Portfolio help
If you are studying on the NVQ/SVQ pathway to the AAT Accounting Qualification you will need to build a portfolio. On these pages you'll find detailed help about how to build your portfolio, where to start, and what counts as evidence. You can also find more information in your Student Record, which can be downloaded below:
(If you are studying on the Diploma pathway to the AAT Accounting Qualification, this pathway is assessed differently and you don't need a portfolio).
What is an accounting portfolio?
There is nothing mystical or too difficult about a portfolio or how to build one. A portfolio is a collection of evidence which shows your skills.
It should contain some personal details about who you are, where you work and the type of job you do. It should also contain the details of the qualification that you are working towards, and your Student Record.
Next and most importantly it should contain a collection of evidence - examples of the types of work that you have done and that are part of the qualification you are working towards.
Why do I need to build a portfolio?
The easy answer to this question is that it is a vital part of the NVQ/SVQ pathway to the AAT qualification you are working towards. A portfolio of evidence is an integral part of any NVQ/SVQ qualification and you can't achieve this pathway to the AAT qualification without one.
How does building a portfolio benefit you?
Your portfolio displays the areas of work in which you are competent - it allows you not just to tell people what you can do but also show them!The portfolio is there to show your ability to perform a range of accounting tasks to a standard which has been set by industry. Just as you take the exams to prove what you know, you build the portfolio to show what you can do. The two together prove that you have both the knowledge and skills necessary to work as an accounting technician.
You can use your portfolio for job interviews and staff appraisals.
It can reflect to an employer how you would present work in the work place, even if you don't currently work in that area of accounting, and a well-referenced portfolio can allow you to refer quickly to areas where you have experience in an interview.
Many employers and universities regard building a portfolio as a useful learning and development tool.
''As a large employer of AAT students we feel that the portfolio is a key component of the qualification. Building the portfolio allows the student to demonstrate competence in day to day accounting activities that are practical and transferable in the workplace and shows they can do more than just pass an exam.''
Pam Dyson
National Head of Finance Staff Development, NHS
''A portfolio represents physical evidence of a student's ability. Exam results are nice, but they don't show soft skills, such as organisational or presentational skills. A portfolio is a student's chance to distinguish themselves from everyone else, which in a competitive market can make the difference.''
Karen Boyd
Senior Lecturer at the University of Northumbria