Skip to content

LEVEL 2 ACCOUNTS/FINANCE ASSISTANT

Duration: 15 months + EPA

This apprenticeship requires you to attend 1 day a week at our Chesterfield/Derby campus.

Quick find:
Apply now for an apprenticeship
Apply for a part-time course
Hire an apprentice
Previous slide Next slide

Award-winning AAT training now available in Derby

Level 2 Accountancy Apprenticeship training now on offer with one-day-a-week day release over 12 months.

With well above national average apprenticeship pass rates of over 92%, our teaching has recently earned us the accolades of:

  • Apprenticeship and Training Awards: Specialist Training provider of the Year 2025
  • AAT Training Provider Awards: AAT Tutor of the Year 2025 & Shortlisted AAT Training Provider of the Year 2025
  • PQ Magazine Awards: Accountancy Lecturer of the Year 2025 & Shortlisted Accountancy College of the Year – Public Sector 2025
  • AAT Training Provider Awards: Medium Provider of the Year 2026

“The AAT Tutors have taught me in a way I actually understand. I couldn’t recommend them enough” – Maria Seal

“Staff are always happy to go the extra mile to help you understand something that you are struggling with” –  Louis Potter

AAT Award Winners 2025 AAT Award Winners 2026
Entry requirements

Candidates will typically hold GCSE grades C/4 or above in English and Maths.

You will need to sit the exams for Functional Skills L2 prior to your End Point Assessment (EPA) in Maths and English if you do not have an exemption or equivalent grade.

How you'll be assessed

You’ll have 4 exams throughout the year, you must pass these to continue the course. You will then sit your End Point Assessment.

• In-tray test
• Professional review on portfolio of evidence

Progression

Throughout the apprenticeship, the apprentice is supported by their work-based tutor, employer mentor and class-based tutor to ensure that they are progressing at the right pace and developing the skills and knowledge expected.

This apprenticeship requires you to attend 1 day a week at our Chesterfield/Derby campus.

An accounts/finance assistant is an integral part of the team responsible for maintaining an efficient and accurate finance function within a business. They are responsible for assisting the team of accountants with junior accounting duties. These can vary massively depending on the team structure and size of business. An accounts/finance assistant’s work could include basic bookkeeping activities, working with sales and purchase ledgers, running calculations to ensure that records and payments are correct, recording of cash and data entry.

Workplace behaviours development

 

  • Supports colleagues and collaborates to achieve results.
  • Builds working relationships within own team and other parts of the organisation.
  • Builds and maintains customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organisation in line with company policy, regulation and practice.
  • Delivers excellent service, identifying and meeting or exceeding customer expectations.

Skills and knowledge development

 

  • Aware of the impact of technology on business and its accounting and finance functions.
  • Understand transactional processes of accounting and their use within a finance function.
  • Understand what makes a business or organisation successful, through either buying or selling products or supplying services to a market.
  • Aware of basic accountancy concepts and double entry bookkeeping.
  • Understand the importance of the need to keep up-to-date with relevant policies, procedures, and regulatory or system changes.

An accounts/finance assistant can work in almost any sector. Potential employers include corporate businesses, sole traders, partnerships, public sector, not-for profit organisations and educational institutions. They may work in-house for an organisation or they might work for an accountancy firm, bookkeeping practice, shared service provider, self-employed or on behalf of several different clients. This standard is suitable for school leavers or those wishing to progress into accounts and finance.

Off-the-job training

Every apprenticeship includes off-the-job training – equivalent to one day per week. This takes place during time normally spent at work but does not include the usual daily duties and responsibilities carried out as part of their normal role. It can consist of work and tasks ranging from projects, lectures and seminars to day release, blended learning and training to use specialist equipment.

It can form part of regular weekly sessions or be combined for larger blocks of time, depending on the approach that works best for the employer.

Qualifications gained

On completion, the apprentice will be able to apply for the appropriate level of professional membership aligned with this apprenticeship, dependent on the qualification chosen. Professional body memberships that are relevant to the options for this apprenticeship are:

 

  • IAB – Associate level membership or ICB – Associate level membership.

Career progression routes

On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you could progress onto further qualifications or study such as:

• Level 3 Assistant Accountant

You could also progress into employment in the following job roles:

• Accounts Assistant
• Assistant Bookkeeper
• Accounts Administrator
• Junior Finance Assistant

Register your interest in applying for an apprenticeship

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Max. file size: 5 MB.

*Indicates a required field

Chesterfield College Open Day

Thinking about studying at college? Come along to one of our Open Evenings to learn more about the many courses and apprenticeships we have to offer.

Event information