The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) offers a certified accounting technician (CAT) designation that is recognized worldwide. It covers a variety of topics in finance and accounting with the goal of preparing candidates for entry-level and management positions in the finance and accounting fields. As of July 2011, earning the designation required passing nine exams covering basic accounting and finance topics. Before you can become a certified accounting technician, you must meet an experience requirement, pass an ethics module, and have at least one year of experience working in the accounting field.
If you are serious about becoming a certified accounting technician, you should enroll in a technical school or college that specializes in the CAT credential. Learning modules that correspond to each of the required exams are typically included in these programs. Many programs also include introductory and intermediate accounting certificates, as well as a business diploma. In addition to the required accounting and finance classes, each program requires a professional ethics class as part of the requirements for certification as an accounting technician. The program requires seven mandatory courses in the first half, but the second half allows you to choose from two of three advanced courses.
You can take the exams after you’ve completed the required courses. You can now take both computer-based and traditional paper-based exams as of July 2011. Although the computer-based version of the exam is usually available at licensed testing centers throughout the year, paper-based exams are only available during specific times of the year. Financial reporting, information management, financial records, cost and financial management, accounting for businesses, management accounting, and financial accounting are covered in the first seven exams. You will take taxation, financial management, or auditing courses, depending on which of the last two exams you choose.
To become a certified accounting technician, you must have one year of supervised experience in an accounting-related job. This experience can be gained before, during, or after you take your classes and pass your required exams. You will receive the certified accounting technician credential after completing your professional ethics course, passing all nine required exams, and gaining one year of experience. It is also common to obtain more advanced credentials in finance and accounting after becoming a CAT, such as the chartered certified accountant credential.