If money really does make the world go round, it's not surprising that the skills of accountants are in high demand.

When it comes to financial records and systems, it is the accountant who provides clients with specialist advice and services.

There are about 10,000 people employed as accountants in WA, 61% of whom are males. Close to 87% of accountants in the State work in the Perth metropolitan area, with about 3% working in the South West and the remainder distributed over the other regions.

About 2,600 people commenced accounting studies at the various universities in 2004. Many more places in relevant certificate and diploma programmes are offered through TAFE and private providers which can lead to careers in accounting.

More Than Just Strength in Numbers

Accountants are more than just number crunchers who prepare your annual tax return. In fact, they are key strategists who help both individuals and organisations to improve their financial practices and systems.

Depending on their chosen area of specialisation, accountants perform a wide range of duties. Auditors, for example, inspect financial records of businesses to ensure compliance with legislation. Assisting clients in preparing either business or personal tax statements and providing advice on taxation matters are some of the duties of taxation accountants. Accountants in information systems set up and maintain computer-based accounting and financial systems.


The News Keeps Getting Better

The introduction of the GST and new tax reform policies increased the demand for the services of accountants nationwide. This coincided with an industry that was already experiencing a shortage of qualified accountants, according to Catherine Ferrari, former Director of the Western Australian Division of CPA Australia.

While the GST situation has levelled out, there remains a strong demand for qualified accountants and accounting graduates. According to CPA Australia, this is due to the versatility of the profession and the wide number of areas in which accountants may work. According to the 2006 graduate statistics, approximately 86% of full-time accounting students secured employment.

There has always been a need for assistance with compliance work and record keeping for all businesses - big or small. But accountants have recently been required to help clients set up new systems and deal with new reporting requirements.


A Diverse Occupation

''Accountants can choose a variety of different areas to work in such as auditing, budgeting, finance, information technology, investment, liquidation and management,'' says Ini Campbell-Fraser, formerly of CPA Australia.

''Those working for public accounting firms, government or large corporations require a post-secondary qualification and are normally registered with an appropriate professional accounting association.''

Professional memberships require a recognised post-secondary qualification. Additional education requirements may be needed, depending on the level at which you wish to work, and the associations with which you may seek membership.


Over half of all accountants are employed in the business services sector, with the rest found in diverse industries from mining and manufacturing to construction, wholesale, retail, hospitality, government, education and health.

Your working environment will be indoors, and your office may be a one-person home office if you are self-employed, or a large corporate office if you work for an organisation such as a government taxation department, a large accounting firm or a major bank or building society.

If you enjoy working with figures, have strong organisational and analytical skills, and get on well with people, you may be suited to working as an accountant. Computers are widely used as a financial management tool and there is now an emphasis on computer training in accounting degrees. This means that the overlap with information technology degrees makes switching career paths easier.

While this is technically a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job, you can expect to work long hours at certain times of the year, especially as you move to senior level positions or if you work in particular specialisations. Auditors, for example, may work up to 70 hours a week.

Tax season has always been a busy time for accountants as they prepare end of year financial statements for individuals and businesses. Now, with Business Activity Statements being submitted monthly or quarterly, the busy times seem to have grown.


For information about salaries in this profession, please click on the Australian Government Workplace Authority link below.

Business degree programs are offered through Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan and Murdoch Universities, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and the University of Western Australia. For more information, please contact the tertiary institution of your choice direct or check out the Universities site below.

The Diploma of Accounting is offered at various TAFE campuses, which can lead to work as an assistant accountant. For more information, check out the TAFE site below.

A number of private providers also offer certificate and diploma courses in business studies. See the National Training Information Services (NTIS) website for listings.

If you choose to do further studies at university upon completion of a TAFE accounting course, please check with the different institutions for the number of units of credit that are transferrable.

If you're still in high school, take computer, maths and accounting courses. Equally important, with the accountant's strong client focus, you'll need to develop your written and verbal communication skills.

	Other Training Providers
	National Training Information Service website.
	TAFE Colleges
	Homepage links and contact details for all TAFE Colleges in WA.
	TAFE Handbook
	An online guide to full-time TAFE courses throughout WA.
	Universities
	Homepage links and contact details for all Universities in WA.

CPA Australia
PO Box 7378, Cloisters Square WA 6850 Ph: (08) 9481 5944 Fax: (08) 9321 3026 Email: wa.general@cpaaustralia.com.au URL: http://www.cpacareers.com.au

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
Ground Floor, BGC Centre, 28 The Esplanade, Perth WA 6000 Ph: (08) 9420 0400 Fax: (08) 9321 5141 Email: support@icaa.org.au URL: http://www.icaa.org.au

National Institute of Accountants
Suite 1, Level 2, 78 Mill Point Road, South Perth WA 6151 Ph: (08) 9474 1755 Fax: (08) 9474 2911 Email: wadivn@nia.org.au URL: http://www.nia.org.au

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Tax time has always been a particularly busy time for accountants. With the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax that business is now spread throughout the year.

''I definitely have a lot more contact with my clients since the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced. Prior to that, they would contact me once a year about their income tax but now I get regular enquiries about the GST or the PAYG system,'' says John Savill, a partner in a Perth accounting firm.

John says that the new taxation system promised, and delivered, an increased demand for accountants.

And clients are no longer just looking for 'number crunchers'. Today's accountant has taken on a much wider advisory role according to John.

Accountants have increasingly become the providers of business management information rather than purely financial information. And the skills of accountants are used in virtually every industry.

''We play a key role in the development of strategic business plans, which facilitate change within organisations,'' says John.

John, who has racked up 18 years' experience as an accountant, says that as a partner in a firm it's especially important to him to go the 'extra mile'.

''As a partner ,it's important that I do more for the client than just doing their tax return. The majority of our clients are in small business so I get involved in the management side of their businesses and hopefully help them make more money.''

But John didn't start his accounting career in the 'big smoke'.

''I had just finished a Bachelor of Business degree and I wanted to do something different, so I went to work for a small accounting firm located 300 kilometres from Perth, in a town called Carnamah. Unlike a lot of people that I was at university with who worked in safe, big organisations, I was thrown in at the deep end from day one. And dealing with customers straight up was a great way to learn the 'ins and outs' of accounting,'' says John.

He describes accounting as quite a technical field and adds that a volume of theoretical information underpins his skills. Naturally enough, accounting methods have undergone dramatic change since the introduction of electronic technology.

''You don't need strong mathematical ability, just a knowledge of basic maths because computers are used to perform many calculations. When I first started, tax returns were hand written and we did manual ledgers (bank statements). The computer does it now.''