APT offers a Professional Programme which is a pre-requisite for writing the SAICA, ICAN, and ICAZ Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) in December.
The APC is the second of SAICA, ICAN and ICAZ’s two Qualifying Examinations.
The first, the ITC (Part 1), focuses on the assessment of technical competence and is a standard setting examination after candidates complete a university programme (CTA or equivalent).
The APC is an Assessment of Professional Competence and focuses on the integration of technical skills within ‘real life’ circumstances, on pervasive skills such as communication, on understanding the ‘big picture’ (the business and the environment in which the business operates) and on strategy, risk management and governance.
Whilst aspects of professional competence are developed in the university programmes and in training programmes, our Programme focusses fully on developing your competence to the level required of a CA.
The APC assesses professional competence to the full extent possible in a written examination and has been very carefully designed to do so.
Our Professional Programme specifically addresses your requirements and offers you a top-class opportunity to develop your professional competence and the best possible chance of passing the APC.
The Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) is the second of SAICA, ICAN and ICAZ’s two Qualifying Examinations. The APC is currently written in December of each year and is the final Examination required for Candidates to qualify as a CA.
To be able to write the APC Examination, you are required to have completed 20 months of traineeship, pass the ITC and complete and pass a Professional Programme accredited by SAICA/ICAN/ICAZ.
Our APC Programme meets the SAICA, ICAN and ICAZ Requirements at Level 1 (“Accredited without conditions”). Passing our Programme is a prerequisite to write the APC exam.
APT is Southern Africa’s leading presenter of preparation courses for the SAICA, ICAN and ICAZ APC Examinations, having prepared most candidates since inception.
In order to pass our Programme, you are required to pass two formal APT Assessments.
The primary objective of our Programme is to develop the professional competence of Candidates to a level appropriate for new entrants to the Chartered Accountancy profession. A secondary, but very important, objective of our Programme is to prepare you for the APC. Our Programme does not serve as a barrier to entry to the profession.
Professional competence is developed through a series of 7 Case Study simulations of real-life assignments and tasks. You develop your professional competence through practice by working through these Case Studies. Each of our Case Studies is a simulation of a “real” APC Assessment.
Through Blended Learning, we support our Online classes with physical, face-to-face contact sessions related to critical classes. These are held in all major centres. As the acquisition of professional competence is so fundamentally different from the skills most candidates have already developed in their academic programmes, we believe that candidates benefit significantly from the Blended Learning Programme’s direct interaction with presenters.
Our online classes are also supported by interactive live Zoom Question and Answer Sessions after each class and further support is provided by additional interactive Zoom sessions, including Candidate Information Sessions, Guided Self-Assessment Sessions and Small Group Consultations. Recordings are made available for candidates who are unable to attend these live sessions.
Mentorship is provided on an appointment basis.
We are innovators who constantly leverage technology. Our recent innovations include:
Whilst all our 2020 Assessments were Non-Venue-Based because of Lockdown, we propose to run our two summative 2021 Assessments in formal Exam Venues so that our candidates experience a realistic simulation of the actual APC.
Our Programme also offers Value Added through our CPD Module, which provides technical updates in selected topics and enables Candidates to determine their personal development needs and address those needs. Certain CPD topics are compulsory and you are required to log this CPD.
Candidates write the APC on laptops using Exam Software prescribed by SAICA, ICAN and ICAZ (“eWriting”). In common with our competitors, we require our Candidates to use the same software. Our candidates really appreciate the extensive guidance and support that we provide to ensure they are fully prepared to eWrite by the time they write the APC.
Strong focus on technical competence
The technical knowledge and skills for each of the accounting disciplines and an understanding of strategy, risk management and governance.
Focus on professional competence
The ability to use technical competence in the ‘real world of work’. The professional programme is intended to enable you to develop professional competence, and we thereby, complement your professional training programme.
The core of our Programme - all case studies used in our Programme are of APC Standard.
We use case studies, similar to those used in the APC, throughout the Programme
Experience builds professional competence. We provide the opportunity from the outset for our candidates to gain experience ‘by doing’. In the early part of the Programme, extensive guidance is provided. Guidance is reduced as you gain experience and develop deep understanding – just as in ‘real life’.
Each of our case studies simulates ‘real life’. Our focus in the case studies includes the ability to conduct research in the context of the entity which is the subject of the case study. This research encompasses the entity, the industry, and the economic, political, technological, regulatory and social context in which the entity operates. The focus of our Programme is on your ability to conduct research rather than to gain knowledge of a specific industry or environment. For this reason, we do not attempt to include all possible industries in our case studies – it would be impossible to do so – rather we focus on the ability to conduct research so that you are enabled to use this ability in any setting (the APC is likely to be in an unexpected industry!)
Candidates are provided with regular feedback – just as happens in the workplace. Assessment. Assessment is a feature throughout the Programme – as it is in the workplace. Assessment is mainly formative in nature (part of the learning process) and includes formal assessments and self-assessment. We regard self-assessment as vitally important as the ability to assess your own progress and performance is very important in the world of work.
We know that individuals learn differently and at different rates and that personal circumstances are different for everyone. Support for individuals is provided through consultation opportunities and a wide range of other interventions.
In order to write the APC Assessment in December,
candidates are required to complete an accredited Programme.
We understand that individuals learn differently and have developed different learning styles.
We know that every candidate will experience work pressures and will have to work overtime during busy periods.
We accommodate individual learning styles and work demands by offering a fully online Case Study based Programme, supported by Blended Learning. Recordings of all Classes and Zoom Sessions are made available to Candidates.
Our Programme offers Value Added in the form of our CPD Module, which provides technical updates in selected topics, which enable you to determine your personal development needs and to address those needs.
The APT CPD or Continuing Professional Development Programme is very similar to the SAICA CPD Programme. All technical developments such as new standards and tax updates that were introduced after you wrote the ITC are covered in this online Programme. These developments are usually incorporated into our case studies and are also discussed in class.
3 equal payments
20% is the Maximum Discount offered to Major Accounting Firms or Block Bookings (5 or More Candidates from the same firm).
Account Name: Accounting Professional Training
Bank: Standard Bank Rondebosch
Inter Bank Transfer Number: 025 009
Current Account Number: 071 464 824
SWIFT Code: SBZAZAJJ (Standard Bank does not use an IBAN Code.)
Please Reference your Payment as:
Name/Invoice Number e.g. S.Sample/APT00028
If you have not received your invoice, but want to make your payment please reference your payment as follows:
Name Surname/Programme Area
e.g. Sandra Sample/CT
If your firm is responsible for payment we will send an invoice directly to the firm contact provided once all candidates from the firm have registered. If you are paying for yourself you will be invoiced directly. It is not necessary to contact our offices requesting invoices as they will be sent once registration has been processed.
Fees payable by candidates outside of South Africa are charged at the full rate in order to cover additional distribution costs (I.e. It is not acceptable for such candidates to “discount” fees by the notional VAT amount). An additional distribution fee of R1300 is charged to candidates outside of the SADC region (i.e. Candidates Overseas and outside the SADC).