Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) regularly review and amend their syllabus of training courses to remain updated with the industry and employer’s demands. AAT will implement the reviewed and renewed syllabus in February 2022, where AAT seeks to introduce recent bookkeeping versions and accountancy qualifications.
The new AAT syllabus 2022 accounting qualifications AQ2022 has done great work to retain the strong technical foundation that markets and employers value while introducing courses offering more business awareness and marketing-focused techniques. The updated system ensures that trainees are ready to take effective responsibilities in dynamic and complex business settings.
In new changes, AQ2016 Accounting Qualification will modify AQ2022 as major course titles for AAT qualification. These updates occur every three to five years to ensure that employment demands are met. The below article lists the important changes in the current version and the transition to AQ2022.
Key Takeaways
Introduction
The AAT has announced a new syllabus effective from September 1, 2022, to align with the rapidly evolving accounting industry, providing students with the skills and knowledge necessary for future success.
Key Changes in the Syllabus
The new syllabus includes several key changes, including the following:
Introduction of new assessments-The AAT has integrated new assessments into the updated syllabus to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge required to thrive in the accounting industry.
- Increased focus on technology - The updated syllabus places a greater emphasis on the use of technology in accounting practices, including cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
- Addition of new topics - The new syllabus includes several new topics, such as ethical considerations, sustainability, and social responsibility, to align with the evolving needs of the industry.
Benefits of the New Syllabus
The updated syllabus provides several benefits for students, including the following:
- Enhanced employability - The new syllabus equips students with the skills and knowledge that are in high demand in the accounting industry, increasing their employability.
- Relevance to the industry - The updated syllabus is designed to meet the current and future demands of the industry, thus equipping students with the necessary skills to achieve success.
- Access to the latest tools and techniques - The new syllabus focuses on the use of technology, providing students with access to the latest tools and techniques used in the industry.
Conclusion
The updated AAT syllabus prepares students for the evolving accounting industry through new topics, technology focus, assessments, and increased employability.
The Changes In The AAT Syllabus 2022
AQ2016
AQ2016 involves present foundation and advanced level qualification of Bookkeeping, and all AAT levels including Foundation Certificate, Advanced Diploma Qualification, and Professional Diploma qualification.
AQ20222
It refers to the updated edition of AAT syllabus 2022, a new version of bookkeeping and accounting qualification, which will come into practice in 2022.
Removal of repetitive changes
AAT syllabus 2022 has removed the repetitive syllabus from the previous content. Now each AAT level has fewer assessments than the last version of the syllabus. AAT Syllabus 2022 will help the current student to develop clear knowledge in account career and enhance their knowledge during course development. However, this will have a negative impact on students' speedy knowledge, as they will not be able to acquire the basic skills and competencies omitted in the new AAT syllabus.
Remain aware of the changes to meet the present requirement of accounting tasks
The removed content may hinder the progress of fast-track students who will fail to acquire the required skills. Therefore, the new syllabus must be examined carefully after considering previous students’ records and their experience of the topics. Experts must ascertain that these students do not suffer from the changes and become qualified enough to progress to the next level or job.
Remote classes exacerbate the issue of the decreased course content of AAT qualification due to COVID-19 restrictions. Discontinuous education will give them less experience to participate in examinations and less availability of part-time jobs and poor interpersonal and communication skills due to face-to-face interaction
Consequently, students with no accountancy background will find it difficult to complete their AAT courses quickly. The students must be encouraged to start at AAT level 2 and gain more attention and support from tutors.
Some Papers Are Added And Removed From The AAT syllabus 2022
AQ2022 has added and removed some lessons from the list. The removed papers are as follows
- Level 2 of using accounting software
- Level 3 and Level 4 synoptic assessment
The included papers in the syllabus are as follows.
- Level 2- The business environment
- Level 3- Business Awareness
Combined papers in the new version are as follows.
- Advanced Bookkeeping in level 3 and Final Account Preparation are integrated into Final Accounting.
- In level 4, Budgeting and Decision and Control are integrated into Advanced Management Accounting.
When the update will be implemented
The AAT has delayed the 2021 launch of the qualification which was originally planned to come into effect in September 2021. As such, the AAT will now introduce the Accounting Qualification 2022 (AQ2022) next year, and the final exam to assess AQ2016 will be extended to June 2023. The decision is based on feedback from trainers to allow students more time to develop under the previous AAT syllabus and plan for the new AAT version.
Update in the names of the courses in AQ2016
The new version of the AAT syllabus AQ2022 has changed the names of short courses and AAT qualifications. The details of the previous version and the updated version are given below.
- Foundation Award in Accounting Software is withdrawn in a new version with no replacement
- Foundation Certificate in Bookkeeping is updated to Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping
- Foundation Certificate in Accounting is updated to Level 2 Certificate in Accounting
- Foundation Diploma in Accounting and Business is withdrawn with no replacement
- Advanced Certificate in Bookkeeping is updated to Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping
- Advanced Certificate in Accounting is updated to Level 3 Certificate in Accounting
- Professional Diploma in Accounting is updated to Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting
Has Future Connect Adopted A New Version Of The AAT Syllabus 2022?
We always try to stay ahead of time and has introduced the AAT qualification AQ2022 and syllabus changes. We seek to acquire the new changes in the software and syllabus and include them in our training to offer students the most current and updated knowledge of accountancy and finance.
Conclusion
As per its tradition, AAT is modifying the AQ2016 version of the AAT syllabus 2022 to add new courses and remove the redundancy from the new AQ2022 version.
FAQs
Q.1. Is my AAT training in the previous version expired?
The updated version does render the previous qualifications and degrees useless; neither have they expired. You can use them to apply for jobs based on your experience in learning in the field. However, updating yourself with new training will help you stand out to your employers and show your current knowledge and skills.
Q.2. Can I give AAT exams on AQ2016, or should I restart my training?
AAT has extended the exam date of AQ2016 exams to 30 June 2023 to facilitate students to give exams on what they studied.
Q.3. Will AQ2022 be difficult for me as a fresher in accounting training?
The disjointed learning and small classes due to COVID-19 restrictions and the removed syllabus from the course will make it difficult for fresh students in accounting. However, AAT is working to improve the syllabus to meet the needs of students.
Q.4. What are the new assessments included in the updated syllabus?
The AAT has integrated new assessments into the updated syllabus to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in the accounting industry.
Q.5. How does the updated syllabus focus on technology?
The updated syllabus emphasizes the use of technology in accounting practices, including cloud computing and artificial intelligence.