PQ magazine July 2020
incorporating NQ magazine
AATs get their assessment slots booked up Many ‘excited’ AAT students have been busy booking their assessments as centres open from Monday 29 June. This is despite the fact that AAT originally said no test centres would be taking bookings until 22 June. While smaller centres seemed to have lots of ‘availability’ for bookings, some of the bigger players seem to be acting more cautiously. PQs knows of students who have booked in Manchester (Pitman), Stantfords
Training in Birmingham, First Intuition in Maidstone and at the Learning Academy in Milton Keynes. And Kaplan said it will be re-opening assessment venues in a two-phased approach. Phase 1 will see roughly half of venues open in early July. This will allow Kaplan students to sit their synoptic assessment in line with the revised window. Phase 2 will see Kaplan open all assessment venues in August.
Details of which centres will be in each phase are now up on its website. As of now, BPP says its centres are closed until the end of August, but it is reviewing its plans and will provide further information shortly. First Intuition said it is contacting students and employers to understand their preferences and said it will base its decision to re-open local centres on student feedback.
PQs’ WELLBEING TAKES NOSEDIVE PQs’ wellbeing and mental health has ‘taken a tumble’ during the lockdown, according to the latest study from top recruitment firm Hays. The Hays Wellbeing Matters report found just 33% of PQs rated their wellbeing as positive since the Covid-19 crisis hit, down from a 62% positive rating pre-lockdown. Worryingly, those who saw their wellbeing as ‘negative’ has risen from 6% to 27%. Clearly, working remotely or being furloughed is taking its toll on PQs. Hays said accountancy is still predominately an office, desk-based job, so shifting to working for home is a huge adjustment. So what are the things getting PQs down? The biggest concern is the lack of social interaction (cited by 27% of you), followed by feelings of isolation and loneliness (13%). An increase in workload isn’t helping one in 10 (11%), and its all just boring for another 10%. Since lockdown began getting the work-life balance right has become more important to two in five (43%) PQs. Despite this, over half rate their work-life balance between average and poor.
Many employers also don’t seem to be stepping up to the mark to help, either. While nearly three-quarters of PQs say their employer has a responsibility to help with their wellbeing, some 53% revealed their employer has not
provided any wellbeing support during lockdown. However, those who are supplying support are doing it really well. Some 12% are offering counselling, and the same percentage Continued on page 4
