Accounting technician
Make sure a business pays its taxes and bills and that the employees get their wages on time.
About the job
What it's like
You would make sure a business pays its taxes and bills and that its employees get their wages on time.
You'd deal with accounting and finance in all types of businesses.
In larger companies you would work as part of an accounts team. In a smaller firm you might be responsible for dealing with all the wages and invoices.
You would:
Process and pay invoices
Record receipts and payments
Prepare and check ledger balances and other monthly and yearly accounts
Complete and submit tax returns, VAT returns and National Insurance contributions
Handle company expenses
With experience, you might take on supervisor responsibilities and do more complex tasks. You would:
Prepare financial reports
Make financial plans
Control budgets and spending
Help qualified accountants with accounts inspections (audits)
Hours
In a full-time job you would usually work standard office hours, Monday to Friday. Part-time hours and temporary work are often available.
Environment
You would mainly be based at an office.
Travel
If you help accountants with audits, you may travel to visit clients' businesses.
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Financial and professional services
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- accounting
- finance
- information systems
- government finance
- public finance
- financial statements
- bookkeeping
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- analysing
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- observation
- working with numbers
- problem solving
- working with technology
- verbal communication
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Accounting
Business
Economics
Maths (Mathematics)
Skills for Work: Financial Services
Statistics
Foundation Apprenticeship: Accountancy
Applications of Mathematics
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no set entry requirements, however you could enter through studying an accountancy course at college or through gaining a relevant work-based qualification such as a Modern Apprenticeship in Accounting (SVQ level 2/3).
Qualifications that show your employability skills and/or offer relevant work experience such as Skills for Work Financial Services (SCQF Level 5).
Once qualified you may find it helpful to become a member of AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians).
Once in work you will need to pass accounting technician exams through the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Scheme.
If you are completing a Modern Apprenticeship in Accounting (SVQ Level 2 /3) this is incorporated within the qualification. If you enter this job with a relevant college course you may be exempt from some parts of the exams.
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