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TAFE NSW has partnered with an accounting software provider in a bid to expose its students to a broader range of workplace tools, as Deloitte looks to its students to add “hands on” experience to its pool of graduates.
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Deloitte looks to up TAFE student intake as curriculum gets a boost
17 January 2018
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Reckon has teamed up with TAFE NSW to provide access to Reckon One to bookkeeping students, following a successful pilot program in 2017. TAFE NSW had previously only used MYOB in its courses.
The move will be in effect for a Cert IV in Bookkeeping and Cert III in Business Administration that is completed online.
Reckon Australia and New Zealand managing director Sam Allert said the move came after demand from the accounting and bookkeeping industry for graduates with experience using multiple software platforms.
“This partnership has been designed to provide students with confidence to move forward in contemporary accounting business practices by offering the right foundation and all the bookkeeping principles needed to run a business,” Mr Allert said.
“Upon completion, students will be able to use Reckon One efficiently, have the practical skills needed to interpret data and then make strategic business decisions.”
General manager of TAFE NSW Digital Megan Aitken said businesses of all sizes were focused on efficiency, particularly through shifting more work to the cloud.
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“While a decade ago there were only two major software programs used in the accounting and bookkeeping industry, the market has changed and there are now several platforms in common use,” Ms Aitken said.
“Many major accounting firms are rethinking traditional graduate recruitment pathways, which have long relied upon those with university qualifications.
“The finance sector is fast recognising the need for graduates that have both theoretical knowledge and hands-on training – TAFE NSW is providing both, ensuring students will hit the ground running from day one on the job.”
Coincidentally, big four firm Deloitte has also announced that it will be reserving slots in its annual experienced hire intake for TAFE NSW graduates.
Deloitte’s national talent acquisition senior manager for experienced hire, Donna McLeod, said the finance sector needed confidence that new graduates had the necessary hands-on skills to thrive in the workplace.
“We certainly see brilliant candidates coming out of TAFE NSW equipped with the right skills to work at small and large accounting firms,” Ms McLeod said.
“With this in mind, Deloitte is looking to recruit more TAFE students within its business.”
Education woes
The new partnership follows increasing pressure from the industry on education providers to update their syllabus, with major universities such as UNSW, Macquarie University and Deakin University conceding that accounting degrees are not sufficient in preparing graduates to enter the industry.
Practice Ignition head of accounting and strategic partnerships Trent McLaren believes the gap in knowledge presents an opportunity for graduates who are exposed to accounting software as early as possible.
“This year, more than ever, highlighted that there is a gap between accounting firm expectation on graduate hires and the skills graduates come out of education with,” Mr McLaren told Accountants Daily.
“The fundamentals of accounting will always be important, but when majority of the work is starting to be based around cloud software, tools and applications, it’s imperative these grads get access and exposure to this technology early in their educational journey.”
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