Case studies

The ideal career change

Darren Ambler, MAAT

Darren spent over eight years as a Store Manager at Tesco before deciding to follow his ambition and put his natural numerical ability to use with a career in finance. Darren studied the AAT qualification and now works for LittleJohn LLP, the company he completed his work experience with. Darren wanted to achieve a better work/life balance and AAT has allowed him to ultimately achieve this goal.

“What I have learnt with AAT is nothing short of essential in my job.”

A confidence boost

Laura James, MAAT, Member in practice

Laura started studying AAT at 21, and after progressing quickly through a global organisation, decided to start her own business offering bookkeeping and accounting services to small and medium sized businesses in her area. She believes her MAAT status demonstrates she is not only qualified, but also up-to-date with accounting legislation. Laura has been inspired by a fellow AAT member in practice, who has been mentoring her as she started her new business.

“Studying the AAT qualification has given me the confidence to start my own business.”

Career aspirations

Akshay Gathani

Akshay has been studying AAT at college since completing his GCSE’s. He is excited to be out in the real world learning new things every day and embracing the challenge. “It will be hard and testing, but it will be worth it after I finish the qualification and I’m glad I’m doing it.”

“I wanted to be an accountant from the age of six and this looked like the best route for me to achieve my goal.”

Providing on the job skills

Joanne Evans, Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble wanted to provide their apprentices with a qualification that allowed them to gain the practical skills to do real accounting roles from day one. As AAT is a vocational qualification it fits perfectly with the needs of their apprenticeship programme.

“I would absolutely recommend AAT, we’ve seen huge benefits for our organisation and we really believe that not only is it providing the students with the opportunity for development, we are actually creating the young talent and the professional accountants of the future.”

United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

Working in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian territories

In the most unsettled areas of the world there is still a need for accounting technician training. UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for over five million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian territories. In one of AAT’s most challenging projects, we have been training their staff to build accounting skills and become AAT qualified.

The project, which commenced in April 2005, is led by one of AAT’s approved training providers, Management Consultancy Group, based in Bahrain.

The Management Consultancy Group is delivering the AAT Accounting Qualification to over 50 students spread across Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The challenge was to provide a cost effective support mechanism to keep the students enabled and motivated to complete their studies; a hard task given the unpredictable circumstances. We have been working with Management Consultancy Group to ensure the students can access exam centres in their local areas and are not disadvantaged by their location.