An ALTC Discipline-based initiative

Here is the background to the project ALTC (Carrick) scoping study “Business as

Usual” identified a particular problem in Accounting driven by many factors including a large unmet demand for accountants.

Report available at www.altc.edu.au

The approach taken in the project A collaborative, sector-wide investigation into the

changing skill set required of professional accounting graduates over the next decade.

Team members: Phil Hancock, University of WA, Bryan Howieson, University of Adelaide, Marie Kavanagh, University of Southern Queensland, Jenny Kent, Charles Sturt University, Irene Tempone, Swinburne University 

The approach used in the project. Action research Semi structured interviews Nvivo analysis

Research questions RQ1: How are stakeholders defining non-technical skills? RQ2: What non technical skills do stakeholders expect of

accounting graduates at recruitment, in training and in ongoing accounting employment?

RQ3: How are stakeholders defining technical skills? RQ4: Are stakeholders satisfied that accounting graduates are

presenting with the required skills and attributes for the profession?

RQ5: Whose responsibility do stakeholders perceive it is to assist accounting graduates to acquire the necessary technical and non-technical skills?

Non-technical skills Communication, Initiative and enterprise Planning and organising Problem solving Self management Teamwork Technological competence

Non Technical Skills Comments

Communication, presentation 45

* Verbal skills, speaking, listening, negotiation and feedback 27

* Written communication, reports 18

Teamwork, good interpersonal skills, fit organisation ethos 45

* Client relationship, focus, rapport, trust 20

* Leadership 18

* Managerial skills 21

Self Management 41

* Ambition 6

* Community involvement, social responsibility 7

* Hard working, dedicated 12

* Holistic, flexible, able to deal with complexity, uncertainty, pressure 11

* Intellectual capacity 2

* Self presentation, professional presence, behaviour 8

* Well rounded, mature, confident persons 20

* Work independently, manage time 13

Initiative and enterprise 35

* Business acumen, knowledge, planning, building 21

* Vision, imagination, seeing the big picture, adding value 4

* Ethics, discretionary behaviour 6

Problem Solving 22

* Applying theory into practice 11

* Critical analysis, thinking skills 11

Technological Competence 12

Planning and Organising 16

* Time, project management skills 5

Recruits Recruitment processes

Recruitment challenges

with changing market,

organisation structures

Total

Communication, presentation 5 16 3 24

Initiative and enterprise 2 7 1 10

Planning and organising 1 2 0 3

Problem solving 1 7 1 9

Self management 9 17 6 35

Teamwork, good interpersonal skills, fit organisation ethos

8 12 424

Technological competence 1 0 2 3

Table 3: The role of non technical skills in recruitment

Comment from a stakeholder But having said that, you need to contextualise it

because grades certainly aren’t everything and our recruitment and screening process, as the same for the chartered firms, looks also at a variety of other attributes and skills that we are interested in, particularly communication skills, team building skills, team work skills, those types of softer skills which you can’t see in a set of grades.

Basic Skills No. of comments

Basic, practical accounting skills 42

Accounts payable 3

Audit 12

Consolidations 2

Variance analysis 1

Entries, debits and credits 11

R&D incentives 1

Reconciliations 4

Retrieving information from the system 2

Superannuation 5

Tax 13

Transactional activity 3

Trusts and companies 2

Understanding financial reports, preparing financial statements 9

IT software skills

Ability to use Excel, MYOB and related accounting software programs

30

Excel 6

 Non-technical Skills Positive Negative

Communication, Presentation skills 13 15

Teamwork, good interpersonal skills, fit organisation ethos 15 8

Self Management Skills 12 5

Initiative and Enterprise 4 2

Problem Solving 4 6

Technological Competence 2 0

Planning and Organising 1 3

Technical Skills    

Basic Accounting Skills 6 13

IT software skills 3 1

Employer's role

Graduate responsibil

ity

PartnershipUniversity's

roleTotal

Communication, presentation

7 2 3 1628

Initiative and enterprise 2 4 1 11 18

Planning and organising 3 0 0 4 7

Problem solving 4 1 2 16 23

Self management 5 2 1 9 17

Teamwork, good interpersonal skills, fit organisation ethos

10 2 2 1125

Technological competence

2 0 0 79

Technical skills

Employer's role 17

Graduate aptitude, responsibility 2

Partnership 3

TAFE model builds skills 1

University's role 32

Importance of the non-technical skills Communication 1 Problem solving 2 Teamwork 3 Self-management 4 Life-long learning 5 Initiative and enterprise 6 Planning and organising 7 Ability to deal with diversity 8 Technology 9

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

4

Mean Q1

Mean Q2

In relation to each of the nine non-technical skills on a scale of 1(not at all)- 5(excellent) how well do you consider you are able todevelop (blue), assess (red) these skills in your students?