The delayed launch of the AAT’s Q2022 qualifications, until September 2022, has left many students unsure how and when to move onto their next level studies.
The message from the Premier Training tutors is clear: Continue studying progressing through the AAT Levels and not waiting for new standards to begin AAT Level 4.
With students having until 30th September 2023 to complete AQ2016 qualifications, many Foundation Certificate and Advanced Diploma in Accounting students are refusing to stall their studies any further.
Premier Training student Laoni Gardiner is one example, preferring to move straight onto the Professional Diploma on the current standards rather than lose valuable study time waiting for the Q2022 launch, which has now been delayed twice.
Keen to progress
“I finished Level 3 in October and, although I have been tempted to wait until the new standards are introduced in order to avoid sitting another Synoptic Assessment, it is not enough to warrant wasting an entire year in which I could, hopefully, complete the best part of the current Level 4 qualification,” said Laoni.
“I was prepared to wait until February for the previous release date, but I thought waiting a further seven months would only be detrimental to my learning. It’s better to plough on while everything learnt from Levels 2 and 3 is still fresh in my mind.”
A thirst for learning
After having her two children, Laoni chose to leave a full-time job in editorial to take up a part-time administrative position within her mother’s small accountancy practice.
The AAT distance learning route with Premier Training provided the flexibility she needed.
She explained: “After a few years I decided to start studying the AAT qualifications to give me a further understanding of the finished sets of accounts that I was sending out each day.
“The Level 2 and 3 qualifications have given me a level of knowledge and understanding that is allowing me to move away from admin tasks and become more involved in bookkeeping and accounts preparation, while satisfying my thirst for learning and developing new skills.
“My career goal is to attain a level of proficiency which allows me to take on a large portion of my mum’s workload as she winds down towards retirement after many years’ hard work building up the business from scratch, therefore allowing us to keep it in the family.”