Accounting Technician Apprenticeship (Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Accounting)

What is the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship?

The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship 2023/24 is a two-year, fully funded, work-based learning programme which leads to a Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Accounting.

Places are awarded via a competitive interview process, where applicants who meet the minimum eligibility criteria (see below) are put forward to participating employers for consideration. If you are successful at interview stage, your new employer will issue you with a two-year contract and you start your apprenticeship in September 2023.

Weekly schedule: 4 days working in an office environment, and one day’s study at a local college.

The Local Colleges are:

• Rathmines college of further education
• Colaiste Ide
• Monaghan Institute
• Cork College of Commerce
• Galway Technical Institute
• Blackrock Institute
• Waterford College of Further Education
• Bray Institute
• Dunboyne College of Further Education
• Limerick College of Further Education

You will earn a minimum salary of at least €22,035k a year, and enjoy fully funded college tuition fees.

You will emerge from the programme with a valuable qualification, which is strengthened by two years of practical work experience in accounting and finance.

Upon graduation, you will be eligible to apply for membership of ATI, the leading professional body for Accounting Technicians in Ireland and the provider of the highly sought-after MIATI designation.

What does an Accounting Technician do?

Maintaining a set of accounts is a fundamental element of any business from a sole trader to large multinationals.

An Accounting Technician supports all elements of accounts function, including income and expenditure, balance sheet transactions, statutory returns, and payroll requirements.

The Accounting Technician is concerned with bookkeeping and processes all accounts payable and receivable in order to prepare, or support the preparation of, periodic accounts. They record and monitor income and expenditure including accrued and deferred income.

The Accounting Technician completes regular bank reconciliations and accounts for/completes statutory returns. Regular analysis and reports are undertaken to contribute to producing accounts.

The Accounting Technician produces management accounts and supplies vital financial information as to the running of the Company. They have the ability to do costing and cost controls.

The Accounting Technician prepares company annual budgets and monitors the progress of this throughout the year. They prepare, or assist in the preparation of, company year-end financial statements.

Is this programme for me?

Motivation

Firstly, you should have a clear motivation to become an Accounting Technician and develop a career in accountancy. It is important to consider why you are interested in the programme, and what is it about accounting that appeals to you as a career path!

To succeed at interview stage, you must also be able to demonstrate:

• Motivation to learn and achieve.
• Dedicated class and work attendance.
• Proficient time management.
• Reliability when on the job.
• Professional etiquette.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to use your own initiative.

Eligibility Criteria

CAO POINTS

The main entry criteria are 300 CAO (or equivalent) points with a pass (O6) in Leaving Certificate English and either Leaving Certificate Mathematics or Accounting (within the last 5 years). A pass in accounting is not a requirement. For those who sat the Leaving Certificate in the past five y ears, the main entry criteria are 300 CAO (or equivalent) points with a O6 in Ordinary Level English and Maths or Accountancy.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

If an applicant does not have a pas s in Leaving Certificate English or equivalent, they must have evidence of competency in writ ten and spoken English.

PLC STUDENTS OR OTHER PREVIOUS QUALIFICATION HOLDERS

PLC students or other previous qualification holders are also eligible if the qualification is in a different discipline and is a NFQ Level 5 or above. Alternatively, the CAO points and subjects’ requirements noted above will apply.

MATURE STUDENTS

Mature candidates (23 years of age or older) are eligible to apply if the y meet the academic or alternative qualification requirements noted. Evidence of this will be required.

Commitments and study

The duration of this programme is two years from the commencement date in September 2023. You should be able to commit to completing the programme syllabus while working in full-time employment over the two years.

You will be attending off-the-job training at college one day and working with an employer four days during college term time (on-the-job training) on a weekly basis. Outside of college term, you will be working five days a week.

Additional home study will be needed to ensure success in the programme.

You are entitled up to three weeks’ study leave from your employer each year which must be agreed by your employer, and you will be required to sit the ATI exams in May/June each year. Repeat exams in August.