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A Guide To Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard

Introduction To Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard
Do you have a strength with numbers and do you think you are a good people person who can build relationships and gain trust? If this is you, then you could have a future in credit control. And doing a Credit Controller Apprenticeship is a fantastic way of setting your career up right from the beginning.

Not all young people want to continue in full time education after leaving school. Some of you are itching to go straight into the world of work. At the beginning, when you first start working, you need to be able to feel confident that your employer will invest time in you and make sure you get the training you need so that you can build a career and not get stuck in a dead end job.

This is where Apprenticeship Standards come in. A structured training programme where you will learn the skills needed for your role, on the job. Apprenticeships mean you can earn money whilst you are learning and also gaining nationally recognised qualifications that you can take with you to your future roles. These days, more and more employers are also paying their Apprentices more than the recommended wage so you could find yourself with a bit of extra bonus money on top of that all important training.
How Do Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standards Work?
The Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard, like all other Apprenticeship Standards, is great because it has been drawn up by professionals who actually work in credit control and similar fields. These are the guys who really know the working skills and knowledge that is needed to for you to carry out your role effectively.
What Is Credit Control?
So, what is credit control and what is the credit controller job description? Well, when you are doing credit control jobs, you are part of a central team that is responsible for bringing in due payments to the company you are working for. All companies need to have a credit control system in place, otherwise they wouldn’t be making any money. And, as you can probably imagine, Credit Controller Apprenticeships could see you working in a whole host of different fields; from retail to construction to the service industry and everything in between.

Whichever company you are working for, you will learn their credit control procedures and, via your credit control training, you will also learn the legislation around this field so that you are working within the law. The credit controller role is important because you are responsible for the cash flow of the company you are working for. The owed monies you collect are used to facilitate further projects for the company so that it can continue to make money.

Credit control jobs are not just about learning procedures and regulations. Credit controller duties are also about building relationships. As you go through your Credit Controller Apprenticeship, you will be given your own accounts to look after where you will be responsible for collecting monies. A good credit controller will build relationships with the people responsible for paying the owed monies. Often, these relationships will be easy and your communication style will build up a rapport and trust between the two companies.

Sometimes, however, your relationship with other companies can be difficult when they fail to pay owed monies or are constantly paying late. Your credit control training during your Apprenticeship will equip you with the skills and knowledge for dealing with these difficult customers, both in how you speak with them and the laws you can draw on to try and pull in the money.

Credit control jobs are often target driven so you will need to be motivated and be able to work under your own initiative in a fast paced environment. In the future, your credit controller qualifications could pave the way for you to move into other similar fields if this is what you want to do.
Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard - Qualifications And Pathways
The Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard is available at two levels. Level 2 is the Credit Controller / Collector Apprenticeship Standard. Level 3 is the Advanced Credit Controller / Debt Collection Specialist Apprenticeship Standard. Let’s take a look at what is involved at each level and the credit controller qualifications you will be awarded on successful completion of your Apprenticeship.

Level 2 Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard - Credit Controller / Collector
The Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard for credit control jobs is an entry level qualification. This means, depending on the company you are working for, you will not need any previous experience in credit control.

Your credit control training will last between 12 months and 18 months and, on successful completion of the Apprenticeship Standard, you will be awarded a Level 2 qualification. You can also choose to study for a CICM qualification (Chartered Institute of Credit Management) so that you can become an affiliate member. This will help towards future career progression.

Before completion of your Apprenticeship, you must achieve (if you haven’t already done this, previously) Level 1 Maths and English. Some employers will require you to have achieved Level 2 Maths and English.

Level 3 Credit Controller Apprenticeship Standard - Advanced Credit Controller / Debt Collection Specialist
The Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for credit control jobs is for those of you who want to progress your career in this field and move into credit control manager jobs or senior credit controller roles in the future. You will be able to deal with larger customer accounts and more complex debt cases. You will need to be able to take control of decision making and deliver results.

Credit control training for the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard will last between 18 months and 24 months and you will need Level 2 Maths and English.

Whilst doing your Level 3 Apprenticeship, depending on the company you are working for, you will complete one of the following qualifications from professional bodies:
  • Diploma in Debt Collection, Diploma in Credit Management, Diploma for the Debt Collection Industry. These diplomas are awarded by the Chartered Institute of Credit Management.
  • Certificate In Consumer Debt Collection. This certificate is awarded by London Institute of Banking & Finance.
You will be able to apply for professional membership of either body (whichever awarded your qualification) on completion of your Apprenticeship.
Further Career Progression After Completion Of Credit Controller Apprenticeships
Once you have gone as far as you can go with Credit Controller Apprenticeships, it is up to you how far you want to take your career. You could progress from credit control assistant to senior credit controller and credit control manager jobs.

Some people who work in credit control also choose to take their career in a slightly different direction. Apprenticeships give you transferable skills that are useful in other roles. You might want to move into other areas of finance such as accountancy or banking.
Apply For Credit Controller Apprenticeships In The UK
So, do credit control jobs sound like the type of career you could succeed in? If so, then why not apply for Credit Controller Apprenticeships then you can get paid whilst you train towards professional, nationally recognised qualifications and learn on the job.

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