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About Accounting
You'll become
Average Salaries
Accounting workers may earn between $40,000 and $82,000 per year
You’ve got a head for details and like working with numbers. Now, turn your skills into an exciting career in an in-demand field by studying an accounting course.
Turn your skills with numbers into a rewarding career playing a vital role helping business thrive. Build a career solving complex and strategic financial problems by studying an accounting course.
In an increasingly regulated commercial world, business leaders are urgently seeking qualified professionals to successfully navigate complex financial systems, processes and regulations. By studying an accounting course, you’ll build the critical theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to steer businesses to financial success, and take the first step towards a challenging and rewarding career in accounting.
You can complete an accounting course as a certificate or diploma course, as a bachelor’s degree, or as a master’s degree or other post-graduate certification. After completing an accounting course, you’ll be qualified to seek employment in a range of roles, including working in accounting, finance and bookkeeping, for virtually any business, organisation or government department.
You’ll use your head for details to make sound strategic decisions for businesses and organisations, and build a dynamic professional skillset in the process. If you’re interested in numbers and like solving problems, a career in accounting is for you.
What do accounting graduates do?
Accounting course graduates play a vital role in the functioning of all businesses, working behind the scenes in a range of accounting and finance roles to ensure a business meets regulatory requirements and manages its accounts correctly. Usually, you’ll work as an accountant after completing an accounting course, but you may also work in other financial and administrative roles after graduating.
As an accountant, you can expect to perform tasks like:
- Keeping and maintaining financial records, including monitoring and recording income, expenses and advances;
- Preparing financial reports and statements for supervisors, directors and regulatory bodies;
- Developing and implementing financial and budgetary policies and procedures;
- Conducting financial investigations, preparing reports, undertaking audits and advising on matters such as the purchase and sale of businesses, mergers, capital financing, suspected fraud, insolvency and taxation;
- Preparing budgets, expenditure reports and analyses using account books, ledgers and accounting computer software;
- Examining operational costs and expenditure and providing advice on budget management and cash flow control;
- Verifying transaction records and investigating irregularities;
- Providing assurance about the accuracy of information contained in financial reports;
- Providing financial and taxation advice on business structures, plans and operations;
- Preparing tax returns for individuals and businesses;
- Liaising with financial management institutions;
- Managing and maintaining accounting systems, including accounting software systems;
- Researching and preparing forms for tax exemptions and tax payments; and
- Maintaining internal control systems.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
You may choose to work as a general accountant or specialise in management, cost or taxation accounting. Accounting is an in-demand field, and you may choose to work in a wide variety of industries urgently seeking accountants, including sectors such as:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Construction
- Information technology
- Manufacturing
After completing an accounting course, you may also choose to work as a:
- Accountant
- Bookkeeper
- Accounts Payable Officer
- Accounts Receivable Officer
- Taxation Compliance Officer
- Senior Financial Clerk
- Accounts Supervisor
- Financial Analyst
- Payroll Officer
- Accounts Clerk
- Assistant Accountant
- Taxation Officer
- Treasury Officer
- BAS Agent
- Accounts Assistant
- Accounts Receivable Clerk
- Payroll Clerk
- Compliance Officer
- HR Officer
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Is accounting right for you?
You’ll find working in accounting exciting and rewarding if you:
- Enjoy problem-solving
- Love numbers, maths and patterns
- Are highly organised
- Have excellent administrative skills
- Have a head for detail
- Enjoy repetitive work
- Thrive when challenged
- Have good communication and interpersonal skills
- Are proactive and autonomous
- Can work well in a team
- Have strong time management
- Are patient and disciplined
- Prefer behind-the-scenes jobs to being the centre of attention
- Enjoy ongoing learning
Job opportunities
After completing an accounting course, you may choose to work in a variety of accounting, finance and administrative roles.
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook reports that the number of people employed as accountants in Australia is large and growing, with the sector employing approximately 188,100 people. This figure has been increasing steadily over the last decade, and Job Outlook predicts it will continue growing, with approximately 32,000 new accountants required by 2020.
Similarly, you may enjoy pursuing employment opportunities as a bookkeeper or auditor. Approximately 99,800 people are currently employed in bookkeeping and other administrative accounting roles in Australia, and 19,800 people in auditing roles. While Job Outlook reports opportunities in bookkeeping and accounts roles will contract slightly over the next five years, it indicates opportunities for auditors and company secretaries will grow strongly to 2020.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, accountants can expect to earn between $40,000 and $82,000 per year, with an average annual salary of approximately $56,000. PayScale notes a strong positive relationship between experience and earning capacity, with accountants who have more than 20 years of professional experience earning on average approximately $30,000 per year than entry-level accountants.