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Are Accounting Programs Future‐ready? Employability Skills

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  • Ewa Banasik
  • Christine Jubb

Abstract

The first aim of this paper is to ascertain the extent to which Master‐level accounting units across Australian universities incorporate five specific employability skills: digital technology and intellectual, communication, teamwork and leadership and management skills. The accounting profession considers these skills as the skills required of accountants in the foreseeable future. Using the International Education Standards as a benchmark, we review unit outlines and synopses to identify whether these employability skills are reflected in unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes. Our research indicates that too often not evident in the documents examined are exposures to 1) digital technology and accounting software and systems, 2) assessment of oral presentation capability, 3) training that fosters teamwork skills before completion of assessable team tasks and 4) situations that model and develop leadership and management skills. The second aim of this paper is to offer recommendations for the inclusion of these skills into curricula. Based on the literature and best practices identified in this study, we formulate 13 recommendations that we feel, if implemented, would remedy the issues uncovered and improve the integration of these skills into all accounting programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewa Banasik & Christine Jubb, 2021. "Are Accounting Programs Future‐ready? Employability Skills," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 31(3), pages 256-267, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:31:y:2021:i:3:p:256-267
    DOI: 10.1111/auar.12337
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Julie Drake, 2011. "Adding Value to Audit Education through 'Living' Cases," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 203-222.
    2. Patricia Lee Huff, 2014. "The Goal Project: A Group Assignment to Encourage Creative Thinking, Leadership Abilities and Communication Skills," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(6), pages 582-594, December.
    3. Dzuranin, Ann C. & Jones, Janet R. & Olvera, Renee M., 2018. "Infusing data analytics into the accounting curriculum: A framework and insights from faculty," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 24-39.
    4. James Anthony DiGabriele, 2016. "The expectation differences among stakeholders in the financial valuation fitness of auditors," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(1), pages 43-60, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Bradbury & Bryan Howieson, 2021. "Editorial," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 31(3), pages 167-168, September.
    2. Andreea Cordos (Labaditis) & Adriana Tiron-Tudor, 2023. "Employability skills for professional accountants in the midstof Industry 4.0 - a literature review," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 15(8), pages 62-85, November.
    3. repec:fst:rfsisf:v:8:y:2023:i:15:p:62-85 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Valeriu Brabete & Catalin Mihail Barbu & Daniel Circiumaru & Daniel Goagara & Dorel Berceanu, 2024. "Redesign of Accounting Education to Meet the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence – A Literature Review," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 26(65), pages 275-275, February.

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