SAICA APC EXAM COACHING

The Assessment of Professional Competence has already begun. Have you realised it?

The board course has started. The first mock exam is done. So has the real APC work.

At this point in the year, many candidates are carrying two workloads: their day jobs and the demands of APC preparation. There are evening classes to attend and tasks which need completing in addition to the study time. It would be a mistake to view the board course as the main event.

The SAICA APC exam tests the professional judgement you’ve been building on the job since day one of your training contract. Real workplace pressure and real feedback form part of that development.

Your learning has been spaced over many years

SAICA requires candidates to complete at least 20 months of a training contract before attempting the APC. Exposure gained during your training contract is intended to embed the learnings from your undergrad and CTA. That is how professional competence is built – with real work (including some mistakes along the way), feedback and hopefully some improved outputs.

A board course can sharpen your approach and expose technical knowledge gaps. The underlying competence comes from repeated exposure to real work, difficult situations and professional feedback. Every six months you’ve documented evidence of your development for your assessor. You’ve demonstrated competencies, reflected on your experiences and responded to reviewer feedback. That evidence is real. The exam draws on that foundation and tests whether you can demonstrate it when you are working alone, under pressure.

As a SAICA assessor, I’ve observed that the candidates who perform well have usually spent months paying attention to their work and the assessment process (LORs and PDSs), reflecting on feedback and developing an awareness of their patterns under pressure.

The challenges at work form part of your exam preparation

Work won’t pause because the board course has started. There will still be work deliverables and competing priorities. Managers still expect outputs and you may not always understand exactly what needs to be done.

These circumstances provide opportunities to develop the capabilities assessed on exam day.

Every week between now and December gives you opportunities to practise what the APC assesses: deciding what information is salient, communicating clearly and succinctly, demonstrating agility when there’s a change in scope (new information in the information-on-the-day) and staying steady when there’s too much information and not enough time. These skills often separate strong APC candidates from those who struggle.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to so many candidates who are reluctant to schedule a candid conversation with their line managers to admit that they’re battling to juggle everything on their plate. Candidates who navigate this period well, communicate early and professionally:

“The board course has started and I want to manage my commitments properly. I’m committed to delivering quality work, but I’d like to flag competing deadlines early when they arise so we can plan effectively”.

It also demonstrates something APC candidates often underestimate: the ability to manage expectations before a problem develops.

Where you are right now

December turns the lights on -
so you can demonstrate what you've developed over the past twenty months.

With almost twenty months of articles behind you, recognise how much professional capability you’ve developed.

The pressure is genuine and the workload is demanding. So is the experience you’ve accumulated along the way.

The board course helps you prepare for exam day, but you have been learning on the job for much longer.

Questions candidates ask

When does APC preparation actually begin?

According to SAICA’s own requirements, APC candidates must complete at least 20 months of a registered training contract before writing the exam. That eligibility requirement reflects the reality that professional competence is built through sustained real-world experience – not in a final sprint of board course preparation.

How do I balance work and APC board course at the same time?

The key is being strategic rather than reactive. Candidates who navigate this period well make deliberate decisions about when to prioritise work and when exam preparation cannot be compromised – and they communicate those decisions professionally with their managers rather than silently absorbing competing demands.

Does the APC test technical knowledge?

The SAICA APC exam assesses professional competence – not just technical knowledge. SAICA describes it as an intensive eight-hour assessment simulating a real professional work environment, requiring critical thinking, the ability to assimilate new information, and sustained performance under pressure.

What is SAICA APC coaching and how does it help?

SAICA APC coaching supports candidates in building the non-technical performance skills the exam requires – pattern recognition, pressure management, professional communication, and self-awareness. Coaching is most effective when started well before the exam, giving candidates time to practise and embed new behaviours.

Deepa Daya is a CA(SA), registered SAICA assessor, and accredited brain-based coach with over a decade working with CA trainees. She works with a small number of SAICA APC candidates each year – helping them build the professional competence this exam requires through structured reflection, real-world application, and deliberate practice.