Practical experience supervisor

    ACCA’s practical experience requirement (PER) is a vital part of the ACCA Qualification; it enables trainees to apply the knowledge and techniques they learn while studying for their exams and develop the skills, attitudes and behaviours to be a qualified accountant.

    Practical experience supervisors play a key role in a trainee completing their PER and achieving ACCA membership. A PER supervisor will work with their trainee to offer guidance and support in order for them to demonstrate the skills needed for membership. This may be:

    • assisting them in identifying which performance objectives they should target
    • helping to plan out any work experience they need to achieve the performance objectives 
    • working with them to understand if they need any additional coaching in order to achieve the level of competence needed to complete the requirements
    • approving relevant time claims or performance objectives that a trainee has demonstrated while under their supervision
  • Can I be a practical experience supervisor?

    In order to act as a practical experience supervisor for an ACCA trainee, you must work closely with the trainee and have a business connection to them. You would not be able to act as a practical experience supervisor for a friend or a family member unless they work for the same organisation or have a clear business connection such as being their employer’s external auditor or consultant. Your trainee would need to disclose this relationship when they apply for membership. If there is an alternative supervisor available, it may be more appropriate for them to act in this role to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

    To be able to sign off performance objectives you need to be a qualified accountant or auditor who’s a member of an IFAC member body and/or a recognised by law in the country the trainee is working in. When you register, you will be asked to provide documentation to confirm this.

    To be able to sign off a trainee’s time claim, you don’t need to be qualified – so time can be signed off by a non-qualified line manager or HR representative. Time claims cannot be signed off by someone external to the trainee’s organisation.

    If you are unsure if you are eligible to act as a practical experience supervisor for a specific trainee, please contact us.

  • How much time will I need to commit?

    It doesn’t take as much time as you may think to be a practical experience supervisor – you could even fit it into your current appraisal process. You choose the amount of time you are able to give. It may be that you would like your trainee to check in with you on a monthly basis to give an update on individual objectives, or you may wish to do a more in-depth review at 6 monthly intervals. The most important thing is that you and your trainee communicate your needs and expectations as early in the journey as possible, in order to manage expectations.

  • Why should I take on this role?

    By becoming a practical experience supervisor, you are sending out a clear message to employees that you are committed to their support and development. Not only will you gain personal satisfaction in seeing the results of your involvement, but by supporting a trainee at this stage of their journey, you’ll be ensuring that the next generation of finance professionals continue to uphold the same level of technical and ethical standards as you have. Supporting trainees in this way can also lead to better recruitment, retention and development of staff for your organisation. Plus if you are an ACCA member, it’s a great opportunity to develop your own coaching and supervisory skills which may contribute towards your continuing professional development (CPD).

  • What are my next steps?

    If a trainee has invited you to become their practical experience supervisor, you will have been sent an email invitation with a unique link to connect with them. Within this email, there will also be guides to step-by-step instructions on how to register as a supervisor – as an ACCA member, or as someone starting a new relationship with ACCA.

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Remote practical experience supervisor

Not all future members have access to an in-person, IFAC qualified supervisor. That’s where our remote practical experience supervisor (RPES) programme comes in. Our online platform matches affiliates who have the experience and determination to progress, with ACCA members who can review and sign off the practical experience needed for membership.

  • Your expertise - their potential

    All future members need to complete a range of performance objectives to prove they can apply their skills and demonstrate their ethical values.

    Remote supervisors work with line managers to confirm the trainee’s experience. Most importantly, they inspire future members to meet the same ethical standards and rigour they have exemplified throughout their career.

  • Could you be a remote supervisor?

    You’ll need to be an ACCA member in good standing and complete a short training module that explains more about the process and the role that you will be undertaking.

    Once you’ve completed the training, you can sign up online. You’ll then be connected to a future member who needs a supervisor with your specific expertise and skills.

    It won’t take a big time commitment from you - but it will make a big different to the next generation of accountants.

  • Registration for new supervisors

    Due to the incredible response to this programme, we’ve had to temporarily close registration for new supervisors. We’ll re-open soon - come back later this year for more updates.

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