We run through the key dos and don'ts that will help ensure your online training file is completed with flying colours.
Get into good habits
Treat the training file like a living document
By going into the training file and recording your progress regularly, you avoid the risk of relying on a spreadsheet or paper document. It also enables you to have a productive conversation with your manager at your six-monthly reviews, rather than relying on written communication to evaluate your progress.
Organise your six-monthly reviews
Your six-monthly reviews are an important way of tracking your progress with your employer. They’re a two-way discussion where you can discuss your progress against the professional development ladders as well as completing your ethics in practice scenarios and agreeing your work experience days. It’s your responsibility to book these in - so put them in the diary as soon as you can.
Get started with ethics
You must complete the Ethics Learning Programme and the Ethics in Practice scenarios during your training. Familiarise yourself with the requirements and begin booking in time to work on this, as well as planning for them to be part of your six-monthly reviews. At least three ethics reviews must have taken place during your training agreement, although six is recommended.
Avoid these common mistakes
Not continuing to record your work experience
You need a minimum of 450 practical work experience days to complete the ACA qualification - but don’t stop there. For your online training file to be signed off, you must keep recording your practical work experience until the date that your training agreement ends. These dates must match.
Leaving blanks in your ethics reviews
Across all your ethics reviews, make sure you don’t have any blank entry lines or duplicate dates. Just edit these within your file. For any blank lines, you will need to add in a date and a note to say the entry line was created in error.
Leaving everything until the end
Not updating your online training file regularly can create significant problems later on. It will become harder to remember which were your relevant work days or relevant examples for your professional development ladders. This may impact final sign off by your employer and, consequently, your pathway to ICAEW membership. We want you to be rewarded for all of your hard work during your training, so make sure you document your progress regularly to stay on track.
Failing to submit your file for sign-off in good time
Your online training file will be closed down a year after your training agreement ends. If you haven’t submitted your file for sign-off during this time, you will lose all record of your progress. Make sure you submit your completed file for sign-off as soon as your training agreement ends.
Failing to submit the Audit Qualification tab
If you are also logging your work experience in the Audit Qualification tab, there are a couple of things to remember. Firstly, your employer will need to add their feedback notes to each entry line for any of these days to count towards the requirements of the Audit Qualification. Secondly, there is a separate final sign off process than that of the ACA. Don't forget to also submit your Audit Qualification tab for sign off, where relevant, to your employer. Any days not submitted and signed off by your employer within six months of your training end will be lost. Watch our guide to the Audit Qualification tab.
Apprentices not completing both skills and behaviours tabs
Those training for the ACA under an apprenticeship must complete both skills and behaviours sections of their training file. You can use the same examples across both sections, as long as they’re relevant.
Follow our top tips
Attend your ICAEW induction
At the beginning of your training agreement, ICAEW will arrange an induction session to get you started on your student journey and outline your responsibilities. This session will offer insights and advice for completing the qualification, including your online training file. Make sure you attend to ensure you get off to a great start.
Attend a training file clinic
For those approaching the end of their training, ICAEW organises monthly live webinars. These clinics look at what is needed in each tab of your online file, timings, the final sign off process and how to progress smoothly into ICAEW membership. You’ll receive an invite to attend via email. There are also short videos available for each area of the training file.
Make ICAEW aware of changes in your circumstances
Changes to your personal circumstances or with your employer can affect completion of the online training file if not reported to ICAEW in good time. For example, if you need to suspend your training file due to personal circumstances like pregnancy or bereavement, this needs to be submitted to ICAEW via your manager. Changes at your firm also need to be reported - this may include your manager changing or your organisation taking part in a merger or acquisition. If in doubt, reach out to ICAEW via the student support team to explain the nature of the change in your circumstances.
Visit ICAEW’s online training file guide for more information.
