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Finance & accounting

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Accounting technician Green Job

Accounting technicians handle day-to-day money and finance tasks for all types of business.

Annual Salary

£17,000 to £34,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 39 a week

You could work: between 8am and 6pm;

Day to day tasks

On a typical day you could:

  • process and pay invoices
  • record receipts and payments
  • prepare and check ledger balances and other monthly accounts
  • complete and submit tax returns, VAT returns and National Insurance contributions
  • handle company expenses
  • update computer accounting systems

Working environment

You may need to wear smart business clothes.

You could work in an office, remotely or visit sites.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly
College

There is no set entry routes to become an accounting technician.

It may be useful to do a qualification like:

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • guide to T Levels|https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships relevant to this role include:

  • accounts or finance assistant intermediate apprenticeship
  • assistant accountant advanced apprenticeship
  • professional accounting or taxation technician higher apprenticeship

Entry requirements

There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Work

You could start as an accounts clerk or bookkeeper while you study to become an accounting technician.

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have information on accounting courses.

Direct application

You can apply directly to employers if you have some of the relevant skills and knowledge needed for this role.

Employers are likely to look for up to 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. A level business studies, maths, economics or equivalent qualifications could also be useful.

Previous experience of office work or working in an accounts or finance department would be helpful. Experience of using accounting software or spreadsheets could also give you an advantage when looking for work.

More information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in accountancy from the:Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; Association of Accounting Technicians

There is not enough data for this job to find employment statistics

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With experience, you could:become a manager; become self-employed; work on accounts for small businesses; study to become a qualified accountant

AAT and ACCA qualifications are recognised across the world, so you could also work in different countries.

You can find out more about careers in accountancy from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

How does this job help to address the impacts of climate change and protect wildlife and nature in the West of England?

Accounting Technicians are needed to work in green finance in the West of England region, including in renewable energy and energy efficiency, pollution prevention and control, biodiversity conservation, circular economy initiatives and the sustainable use of natural resources and land.

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at local schools or colleges

  • Business Studies, Maths, Economics A-levels
  • Accounting Foundation Certificate at City of Bristol College
  • T Level Accounting at Weston College

Click here to find a local provider

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Level 2 Accounts Assistant

Click here to search for a local apprenticeship

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at local higher education providers

Click here to search for other university courses

For more information on the different routes you can take to get into working in green finance, take a look at the 'Routes into this job' section above. 

Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.

Local employers 

  • Arup (click here for a useful explanation of Green Finance)
  • WSP
  • Triodos Bank

For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.

Video stories related to this job

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • administration skills
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • maths knowledge
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
My top 5 skills
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