AAT Technician

[Shaz]

I would like to know, once I have qualified as an AAT Technician would I then be considered an accountant. Little confused.<BR>Thanks<BR>

[Kerry]

I have wondered about this - wont we be Accounting Technicians? and then accountants should you go onto CIMA or ACCA?

[Shaz]

What is the difference between an accounting technician and an accountant?

[Frankymo1e]

AAT NVQ4 is a professional qualification. You will be a type of qualified accountant, specifically an Accounting Technician. To become a Chartered Accountant you will have to do CIMA/ACCA/ACA/CIPFA etc.

[Shaz]

Thanks for that, although I am still a bit confused. Can I say I am studying to be an accountant. Or should I say I'm something like an accountant.<BR>Is AAT just one way of studying to become an accountant?<BR>

[Frankymo1e]

Well it's like saying you're studying to become a medic. Do you count a nurse, doctor, dentist, ambulance paramedic, St John's ambulance as medics? Yes, they all are. <BR><BR>Studying to become a lawyer? Could be family solicitor, barrister, court clerk, legal adviser etc.<BR><BR>Similarly, a Chartered Accountant is the top form of accountant, and anyone who works in accountancy is an accountant. Qualified accountants and unqualified ones. But Chartered Accountants are ones who have done the top degrees and become members of one of the 4 main professional bodies, thus &quot;Chartered&quot;. Accounting Technicians are members of the AAT, which although sponsored by the 4 main professional bodies does not make you a Chartered Accountant (capital &quot;C&quot; capital &quot;A&quot;), only an &quot;Accounting Technician&quot; (capital A&quot; capital &quot;T&quot;). Both are accountants (small &quot;A&quot;).<BR><BR>Although I would argue there is nothing &quot;only&quot; about an Accounting Technician. So in short, yes, you can say you are studying to become an accountant.

[Shaz]

I would like to know, What the difference between an accountant and an accounting technician?<BR>What can an accountant do that an accounting technician can't?<BR>When I have finished my AAT Technician year, can I call myself an accountant? or do I have to study further for that.<BR>We are having a discussion about this. <BR><BR>Thanks for your help<BR>

[Melanie]

Anyone can call themselves an accountant, but professionally you are an Accounting Technician when you get your MAAT. The restrictions this imposes is that you cannot audit or sign off accounts suitable for Companies House, and if a client asked you to complete a mortgage application you would be asked for your professional qualifications.<BR><BR>To be regarded as an all-singing, all-dancing qualified accountant you would need to continue your studies with ICAEW/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA. Think of accounting technician as the first step. Getting your MAAT is an achievement, but the world at large are still snobs, and a lot of them unfortunately haven't heard of the AAT, but they all know who ICAEW and ACCA are.<BR><BR>Ultimately it depends on what your goals are :o)

[Shaz]

Thank you all for your responses. It now makes sense. I think I need to set my goals high and go for it.<BR>Hard work is the name of the game.<BR>Good luck to you all.

[Frankymo1e]

That's why I prefer to call a Chartered Accountant a Chartererd Accountant and an Accounting Technician an Accounting Technician. But we're still accountants :oP A quick scan of the adverts at the back of &quot;Accounting Technician&quot; magazine (hard copy) reveals the vast array of titles for various roles in accountacy. You can be an assistant accountant in some of them without a single AAT stage!<BR><BR>But basically you are defined by your job: it's all very well being Chartered, but if you're qualified and unemployed you're just &quot;unemployed&quot;. If your job is title is &quot;accountant&quot; in a firm, that is what you are!