‘More than numbers’ is AAT’s nationwide campaign to show more young people across the UK that a rewarding career in business, accountancy and finance is open to all, no matter their background.
Over two in five people (41%) have no idea that you can become an accountant without a university degree.
1 in 5 people never considered a vocational or technical pathway when making choices about their future
3 times more likely: for practical skills and work experience to be seen as a factor in career success than a university degree
Explore our free resources to help you find your first step.
6 in 10 leave school without enough information about their options
You don’t need a university degree or a background in accountancy to build a rewarding career in business, accounting or finance. Discover the routes available, build useful skills and hear from people who found their own way forward.
Practical support to help you move forward
Resource pack: explore the world of accounting and bookkeeping
Explore accounting and bookkeeping career routes and build practical, work-ready skills with this free resource pack.
Free to access
No previous finance experience needed
Available throughout October and November
Meet the people behind the numbers
There is more than one way into finance. These experiences show how practical, accessible pathways can help people find their direction and turn potential into progress.
Marhaba Yasin
Assistant Accountant, Stoke-on-Trent, AAT Level 4
After leaving school without a clear sense of direction, Marhaba found a qualification route that changed her life path and his built her confidence. She is now her accountancy class representative at college, and serves on AAT’s Student Advisory Group.
Javin Ramkissoon
Senior Associate, Hertfordshire, AAT Level 4
A two-year apprenticeship gave Javin a recognised qualification, hands-on experience and the chance to decide whether accountancy was right for him.
Celestine Law
Apprentice, Hertfordshire, AAT Level 4
Celestine initially planned to attend university, but work experience at an accounting firm convinced her to enter the workplace directly after her A-levels.
Jenny Pelling
Director of Skills and Strategy at Kaplan
Kaplan are a global training provider of qualifications, and collaborate with AAT to support learners, their engagement, and explore innovative approaches to education.
Support our work to open up careers in finance
Closing the information gap will require action from professional bodies, employers, educators and government. Together, we can help more young people understand and access the full range of routes into rewarding careers.
AAT welcomes the Government’s commitment to put technical and academic education on an equal footing. Our ask is simple: skills reform must make the full breadth of vocational pathways visible and accessible, including careers in business, accounting and finance.
“The ‘hard hat’ cannot become shorthand for vocational education.” Sarah Beale, CEO of AAT
1. Strengthen vocational and professional routes into employment and careers
Capture the full spectrum of routes into work and careers between the ‘hard hat’ and the ‘graduation cap’, including finance and accountancy, and harness the expertise of professional bodies from the start.
2. Give young people the information and support they need to make informed choices about their futures
Make meaningful and inclusive work experience across sectors a national priority, and ensure schools give vocational, technical and professional routes equal weight alongside academic ones in careers advice.
3. Provide a stable and supportive environment for educators and employers
Provide a stable funding environment for vocational qualifications and apprenticeships, alongside a broader approach that recognises the costs employers face when recruiting, training and retaining staff.
Help more young people see what’s possible
Share our resources with friends and family, and reshare our message on social media using the hashtag #MoreThanNumbers
Partner with AAT on future skills initiatives
