A new ‘Trainee Accountant’ degree, the first and only one of its kind in the UK, has been officially validated by Newcastle Business School, in conjunction with partners Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).
The ‘P&G Trainee Accountant Undergraduate Scheme’ is an innovative five year programme which combines practical work and study based learning, giving students leaving college at 18, a unique and alternative route to becoming a qualified accountant whilst also gaining a degree.
Over the first three years of the scheme, students gain practical experience working at P&G whilst simultaneously completing their AAT qualification and undertaking personal development at Newcastle Business School. At the end of year three, assuming successful completion, students are then enrolled on the BA (Hons) in Accounting and Control.
Bob Woodward, Associate Dean at Newcastle Business School, helped pioneer the scheme. He said; “Traditional routes into accountancy are lengthy, with graduates who’ve already spent three or four years at university beginning their careers as trainee chartered accountants with a further three year’s study still ahead of them.
Staff from Proctor and Gamble and Newcastle Business School who helped set up the innovative five year programme.
“The new programme we've devised in partnership with P&G and AAT provides a direct route for those looking to embark on a career in accountancy. At the end of five years, students will have all necessary professional qualifications and plenty of hands on work experience from one of the world’s biggest FMCG companies recognised as a world class financial accounting organisation. We’re delighted to be part of this innovative development and look forward to further developing our corporate partnership with P&G across a range of activitiies.”
Karen Liddle of P&G said: “Our Newcastle Finance Centre plays an important role within the global Procter & Gamble organisation in delivering world class accounting services and it’s crucial that we can recruit the right people into these demanding and fulfilling roles. Our new partnership with Newcastle Business School and AAT enables us to attract those dedicated to a career in accountancy who we will nurture to become experienced, fully qualified accountants in just five years.”
The AAT’s accounting qualification is widely regarded as the established professional qualification standard for accounting technicians in the UK with over 6000 people qualifying every year with an NVQ or diploma. The final technician stage is an NVQ Level 4 - the approximate equivalent of the second year of an honours degree.
Jane Scott Paul, Chief Executive of the AAT commented:
“Whilst the AAT qualification equips students with the fundamentals of accounting, this new programme gives those entering the profession the opportunity to develop a firm understanding of the theoretical concepts of accounting to supplement their practical skills. This new approach provides an employer-based career progression route incorporating well-recognised professional and degree qualifications enabling students to advance quickly in their careers and move straight into graduate positions. It offers an innovative way for the accounting sector to address skill shortages and I would encourage more employers to look into similar schemes.”
Professor Paul Croney, Dean of Newcastle Business School added: “Partnerships like this have helped position us as one of the UK's most successful and relevant business schools. We have specific expertise of developing programme for corporate clients and have strong business links with organisations across the globe.”
Date posted: 5.12.2007