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Accounting Technicial Job Title
You're either an accountant or you're not in my opinion. I am AAT qualified (since 2004), and I am an accountant. I provide accounts and tax advice, and produce CT600s, do the Companies House work, vat returns book keeping etc. Have a practising certificiate. You either know your stuff or you don't.
Can I ask why you feel its important to use accounting 'Technician?' Clients that I have past experience with, look for an accountant when they want their work done. Accounting Technician might make them wonder if you are something other than an accountant don't you think?
The difficulty with the word "accountant" is that anyone can be one, with or without relevant experience or qualifications.
Only members of the AAT can call themselves Accounting Technicians, just as only members of the ICAEW or ICAS can call themselves Chartered Accountants.
Therefore an Accountant who is also an AAT has a stronger brand than a mere Accountant.
Everyone has to take the career path, and choose the professional designation, that suits them best.
Mmm...
Only members of the AAT can call themselves Accounting Technicians
Why? There is absolutely no restriction on the term accounting technician.
, just as only members of the ICAEW or ICAS can call themselves Chartered Accountants.
Except for members of CIPFA, CIMA and ACCA who all hold royal charters and can describe themselves as chartered accountants. Oh, and before I forget, there's the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and I think there's one in Canada not to mention several in the far east.
If the use of Accounting Technician is not restricted to members of the AAT I stand corrected. However I have always understood Accounting Technician and member of the AAT to be one and the same.
Re use of Chartered Accountants I was only referring to this country not the whole planet. Otherwise I stand by what I said. Members of CIPFA, CIMA and ACCA cannot describe themselves as chartered accountants without qualification. They are Chartered Public Finance Accountants, Chartered Management Accountants or Chartered Certified Accountants. Only members of the ICAEW and ICAS can call themselves chartered accountants pure and simple.
Why?
Re use of Chartered Accountants I was only referring to this country not the whole planet. Otherwise I stand by what I said. Members of CIPFA, CIMA and ACCA cannot describe themselves as chartered accountants without qualification. They are Chartered Public Finance Accountants, Chartered Management Accountants or Chartered Certified Accountants. Only members of the ICAEW and ICAS can call themselves chartered accountants pure and simple.Why? Is there a statutory restriction on the term? I agree that it is common to assume that a 'chartered accountant' is ICAEW or ICAS qualified but there is nothing in law to restrict the use of the term. The designatory letters, ACA, CA, FCA are protected but not the title.
Office for National Statistics
According to office for National statistics, there are no formal academic requirements for Accounting Technician...
Any member of the CCAB can call themselves chartered. The 5 members are ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS and CAI. CIMA are obviously no longer a member.
Not quite
It is the grant of a royal charter that defines the term not membership of CCAB. CIMA have not relinquished their charter so they are still chartered accountants.Any member of the CCAB can call themselves chartered. The 5 members are ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS and CAI. CIMA are obviously no longer a member.
Wikipedia says this:
In the UK there are no licence requirements for individuals to describe themselves or to practise as accountants, but to use the description "Chartered Accountant" they must be members of one of the following organisations:
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) (designatory letters ACA or FCA);the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) (designatory letters CA); orChartered Accountants Ireland (CAI, which is an Irish rather than a UK body but covers Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland), designatory letters ACA or FCA).
(Although other UK accounting bodies were also formed by Royal Charter, they grant separate designations to their members.)
Wikipedia therefore agrees with me.
Wikipedia can be edited though....
How do we know you haven't edited it before copying and pasting?????
@ John Grogan - Wiki seems to contradict itself then ...
Most Royal Charters are now granted to professional institutions such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists, and to charities such as the Royal Photographic Society. For example, the six accountancy institutes which make up the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies each have a Royal Charter which allows their members to style themselves Chartered Accountants. A Charter is not necessary for them to operate, but one is often sought as recognition of "pre-eminence, stability and permanence".