New accounting and bookkeeping training program now available

Administrative Accounting and Bookkeeping (AAAB) is a 24-week, comprehensive training program designed to equip students with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to work as accounting assistants, bookkeepers, and related administrative roles in small, medium, and large businesses.  

Upon graduation, students will be prepared to perform accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, bookkeeping and routine office administration functions.  In addition, they will also be able to use their accounting/bookkeeping skills to start their own home-based bookkeeping businesses.   

Program structure 

AAAB training includes 17 weeks of cohort-based classroom instructional delivery and 6 weeks of experiential learning/on-the job experience at an authentic workplace with a local employer and one week of job search and follow up support.  

Courses include: 

• Skills for Success (formerly known as Essential Skills)  
• Computer Skills: Word, Excel & Power Point 
• Writing Business Letters 
• Communicating in the Workplace 
• Office Procedures 
• Introduction to 
  • Business Math 
  • Financial Accounting 
  • Management Accounting    
  • Bookkeeping  
  • Payroll  
• Computerized Accounting; Quick Books Level 1 & Level 2 
• Practicum Preparation 
• Work Experience / Practicum (6 weeks) 
• Transition to Employment (Job Search Skills) 

Admission requirements 

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older  
• B.C. Secondary school graduation, or equivalent 
• English 12 with minimum C+ grade or Canadian Language Benchmark 8 or equivalent  
• Math 11 with a minimum of C+ grade or equivalent 
• Keyboarding speed of 25wpm on a 2-minute test 

Eligibility criteria 

Participants must be: 

• Unemployed people eligible to work in B.C. 
• Canadian Citizens; or Permanent Residents; or Protected persons entitled to work in Canada 
• Have established a claim for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits; or have had an EI benefit period that ended within the previous 60 months; or have earned more than $2,000 in insurable earnings and paid employee EI premiums on those earnings in at least 5 of the last 10 years (Note:  the 5 years do not have to be consecutive years); or receiving BC Employment and Assistance.  
• Support and referral from WorkBC Employment Services Contractor (WorkBC) or an Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET) Provider. 
• Priority will be given to the following client groups: 
  • Indigenous Peoples 
  • Youth (18-30) 
  • Immigrants (Landed within 5 years)  
  • Mature workers (55+) 

Training schedule 

Cohort 1: May 26, 2025 – November 7, 2025 

Cohort 2: September 29, 2025 - March 27, 2026 (includes 2 weeks of winter break) 

To register 

To apply, all interested candidates must attend an information session. Register at vcc.ca/info. For questions, please contact Alena Worster at contracttraining@vcc.ca or call 604.443.8751.