Jobs for Accounting Technicians Diploma (ATD) Graduates

What the ATD is

The Accounting Technicians Diploma (ATD) is a KASNEB qualification designed for people who do the day-to-day accounting work in organisations: recording transactions, preparing payroll, reconciling accounts, handling petty cash and supporting tax compliance. It sits below CPA and is often used as a stepping stone to it, but it is a recognised qualification in its own right, and many accounts assistant and cashier adverts ask for it.

Typical roles

• Accounts assistant or accounts clerk in SMEs, schools, hospitals and NGOs
• Cashier and billing clerk in hospitals, hotels, supermarkets and utilities
• Credit control and collections officer in distribution and finance companies
• Payroll clerk, where you compute PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy deductions

Entry requirements

KASNEB accepts KCSE holders who meet its minimum grade requirements, and holders of certain certificates. Classes are offered by many colleges, but you register for and sit the exams directly with KASNEB, so confirm registration deadlines on its website.

Skills that get you hired

Accounts assistants are expected to know at least one accounting package (QuickBooks, Sage, Tally or an ERP), work confidently in Excel and file returns on iTax. Employers often test payroll in interviews, so practise with the PAYE calculator and read our guide on how to read a payslip until you can explain every line. Accuracy and honesty matter heavily in cash-handling roles, and many employers will ask for a certificate of good conduct and references.

Career path

A common route is accounts clerk, accounts assistant and then assistant accountant. Most people who want to reach accountant or finance manager level continue to CPA, and the ATD gives a strong grounding for the CPA papers. Some ATD holders also move into tax agency work or bookkeeping for several small businesses, which can be done part-time alongside employment once you have a few years of experience.

Common interview tasks

Many employers give a short practical test: posting a set of transactions, preparing a bank reconciliation, or computing net pay for two or three employees. Practise these until they are routine, and bring examples of reconciliations or schedules you prepared during attachment, with confidential details removed.