Do you want to become a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA))? Do you want to be ready for the way accountants’ roles will be changing in future?
Do you want to become an Associate General Accountant (AGA(SA)), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)? Or a tax practitioner, internal auditor or financial analyst?
These accountancy roles are highly sought after in industry, but the role of the accountancy profession is changing. Trends such as machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing the operating environment for accountants, as these allow for routine accounting tasks to be automated. This in turn empowers accountants to shift their focus towards becoming trusted advisors for the organisation rather than merely ‘number crunchers’. They have more time to interrogate historical and current fiscal data, enabling them to generate invaluable insights for their data fuelled business. The accountant then focusses on managing risk, effective budgeting, analysing variances, tax planning, forecasting, valuations, optimising operations and compliance with the more technical and specialist aspects of accounting and tax.
Forward thinking institutions of higher learning are already helping prepare today’s accountancy students for their future workplace and this new trusted advisor role. At Emeris, for example, you are encouraged to learn the technical knowledge and business skillsets required within your chosen accountancy profession, along with the soft skills you need in the digital era such as entrepreneurial skills, critical thinking, data analysis, communication and intercultural group work, with an overarching view of being an ethically responsible leader who will become a value creator in your own right. Additionally, you are encouraged to adopt a learning mindset which enables you to continuously update your skills and become a lifelong learner to remain highly employable and sought after in the job market. The accountant’s key value proposition therefore lies in how the knowledge (or information) that is readily available to everyone, can be interpreted and used to create value for the client or entity in such a way that no artificially intelligent machine or robot can ever do. Moreover, all the accounting qualifications have a large focus on professional skills development, including problem solving, critical thinking, innovation, judgement, professional scepticism, leadership and finance in a digital era.
Profession bodies such as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA) has driven their competency frameworks to develop the accountants of the future. Emeris has responded by accepting this challenge and by being a leader in changing the way accountants are educated to deliver business savvy professional and chartered accountants, management accountants and many more to the profession that will drive it into the next era!
Ultimately, accountants need to expand their skills beyond the traditional scope associated with accountants to remain relevant in the digital era. They must establish themselves as creators of business value. If you are interested in joining an academic community that knows what the future profession will look like, as we are shaping it ourselves, please have a look at the qualifications listed above.
If you are interested in applying for an accounting degree, more information can be found here.
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