Accountants help individuals and organisations manage their finances, tax credits, and obligations, and give advice on compliance and record management.
Accountants may choose to specialise and become Management Accountants, Taxation Accountants, Trust Accountants, Systems Accountants, Fund Accountants, or Company Accountants.
Tasks and Duties
- Examine the income and expenditure of the individual or organisation
- Create and maintain budgets
- Prepare financial statements
- Create accounting policies in consultation with senior stakeholders and alignment with regulatory requirements
- Prepare reports that articulate business compliance with regulatory requirements
- Undertake audits, conduct financial investigations and manage insolvency
- Provide advice about business plans, structures, and accounting systems
- Establishing bank accounts, funds, and trusts
- Manage cash flow
- Manage investment projects
Accountants may work in the public sector, for large or small organisations, or individual clients. A Bachelor’s degree or higher is usually required to become an Accountant. Additional certification may also be needed.
Accounting is generally suited to people who are good with numbers and those who are highly organised. Because Accountants have to deal with a wide range of people, it is also essential to be able to connect with others and be able to communicate clearly.
How to become an Accountant
A Bachelor’s degree in the field of accounting is required to be eligible for entry into any of the three professional accounting bodies that regulate and accredit the accounting industry. These are generally three-year courses, open to anyone over 17 years who have completed year 12 with an appropriate Admissions Index.
Study with HIVE
HIVE has several academic pathways to becoming an Accountant. We offer a Diploma of Accounting (FNS50217). Learners will develop skills in areas such as income tax, management accounting, budgeting and forecasting, performance analysis, financial reporting, and leadership. The program reflects both existing practice and emerging trends in the finance industry, providing you with readily transferable professional skills. The Diploma of Accounting includes the BAS Agent Skills Set units, which meets the education requirements for the Tax Practitioners Board BAS Agent Registration.
Learners who successfully complete this course may further pursue higher qualifications within the Financial Services Training Package, including the Advanced Diploma of Accounting (FNS50417). In this course, learners are expected to apply theoretical and technical skills in various situations and display initiative and judgement in planning activities. You will have autonomy in performing complex operations and can be responsible for planning, coordinating, and evaluating others’ work within broad but generally well-defined parameters.
Learners who complete this course may pursue relevant higher qualifications, and you may receive credit transfers for completed units subject to course and provider requirements.
The Advanced Diploma of Accounting is the ideal course to commence your career and enhance your opportunities as an Accountant, Account Manager, Business Analysts, Payroll Manager, or Office Manager.
This article was originally published on Seek.