistant
Pinsent Masons
Apprenticeship delivery
- Pre-work: Reading or video content relating to the module.
- Main learning: Self-directed, interactive content on our online learning platform.
- Individual learning activity: Apprentices work through the activity brief, building their evidence to support the portfolio and end point assessment. This activity allows the apprentice to embed and contextualise their learning.
- 1:1 coaching visit: Every five/six weeks the coach and apprentice meet to review progress, discuss personal development and sign-off completed modules.
- Review meeting: Every 12 weeks the coach, apprentice and line manager meet to review progress.
- AAT knowledge content: Underpinned by live workshops, delivered by sector experts, and high-quality online resources. All AAT knowledge units are assessed via exams, which are booked by Damar and can be undertaken at a local AAT exam centre.
Accounts or Finance Assistant
16 months
People of all ages and educational backgrounds can undertake accounting apprenticeships, but there are some restrictions, the most important of which are:
- The employer and the training provider must ascertain that the apprenticeship will allow the individual to gain substantive new skills. The training therefore needs to be materially different from any prior qualification or previous apprenticeship. NB: this does not restrict progression up the accountancy apprenticeship pathway.
- The apprenticeship must align with the skills needs of the apprentice’s role.
- The apprentice must be employed, usually for 30+ hours a week, and work more than 50% of their time in England.
- All apprenticeships must take at least 12 months with apprentices spending a minimum of 6 hours per week in off-the-job training. All Damar apprenticeships plan for more than the legal minimum.
The programme is made up of apprenticeship modules and AAT knowledge training units.
The apprenticeship modules help apprentices learn and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for each of the core occupational duties undertaken by accounts or finance assistants.
- Digital tools and data security
- Effective business communication
- Professional practices and adaptability
- Professionalism and teamwork in finance
- Sustainability and professional conduct.
The AAT accountancy knowledge training is delivered in between the modules above, typically:
- Introduction to bookkeeping
- Principles of bookkeeping controls
- Principles of costing
- Business environment synoptic
Employer partners and apprentices are supported throughout the apprenticeship. The apprentice has a dedicated coach who provides 1:1 support, alongside the group coaching sessions and apprentice forums where they can engage with other appentices on the same programme. Review meetings with the apprentice, line manager and coach are held every 12 weeks. All of our employers also have a business development manager/executive they can contact at any time.
All apprenticeships embed the functional use of maths and English as well as personal development topics in areas such as equality and diversity and British Values. Apprentices unable to evidence maths and English at GCSE level 4 or above may need to take functional skills exams as part of the apprenticeship. Additional training is provided if necessary.
Business environment synoptic exam and structured interview.
Most students progress through our accountancy apprenticeship pathway, from Level 2 Accounts and Finance Assistant to Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician. More experienced apprentices may be able to start at Level 3 or Level 4. After Level 4, apprentices often progress to chartered accountant status. Successful completion of the AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting (level 4) grants generous exemptions with ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, ICAS and CIPFA.
All apprenticeship costs at level 2 are covered within the funding band.
If your annual UK wage bill is over £3 million, the cost of training can be funded via the Apprenticeship Levy. We can help you navigate your Apprenticeship Service account to access this funding.
If your annual UK wage bill is below £3 million, the government covers 95-100% of the training costs.
For apprentices aged up to 21, the apprenticeship is fully government-funded*. For apprentices aged 22 and over, the apprenticeship is 95% government-funded*. These new funding rules are applicable to apprentices starting from 1 April 2024.
*Please note: Some apprenticeships have accreditation costs which are not eligible for government funding
We have regular start dates throughout the year for our apprenticeships. Please get in touch for more information.
Assistant Accountant
17 months
People of all ages and educational backgrounds can undertake accounting apprenticeships, but there are some restrictions, the most important of which are:
- The employer and the training provider must ascertain that the apprenticeship will allow the individual to gain substantive new skills. The training therefore needs to be materially different from any prior qualification or previous apprenticeship. NB: this does not restrict progression up the accountancy apprenticeship pathway.
- The apprenticeship must align with the skills needs of the apprentice’s role.
- The apprentice must be employed, usually for 30+ hours a week, and work more than 50% of their time in England.
- All apprenticeships must take at least 12 months with apprentices spending a minimum of 6 hours per week in off-the-job training. All Damar apprenticeships plan for more than the legal minimum.
The programme is made up of apprenticeship modules and AAT knowledge training.
The 6-week apprenticeship modules help apprentices learn and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for each of the core occupational duties undertaken by assistant accountants.
- Module 1: Personal development & self-awareness
- Module 2: Understanding organisations and their context
- Module 3: Building organisational knowledge and IT skills
- Module 4: Understanding regulatory environment and ongoing learning
- Module 5: Enhancing time management skills
- Module 6: Effective teamwork and communication
- Module 7: Cultivating change resilience
- Module 8: Decision-making fundamentals
- Module 9: Understanding and meeting employer expectations
- Module 10: Improvement proposal
The AAT accountancy knowledge training is delivered alongside the modules above, typically:
- Business awareness (11 weeks)
- Tax processes for businesses (9 weeks)
- Financial accounting: preparing financial statements (14 weeks)
- Management accounting techniques (10 weeks)
Employer partners and apprentices are supported throughout the apprenticeship. The apprentice has a dedicated coach who provides 1:1 support, alongside the group coaching sessions and apprentice forums where they can engage with other appentices on the same programme. Review meetings with the apprentice, line manager and coach are held every 12 weeks. All of our employers also have a business development manager/executive they can contact at any time.
All apprenticeships embed the functional use of maths and English as well as personal development topics in areas such as equality and diversity and British Values. Apprentices unable to evidence maths and English at GCSE level 4 or above may need to take functional skills exams as part of the apprenticeship. Additional training is provided if necessary.
Knowledge test and a professional discussion (supported by a portfolio of evidence) with an independent assessor.
Most students progress through our accountancy apprenticeship pathway, from Level 2 Accounts and Finance Assistant to Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician. More experienced apprentices may be able to start at Level 3 or Level 4. After Level 4, apprentices often progress to chartered accountant status. Successful completion of the AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting (level 4) grants generous exemptions with ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, ICAS and CIPFA.
All apprenticeship costs at level 3 are covered within the funding band.
If your annual UK wage bill is over £3 million, the cost of training can be funded via the Apprenticeship Levy. We can help you navigate your Apprenticeship Service account to access this funding.
If your annual UK wage bill is below £3 million, the government covers 95-100% of the training costs.
For apprentices aged up to 21, the apprenticeship is fully government-funded*. For apprentices aged 22 and over, the apprenticeship is 95% government-funded*. These new funding rules are applicable to apprentices starting from 1 April 2024.
*Please note: Some apprenticeships have accreditation costs which are not eligible for government funding
We have regular start dates throughout the year for our apprenticeships. Please get in touch for more information.
Professional Accounting Technician
19 months
People of all ages and educational backgrounds can undertake accounting apprenticeships, but there are some restrictions, the most important of which are:
- The employer and the training provider must ascertain that the apprenticeship will allow the individual to gain substantive new skills. The training therefore needs to be materially different from any prior qualification or previous apprenticeship. NB: this does not restrict progression up the accountancy apprenticeship pathway.
- The apprenticeship must align with the skills needs of the apprentice’s role.
- The apprentice must be employed, usually for 30+ hours a week, and work more than 50% of their time in England.
- All apprenticeships must take at least 12 months with apprentices spending a minimum of 6 hours per week in off-the-job training. All Damar apprenticeships plan for more than the legal minimum.
The programme is made up of apprenticeship modules and AAT knowledge training.
The 6-week apprenticeship modules help apprentices learn and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for each of the core occupational duties undertaken by professional accounting technicians.
- Module 1: Introduction to personal development
- Module 2: Your organisation, role and relevant regulations
- Module 3: Communicate in a business environment
- Module 4: Professional ethics in a business environment
- Module 5: Effective report writing
- Module 6: Evaluating and improving your performance
- Module 7: Working in teams
- Module 8: Exceeding expectations
- Module 9: Internal audit
- Module 10: Continuous improvement
AAT accountancy knowledge training is delivered alongside the modules above, typically:
- Business tax (11 weeks)
- Personal tax (10 weeks)
- Drafting and interpreting financial statements (16 weeks)
- Applied management accounting (15 weeks)
- Internal accounting systems and controls (10 weeks)
Employer partners and apprentices are supported throughout the apprenticeship. The apprentice has a dedicated coach who provides 1:1 support, alongside the group coaching sessions and apprentice forums where they can engage with other appentices on the same programme. Review meetings with the apprentice, line manager and coach are held every 12 weeks. All of our employers also have a business development manager/executive they can contact at any time.
All apprenticeships embed the functional use of maths and English as well as personal development topics in areas such as equality and diversity and British Values. Apprentices unable to evidence maths and English at GCSE level 4 or above may need to take functional skills exams as part of the apprenticeship. Additional training is provided if necessary.
Role simulation (AAT Synoptic Exam) and a structured interview (supported by portfolio of evidence) with an independent assessor.
Most students progress through our accountancy apprenticeship pathway, from Level 2 Accounts and Finance Assistant to Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician. More experienced apprentices may be able to start at Level 3 or Level 4. After Level 4, apprentices often progress to chartered accountant status. Successful completion of the AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting (level 4) grants generous exemptions with ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, ICAS and CIPFA.
If your annual UK wage bill is over £3 million, the cost of training can be funded via the Apprenticeship Levy. We can help you navigate your Apprenticeship Service account to access this funding.
If your annual UK wage bill is below £3 million, the government covers 95-100% of the training costs.
For apprentices aged up to 21, the apprenticeship is fully government-funded*. For apprentices aged 22 and over, the apprenticeship is 95% government-funded*. These new funding rules are applicable to apprentices starting from 1 April 2024.
*Please note: Some apprenticeships have accreditation costs which are not eligible for government funding
We have regular start dates throughout the year for our apprenticeships. Please get in touch for more information.
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