Launch of new payroll qualification

Launch of new payroll qualification

Keywords Accounting, National Vocational Qualifications, Pay

Staff working in payroll and their employers stand to benefit from a new qualification launched by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). Aimed at people already working, or wishing to pursue a career within payroll, the NVQ/SVQ in Payroll Administration enables them to gain a specialist qualification that develops, recognises and guarantees competence in the workplace.

Launching the qualification, AAT President Margaret Rawding said: "the NVQ/SVQ in Payroll Administration has been developed to meet the needs of both employers and staff working in payroll. Greater demands are being placed on payroll teams and the AAT's qualification has been developed to help them meet these challenges.

"Payroll is no longer simply about paying people on time. Payroll professionals do more now than ever before, administering sickness and maternity pay, looking after student loan payments, overseeing and introducing flexible benefit packages and often monitoring time keeping and attendance", said Rawding.

Developed in conjunction with more than 15 organisations, including Post Office Counters, Liverpool University and several NHS Trusts, the new qualification is designed to help relevant staff acquire a mixture of specialist payroll and more general IT, communication and management skills.

A flexible, work-based approach means that employers can train their staff while they are working in payroll. And training with the support of a professional body brings additional benefits. On successful completion of the NVQ/SVQ in Payroll Administration, students will automatically become AAT affiliates and can ultimately progress to AAT membership.

For further information, contact the AAT at 154 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5AD. Tel: +44 (0) 171 837 8600; Fax: +44 (0) 171 415 7699; e-mail: aatuk@dial.pipex.com; Web site: www.aat.co.uk