ICAEW apprenticeships
On an apprenticeship route, new or existing staff of any age and from any background can progress through the ICAEW qualifications to embed the knowledge, skills and experience that your business needs to grow now and in the future.
With the option of two apprenticeship programmes in England, the Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship embeds the ICAEW CFAB qualification, while the Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship incorporates the full ACA leading to ICAEW Chartered Accountant status.
Benefits of apprenticeships
Both the Level 4 and Level 7 apprenticeships have government funding for eligible apprentices, offering a cost-effective option to upskill talent in your organisation. Offering an apprenticeship allows you to broaden your recruitment pool, recruiting students straight from school or upskilling current employees. You can develop unrivalled finance and technical skills throughout your organisation with high-quality, tried and tested training.
Apprenticeship structure
Both the Level 4 and Level 7 apprenticeships incorporate our globally-recognised qualifications:
Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship
Through this entry-level apprenticeship, students will develop knowledge, skills and behaviours, through a combination of off-the-job training, work experience and the ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB).
Students undertaking the Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship are assessed through an on-programme and end-point assessment.
The six ICAEW CFAB exams needed for this apprenticeship can be taken in any order, at any time throughout the year.
Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship
This apprenticeship route will involve students completing the ACA qualification with additional apprenticeship-specific requirements over 36-48 months, depending on their prior knowledge and experience.
There are many similarities between this route and "traditional" ACA training. All elements of the ACA are included in the apprenticeship programme, including professional skills and work experience, ACA exams and Specialised Learning. However, additional requirements, such as off-the-job training, an end-point assessment and a project report must also be completed.
Success stories
Having created a customised training programme, Foxley Kingham offer the ICAEW apprenticeship route to attract and retain the right talent. Training with Foxley Kingham typically takes between five and seven years and new recruits complete a first year of AAT Level 3 before moving on to the ICAEW Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship followed by the ICAEW Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship.
The first year enables the apprentices to get a feel for it and see if it’s what they really want to do – and us to get a feel for how they work. Then we move them onto the next qualification, the Level 4 apprenticeship, with work suited to that level, before putting them up through the next key stages of the ACA qualification via the Level 7 apprenticeship. It has been the right thing for our staff and our clients. It’s the best of the bunch.
Foxley Kingham aren’t the only organisation benefiting from this popular route. Apetito, British Airways, Frontier Development Capital, Blue Sky and more have found success offering the apprenticeship route.
Build talent with an apprenticeship
Last updated: June 2026