I'm just looking for a bit of advice, I'm currently studying an ICB level 2 qualification in booking keeping with Sage 50 professional training, I should be finished shortly and planned to progress onto level 3 and 4. I hope to change my career and become a book keeper working from home once qualified.
I'm just a bit concerned as I've read on different forums that ICB isn't really recognised by employers and I feel i will need to be employed as a book keeper before attempting to start my own business.
Really I would like some opinions on my next move, continue with the higher ICB qualifications or switch to another path. I am in the fortunate position that I could start again on a level 2 AAT if needed but obviously having paid a lot of money and spent a lot of time I'd rather not if I can avoid it.
sorry to say that what you have read is correct. ICB is not recognised either under the National Qualification Framework (NQF) or by many employers. The acid test for any qualification is to simply put it into a search on the Reed website and see what comes back.
Hang on a sec...
ok, here we go
ICB - 8 jobs
IAB - 10 jobs
AAT - 3096 jobs
sort of speaks for itself!
Now the good news. What you've done so far has been an excellent start. Don't consider any learning a mistake. It will probably be enough to get you through the AAT skills check which would allow you to start at AAT level III which will at least save you a few bob.
AAT now have a new bookkeeping practice certificate as well as the full MAAT MIP so you could get to offering limited bookkeeping services just as fast as under ICB but with a qualification that is recognised by accountants and other employers so to go self employed with an unrecognised qualification does put you at something of a disadvantage.
Don't underestimate the need for your qualification to be recognised by accountants as they are a good source of income but will only subcontract to people who they either know the work of or have qualifications that they recognise (many chartered and chartered certified started out as AAT).
Good luck with your studies and don't be a stranger on here as you progress to an MAAT MIP,
kindest regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I'm an ICB member but did it the other way around - AAT then joined ICB under exemption so I could practice. If you want to be employed first then, definitely, AAT will be more of an advantage - but still not a guarantee. There are ICB practices who will take on student members - it's worth attending regional meetings if you can get to them to do a bit of networking. I have a part-time employed role now but it's taken me over a year to find a job and I got this one by being in the right place at the right time, just lucky really.
ICB gets a bit of a bashing on here (I've had my own problems with them too) but I know quite a few ICB bookkeepers who have successful businesses - it is possible.
If you decide AAT, after level 2 ICB I would imagine you will have the skills to start AAT at level 3.
Hi,
I done ICB level 1 ,2 and payroll a few years ago. I did think at the time about going with AAT but left it as ICB were telling members that they were working hard to have their qualifications recognised the same as AAT. after waiting about two years and realising that if it ever does happen it's not going to be anytime soon I decided to study AAT.
I could have stated at level 3 but decided to start at level 2 and I am pleased that I did as I found it more in depth than ICB and personally feel as though I have gained more knowledge by starting at level 2 .
While the ICB is good you can see after studying both why the AAT is more recognised than ICB as it is more in depth. I would recommend doing the AAT as it will open more doors .
I would like to point out that I am not taking anything away from ICB qualifications as they are good and suit some people for what they want to do and as Joanne points out there are a lot of people with successful practices who are ICB qualified but really think that ICB needs to do more to get the qualifications more widely recognised .
On the taking time to find your way around professional bodies sites Johnny it's gthe same its the same with the ACCA's site.
I've been on it for over 16 years and I still keep discovering new stuff on there!
Just one of those sites where you have no hope of being able to navigate everywhere and you just need to accidentally ask the right question in the search facility for all sorts of wonderous stuff to reveal itself...
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
as Joanne points out there are a lot of people with successful practices who are ICB qualified Stephen
That's twice recently my name has been mixed up with someone else's.
Wasnt me who said that, it was Christine. But I can echo that. The are good ICB people and we have a fair few of them on here. Unfortunately there are some not so good, but just as there are bad peeps from other bodies. Ethics, good well rounded people with a thirst for more knowledge make good practitioners.
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
I too am doing ICB and when i asked AAT direct if my qualifications could be brought over to AAT i was told they couldn't, nor could my CIMA qualifications, and I would have to start at the bottom of the AAT exam ladder............Are you able to clarify this for me please?
You cant get exemptions from particular exams with the ICB exams, but you can start at any level of the AAT as long as your training provider agrees that it is the right level for you. If someone has a good grasp of double entry I am happy for them to start AAT at level 3, if they have done ICB level 2.
That wouldn't get them an exemption from AAT level 2, so they get a certificate, but they wouldnt need to do AAT level 2.
I hope that clarifies
Nick
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Nick
Nick Craggs FMAAT ACA AAT Distance Learning Manager
As Nick says, regardless of what is on the list if you can find a training provider to take you on at a higher level (say level III) either via the AAT skillscheck test or by proving your competence at the lower level stuff to the training provider then regardless of the expemptions document it should still be possible to skip level II.
HTH,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
As I understand it if you are ICB Level 2 you will be provided with exemption on the first two units of AAT Level 2.
After this the AAT training provider can use something called RPL (recognised prior learning) where once verified the training provider can give lessons on cores not covered in previous qualifications, if that makes sense. Meaning the student will not be required to complete all of the AAT level, just certain units?
I wont get drawn into the ICB AAT debate, what is right for one person may not be right for another, it is depends on what the student is looking to do?
Aaah, go on Dave, I dare you, I double dare you. Lol.
Welcome back matey.
You may have picked a bad month for it though as it seems that just about all of the usual suspects (myself included) are absolutely inundated.
chat later,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
