ANZSCO2211Australian Capital Territory

AccountantsApril 2017

Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch

Department of Employment

Current labour market ratingNo Shortage

Previous labour market rating (February 2015)No Shortage

Comments

Employers generallyattract large fields of applicants, and although the vast majority are considered to be unsuitable, vacancies are filled without difficulty.

Survey results[1]

  • In 2017, employersexperienced little difficulty recruiting accountants, regardless of the accounting specialisation or sector.
  • About90 per cent of surveyed vacancies were filled within six weeks of advertising.
  • There were19.0applicants per vacancy, on average, of whom 9.5 were qualified and 4.0were considered to be suitable.
  • Half of the surveyed employers attracted more than 14 applicants and almost every employer had the choice of more than five.
  • The small number of unfilled vacancies attracted qualified applicants but they lacked the specific level and type of experience required.
  • The survey results suggest that there is an adequate supply of qualified accountants.

Employer Profile

  • Surveyed vacancies were across accounting specialisations including general accounting, management accounting and taxation accounting. Employers were recruiting for positions in a variety of sectors.
  • All surveyed vacancies were for permanent positions, mainly for full-time hours.
  • Employers were looking to fill a mix of intermediate and senior positions.
  • There were no junior or graduate positions identified during this research period, but a small number of employers noted that they had received unsolicited graduate applications.

Employers’ Requirements

  • All surveyed vacancies required degree qualified and experienced accountants. Around half of the employers also mandated Chartered Accountant (CA) or a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) accreditation (or progress towards).[2]


Unsuitable applicants

  • There were around 10 unqualified applicants per vacancy and they were not considered to be suitable.
  • In some instances, qualified applicants were unsuitable because they lacked additional qualifications or registration such as a CA or CPA.
  • Other applicants were considered to be unsuitable because they lacked the technical experience for the particular accounting specialisation. A large proportion of employers were seeking applicants who had worked in a similar field.
  • Recent graduate applicants and international applicants were generally considered to be unsuitable for the surveyed vacancies.

Demand and supply trends

  • The number of vacancies advertised for accountants on the Internet has been increasingsteadily in the ACTsince a series lowin 2014[3], suggesting that there is rising demand.
  • Training for accountants is available in the ACT through courses such as a Bachelor of Accounting and Bachelor of Commerce, specialising in Accounting.[4]
  • Data from the Department of Education and Training show there were around 60 domestic graduations in the specialisationAccounting in the ACT in 2015, with relatively even numbers of undergraduate and postgraduate completions.
  • International student numbers are markedly higher than those for domestic students in Accounting, with more than 80 undergraduate and 300 postgraduate completions in 2015.

Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch

Department of Employment

[1] The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of Employment - Document library, Australian Governmentand can also be accessed by the QR code

[2] For consistency purposes, the research defines a qualified applicant as someone that holds a bachelor degree or higher in the specialisation Accounting.

[3]Department of Employment, Internet Vacancy Index, February 2017

[4] Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Student Data Collection, 2015, Customised Tables in 2016