Young Professionals - Gold Edge Training

GET AHEAD WITH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Did you know?

If you are 14 years or older, you can blend professional career based education alongside your school studies.

YOU DESERVE EVERY STUDY CHOICE AVAILABLE – NOT JUST THOSE SELECTED FOR YOU

Young Professionals, gives parents and young adults control over the selection of study options leading to better career opportunities. You can study with Young Professionals from the age of 14 years upwards.

Why 14 years upwards? “If you can study GCSE’s and later A Levels, you definitely have the ability to successfully study adult professional education”

How do professional programmes compare to school and university qualifications:

Professional qualifications at Level 2 are equal to GCSE’s

Professional qualifications at Level 3 are equal to A Levels

Professional qualifications at level 4 are equal to the first year of a degree

Professional qualifications at level 5 are equal to the second year of a degree.

Professional qualifications at level 6 are equal to a Degree

Professional qualifications at level 7 & 8 are equal to a Masters Degree

You may be wondering if the above are comparable, what’s the difference or benefits?

THE BENEFITS ARE HUGE FOR EMPLOYABILITY

ARE THERE BENEFITS?

Young people with studies including professional qualifications, are seen to already have some of the skills employers are looking for. This is advantageous to employers because the candidate is employment ready. Plus, the available training budget for the candidate can then be spent on furthering their skills to a higher level. A young professional is very employable.

A young professional is very employable.

WHAT IS THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMME?

Young professionals is a unique programme offered by Gold Edge Training. It is affordable private sector education that works with and compliments existing public sector education. It is designed to be unpressured, professional learning that students can study alongside their school, home school, sixth form or university studies.

Students can enrol in groups or as individuals. Most student enrolments are privately paid although some schools and local authorities do sponsor some students.

WHEN CAN YOU ENROL?

You can enrol at any time throughout the year provided there are spaces available. Young Professional programmes are very popular and due to limited numbers do fill quickly.

At Gold Edge we are strong believers in structured, stress free learning. Each enrolment carries a flexible end date. Instead of saying all learners must start and end at the same point, we set achievable targets that work seamlessly within the existing studies of each individual student. We believe, all learners should be allowed to excel at the pace that is natural to them rather than standard timeframes.

TO GET AN EMPLOYMENT HEAD START, BECOME QUALIFICATION SAVY.
IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO BECOME A YOUNG LEADER IN THE JOBS MARKET

UNDERSTANDING PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Professional education are adult qualifications designed and written to ensure the learner is workplace ready as soon as they start work. There will be professional qualifications attached to all careers, but not all are able to be offered to Young Professionals due to awarding body age restrictions.

Professional education enables students to continuously achieve higher and higher qualifications as their future career grows. All skills learnt are skills that are used in specific workplace roles and collectively, the skills build into respected professions up to the very highest management levels.

For the above reason, on leaving school, sixth form or university and depending on the career path chosen, Young Professionals with a mix of professional subjects in their qualifications, stand a far better chance of gaining a career entry level position or apprenticeship.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN AAT

(Association of Accounting Technicians)

Foundation level 2 in Bookkeeping or Full Accounting.

Advanced Level 3 in Bookkeeping or Full Accounting

Professional level 4 in Full Accounting

We are currently taking advance enrolments for the new syllabus Young Professionals AAT programmes starting in January 2022.

HOW WILL I STUDY AAT YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Unique to Young Professionals is the allocation of a pastoral tutor who will take on a proactive role supporting the learner to set realistic and unpressured goals and timetables. The tutor will arrange regular, non-teaching reviews to see how studies are progressing and if necessary, help with further short term targets. The learners’ pastoral tutor will become an invaluable mentor as the learner moves forward towards future studies, employment and their career.

Your accountancy teacher support is available at anytime and as many times as is needed by email or phone. Whilst the programmes studied and the resources used are the same as the adult programmes, the teacher support given is different for young professionals. The teachers will ensure explanations are more detailed to include background business knowledge. Parents can also help in contributing to the development of business understanding.

In addition, each learner will be supplied with hardcopy study textbooks to support learning, exam kit books and pocket notes to support revision and workbooks that are a hard copy of the recorded lectures. All recorded lectures can be watched multiple times.

There is extensive information on our website regarding AAT. Including, videos that help the learners to identify their learning style. We recommend that Young Professionals study either Optimum 2 or Optimum 3 as these more closely replicate the classroom learning they are used to. Ultimately, their natural learning style should lead the decision as it will simplify their learning. On occasion, this will mean Optimum 1 is the more suitable choice.

The courses are a mix of online recorded lectures, interactive test your knowledge questions, manual learning from supplied books, support from specialist teachers who are qualified teachers and qualified accountants. Each programme includes a full revision programme as preparation for each exam including practice papers. A major benefit of online learning is, all test your understanding questions, progress tests and practice exams are real time marked for instant feedback.

HOW WILL I STUDY AAT YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONTINUED

Young Professionals is not a race to the finish, it is a head start that allows young adults to finish compulsory education with a type of qualification that is in high demand by employers. Most importantly, their professional studies mean they have more opportunities and the best start possible to their careers. Gaining a head start does not necessarily mean completing the full AAT programme to level 4 during compulsory education. If that was achieved, wow! Young Professional head start means literally what it says. To achieve the level 2 only whilst at school, sixth form or university puts a Young Professional one year ahead of their peers, if level 3 was added they’d gain two years. All gains are advantageous to the learner.

Young Professionals allow students to study professional education courses up to 3 years earlier than traditional public sector education offers. This means in theory a young professional is finishing or well on their way through their AAT studies as their peers are trying to begin. This is a clear indication of the huge head start gained with Young Professionals.

YOUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS – DON’T BE AFRAID TO STAND UP & SAY I WANT DIFFERENT

“Don’t assume career advice given at school or college/university open days are the full options available to you.

Career advisors do their best, but cannot know everything about all careers. They can only give you generic information usually relating to public sector education only. In adult education this means the information you are given is very limited.

Likewise, don’t rely solely on careers advice platforms that are government funded i.e. university based websites, .Gov websites or college based websites. Again the advice, whilst really worth reading, is limited to choices in government funded education and incentives.

Also try not to assume government education initiatives and incentives including learner loans are cheaper options, they are often full cost and far more expensive than other non funded private sector options.”

Christine Baxter CEO Gold Edge Training

HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU’VE MADE THE BEST CHOICE:

COMPLETE YOUR OWN RESEARCH, IT’S EASY AND IT’S A FOCUS ON YOU

Start your research at the end and work backwards to the beginning.
Go directly to employers who offer jobs in your chosen career path. Speak to several in different size companies so you get an overall picture because the advice may vary depending on the size of the company.
Have your questions ready so you don’t waste their time and you’ll find most will be only too glad to give you the answers or transfer you to someone who can help. They will be impressed by you showing your initiative.
The advice they give you will be unbiased and true. They are the direct experts for your chosen career path and the advice they give will be the best.
Make sure you ask what qualification they prefer applicants to have for entry level positions. You do not need to mention that are a school leaver. You are going after the same entry positions as people older than you, the requirements are going to be the same.
Ask what qualifications they prefer when looking to fill a trainee or apprenticeship post. They will usually list professional qualifications for trainee posts, but check for preferences.
Ask, how many trainee posts they offer when entry level vacancies occur as opposed to apprenticeships? You will usually find the majority of entry level positions in small to medium sized companies (the majority of companies) will be offered as trainee posts and not apprenticeships. It is usually large companies who have to contribute to the apprenticeship levy who take most apprentices.
Tell the employer you are researching in preparation to apply for a trainee position in your chosen career. Ask them what they look for in a candidate and what makes a trainee candidate stand out?

The above 8 questions will be the best advice you will ever get. All you have to do then is plan your studies based on the answers

DON’T BE ONE OF A NUMBER – EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THE ONE WHO STANDS OUT FROM THE NUMBER

DON’T BE ONE OF A NUMBER – EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THE ONE WHO STANDS OUT FROM THE NUMBER

For some professions like medicine, teaching and law etc. university is the correct and often only pathway after A levels. Be aware though, for a high proportion of other careers this is not the case. Taking accountancy as an example, is a degree in accountancy the best route?

From our 22 years experience in accountancy education and as an employer of accountants, degrees are not first choice for employers. They primarily prefer students qualified or part qualified (as little as one AAT exam) in one of the professional qualifications either: AAT CIMA ACCA ACA CIPFA etc.

The majority of employers now insist that their accountancy trainees study AAT in full and become AAT Accountants, before going on to study any other accountancy qualifications. This includes students who have previously studied an accountancy degree. They are often expected to study AAT level 3 and or 4.

WHY?

Professional qualification are practical application workplace skills. Degrees have an emphasis on theoretical analysis of why a process is done rather than how it is done. An employer wants the ‘how’ and not the ‘why’. An accountancy degree is good, but it is an indirect route to chartered accountancy.

Looking logically and cost effectively, degrees take 3 years to complete and often result in a student debt of £30k or more and for what? To not lead in the employment market. Instead, there are other preferred qualifications that can begin at the age of 14 years through Young Professionals. Equally as important, from the age of 18 years, it is probable that the Young Professional will be in a trainee accounting position where their study is being paid for either by their employer or an apprenticeship.

BE EMPLOYMENT READY – THE RIGHT QUALIFICATIONS WILL OPEN THE MOST DOORS

Read all advice, but remember. Website careers advice and open days are likely to be biased towards their own offers so take the most notice of your own research. Go direct to employers and find out what they are looking for. You cannot get too much direct advice.

Don’t just collect the advice. Make a plan and act on it. The first step to achieving that initial job is to make sure you can provide what employers prefer in the form of qualifications.

Nothing impresses an employer more than a demonstration of determination to enter the accountancy or another profession. Taking the initiative to study the first level before employment shows the strongest determination. All employers are money and time conscious. If they can save money and have a new employee instantly work ready, they are going to choose that person over all others.

READY TO GET STARTED?

Visit our AAT section of the website by clicking on the following link https://goldedgetraining.co.uk/courses/aat courses/

Alternatively give us a call & speak to a Young Professional specialist or accountancy teacher 02394 35 0533.

Also read our frequently asked questions below.

OTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMES LAUNCHING IN JANUARY 2022

Awarding Body – Institute of leadership and Management – Young Leaders level 2 programme

Awarding Body – TQUK – Customer Service level 2 and Level 3

Awarding Body – TQUK – Retail level 2

Awarding Body – TQUK – Business Administration level 2

ADVANCED ENROLMENTS FOR THESE NEW PROGRAMMES WILL OPEN IN NOVEMBER 2021

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: Do all young people have to study an apprenticeship?

Answer: No. Most entry level positions that are professions and not trades, will be trainee permanent posts rather than apprenticeships. A high proportion of employers prefer to offer trainee positions and not apprenticeships.

Question: Are apprenticeship better than trainee posts?

Answer: No. The outcome and benefits are exactly the same. There are advantages to gaining a trainee post rather than an apprenticeship. There are so many more available and a trainee post starts on a marginally higher hourly rate. The trainee job is more likely to be long term and permanent. By the age of 18 the minimum hourly rate for a trainee post is significantly higher than for an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are often just for 1 year or 2 years i.e. level 2 and or 3.

Question: Do trainee posts include study?

Answer: It isn’t guaranteed, but most likely it will be included depending on the career chosen. For instance, if you are looking to enter accountancy, it is unlikely that study wouldn’t be included. It is even more probable if you enter the role part qualified. Even if study isn’t initially included, take the job offer. Experience is equally as important. Prove yourself to be an invaluable employee and discuss study again later.

Question: Do I have to complete the full AAT qualification before leaving school?

Answer: No it is up to you how many or how far your professional studies are taken during school, sixth form and university years. A level 2 in AAT Bookkeeping demonstrates career intent and proof of determination. Remember, Young Professionals is about getting a head start through stress free learning. From an employers perspective, a work ready new employee with a level 2 qualification has already saved the employer a year of training time and costs. The employee is also immediately income generating all of which is significant to employers.

WE ARE SURE YOU HAVE MANY MORE QUESTIONS WHY NOT RING US ON 02394 35 0533 OR MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME IN AND SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR SPECIALISTS.