Accountancy Apprenticeships (Level 2, 3 and 4)
We deliver the following apprenticeship standards:
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.
Our accountancy apprenticeship pathway is 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.
Key facts
Accounts or Finance Assistant
15 months
The programme is formed of eleven carefully planned and sequenced 5-week modules that help apprentices learn and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for each of the core occupational duties undertaken by accounts or finance assistants.
- Module 1: the business environment
- Module 2: personal development
- Module 3: general business
- Module 4: understanding your organisation
- Module 5: ethical standards
- Module 6: communication
- Module 7: teamwork
- Module 8: use of systems and processes
- Module 9: customer focus
- Module 10: professionalism
- Module 11: personal effectiveness
Accountancy knowledge training is delivered alongside the modules above, typically:
- The business environment (7 weeks)
- Introduction to bookkeeping (10 weeks)
- Principles of bookkeeping controls (7 weeks)
- Principles of costing (9 weeks)
- Synoptic Exam (5 Weeks)
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.
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. There is more on how we maximise the benefits of off-the-job training here: https://damartraining.com/news/2023/so-what-is-off-the-job-training/.
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. The level of funding available is determined by the size of your business and the age of the apprentice.
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.
Assistant Accountant
17 months
The programme is formed of ten carefully planned and sequenced 6-week modules that 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: problem-solving and internal control evaluation
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)
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.
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. There is more on how we maximise the benefits of off-the-job training here: https://damartraining.com/news/2023/so-what-is-off-the-job-training/.
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. The level of funding available is determined by the size of your business and the age of the apprentice.
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.
Professional Accounting Technician
18 months
The programme is formed of ten carefully planned and sequenced 6-week modules that 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
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)
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.
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. There is more on how we maximise the benefits of off-the-job training here: https://damartraining.com/news/2023/so-what-is-off-the-job-training/.
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. The level of funding available is determined by the size of your business and the age of the apprentice.
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.
Enrolment dates
Account or Finance Assistant
Application Close
11/08/2023
22/09/2023
24/11/2023
05/01/2024
23/02/2024
24/05/2024
Start Date
25/09/2023
06/11/2023
08/01/2024
19/02/2024
08/04/2024
08/07/2024
Assistant Accountant
Application Close
11/08/2023
22/09/2023
24/11/2023
05/01/2024
23/02/2024
24/04/2024
Start Date
25/09/2023
06/11/2023
08/01/2024
19/02/2024
08/04/2024
05/06/2024
Professional Accounting Technician
Application Close
14/07/2023
13/10/2023
05/01/2024
05/04/2024
Start Date
29/08/2023
27/11/2023
19/02/2024
20/05/2024
To discuss how Damar apprenticeships can help your organisation and your colleagues to achieve their potential, please click 'Make an enquiry'
Our delivery model
- Pre-work. Usually, reading or video content relating to the module.
- Main learning. Self-directed, interactive content on our online learning platform.
- Individual learning activity. An activity brief will be provided for the apprentice as introduced in the group coaching session. The student will work through the activity brief, building their evidence to support the portfolio and end point assessment. Importantly, this final activity allows the apprentice to embed and contextualise their learning.
- 1:1 Coaching visit. Every five/six weeks, where work completed and feedback are reviewed and, if it is to the right standard, the module will be signed off. It is also an opportunity to review progress and discuss personal development with the apprentice.
- Review meeting. Takes place with the apprentice and their supervisor every 10/12 weeks, immediately after a coaching visit, providing a further opportunity to review progress.
- AAT knowledge content is underpinned by live workshops, delivered by sector experts, and high-quality online resources. Apprentices are tasked with completing their knowledge learning prior to the relevant workshop.
End-point assessment
- Accounts or finance assistant. “In-tray” test and a structured interview (supported by portfolio of evidence) with an independent assessor.
- Assistant Accountant. Knowledge test and a professional discussion (supported by a portfolio of evidence) with an independent assessor.
- Professional Accounting Technician. Role simulation (AAT Synoptic Exam) and a structured interview (supported by portfolio of evidence) with an independent assessor.
The AAT units are assessed via on-line exams during the apprenticeship.
Case study
LilyIris Accounting Ltd
LilyIris are an accounting and payroll company who specialise in the construction industry within the Bristol and South Gloucestershire area. They currently have 3 apprentices who are all at different stages of their development, all of which are having a positive impact on the organisation.
Samatha Nelmes (pictured on the right with her apprentices) Director of LilyIris, is passionate about growing and developing people within her business and is proud to state that 50% of her team are apprentices. Click below to read about the impact of apprentices and the critical role they play at LilyIris.
