Most of our trainees study to obtain the ACA or ACCA qualification, while others follow more tax or business solutions focused pathways.
Expand the sections below to read more about what each qualification will involve.
ACA
An ACA is an Associate Chartered Accountant; the qualification is gained through the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) . It is a widely-respected qualification which will offer you a rewarding, diverse career that is full of opportunity.
To qualify as an ACA, you must complete a training contract which will last 3 years, pass the Institute’s examinations and carry out work experience. This broad-based qualification provides you with excellent grounding in accounting, financial reporting, auditing and business management.
The ACA qualification at UHY Hacker Young is audit focused, you learn a lot about International Accounting Standards and you will often be out at clients’ offices, checking that their accounts comply with these standards. In most of our offices, the training is part of an apprenticeship, resulting in you achieving not one, but two qualifications at the end of your studies. The apprenticeship requires no extra examinations and focuses on your on the job experiences at UHY Hacker Young.
It is a challenging qualification which demands a lot of hard work, commitment and determination. However, once qualified, your ACA will be recognised as a sign of quality, commercial acumen and professionalism and will offer you a huge opportunity for success.
ACCA
ACCA stands for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. ACCA is a widely respected qualification which offers hard working students with determination and ambition the chance of a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
In order to qualify as an ACCA member, you will complete a 13 of exams as well as a professional ethics module and also undertake relevant practical experience for 3 years.
ACCA at UHY Hacker Young focuses on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the UK (UK GAAP) and the course tends to be a mixture of accounting and audit based modules. It is a broad–based qualification and aside from the mainstay of its accounts and audit, it will also provide you with excellent grounding in professional and company law, business management, communication and professional ethics.
AAT
If you are considering a career as a business leader in accountancy and audit but do not want university education, the AAT offers the opportunity to gain a professional qualification and earn a salary at the same time as gaining relevant work experience for your CV.
The AAT non-graduate programme at UHY Hacker Young can last between 18 to 30 months, depending whether you join the scheme at level 2 or level 3. At the end of the scheme you will be Level 4 AAT qualified. Upon successful completion you will then have the opportunity to complete the ICAEW or ACCA professional qualification and work towards your chartered status. This ultimately means you can be professionally chartered within five years of study.
In some of our offices, our AAT programme runs as part of an apprenticeship allowing you to work towards two qualifications at once. Where the AAT qualification will focus on your technical knowledge, your apprenticeship will focus on your on-the-job training. It requires no extra exams.
Under our AAT Accounting qualification programme, you will be given early responsibility from day one and can expect exposure to clients incorporating a wide diversity of work and various challenges that will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as an accountant.
ATT-CTA pathway
If you are considering a career in tax, we can offer you the opportunity to gain relevant practical experience where you can apply and develop your knowledge and become a tax advisor. You will benefit from both on-the-job training and classroom based study, as well as learning from the established accountants all around you.
This programme lasts approximately three years during which you will work towards your ATT and CTA qualifications. The pathway combines some modules of the qualifications and allows your to complete both at a quicker pace. You start with your ATT modules for roughly the first 18 months, following which you will be able to start the CTA modules. We also welcome students part way through their journey and you can join the pathway at any point.
You will have the opportunity to build client relationships through knowledge and experience and there will be a wide diversity of work and various challenges that will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a tax advisor.