Which Accounting Course is the Right One For Me?

1. Assess Your Career Goals

Before enrolling in a course, take some time to think about what you want to achieve with your accounting skills. Are you looking to:

· Launch a career in accounting or bookkeeping?

· Enhance your current job skills to take on more responsibility?

· Start your own business and handle your own finances?

· Pursue a specialised accounting role, such as tax preparation or financial analysis?

Your goals will influence whether you need a basic overview, a more advanced specialisation, or certification to work in the field.

2. Consider Your Current Experience Level

Your current knowledge of accounting or bookkeeping will help determine where to start. Do you already have some accounting skills or are you completely new to the field?

Beginner Courses: Ideal for individuals with little to no prior knowledge. These courses typically cover fundamental concepts like basic accounting principles, bookkeeping methods, and how to use accounting software. Topics include understanding balance sheets, income statements, and basic tax reporting. An example is our Accounting Principles Skill Set course or the BAS Agent Registration Skillset.

Intermediate Courses: For those with some experience or foundational knowledge, intermediate courses go deeper into topics like financial reporting, budgeting, and cost management. They may cover advanced topics like managing payroll and understanding more complex tax regulations. An example is our Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping or Diploma of Accounting.

Advanced Courses: Designed for professionals looking to specialise or gain expertise in a particular area, such as forensic accounting, auditing, or financial analysis. These courses will dive deeper into topics such as advanced financial modeling, financial statement analysis, and international accounting standards. Examples of more advanced courses are the Tax Agent Certification or the Advanced Diploma of Accounting.

3. Explore Different Learning Formats

There are various learning formats available for accounting courses. Consider which one works best with your schedule, learning style, and budget.

· Online Courses: These are flexible and can be taken from anywhere. You are the boss of your own learning! Online courses often come with webinars, reading materials, quizzes, projects or case studies and generally house all of these resources and your submissions on a secure learning platform or portal. Look for courses that have good support (from other students, a course adviser and access to trainers/assessors) helping you stay accountable, interested and on-track with your online course.

· In-Person Classes: If you prefer a structured classroom environment, local community colleges, universities, or private institutions offer in-person courses. These can provide more in-class project work with classmates and interaction. The set classes may, however, be difficult to attend, more expensive and extend the duration of the course. There is little to no flexibility around the timing of workshops in this sort of structure.

4. Consider Software and Tools

In today’s world, accounting and bookkeeping work is largely supported by the use of software. The ability to use tools like QuickBooks, Xero, MYOB, Sage, and FreshBooks is essential in many roles. Consider taking a course in these software platforms separately or look for accounting courses that cover this training within the existing modules.

5. Budget and Time Commitment

Accounting courses can range from a few hours to several months or years, depending on the level of expertise you wish to achieve.

· Short-Term Courses: If you’re looking for a quick way to gain foundational skills, look for short-term courses that provide basic knowledge. These can range from a few days to a few weeks.

· Long-Term Courses: If you're aiming for an in-depth understanding or certification, be prepared to commit several months or even years. Be mindful that you don’t always have to go to university for 3-4 years to achieve the same outcome, however. At NBIA, our accounting pathway through the Advanced Diploma can get you qualified in half the time (and less than half the cost!) of a university degree!

Make sure to balance the course duration with your availability and commitments such as work or family responsibilities, as well as with your career goals. While some short certification courses may require extra hours upfront, they can fast-track your qualification—helping you enter the workforce sooner and start seeing the rewards of your education!

Also, consider your budget and ability to pay up front versus via a student loan or payment plan, for example. Most professional certification courses will be more affordable overall than a university pathway. You typically need to pay up-front or at least by the time you complete the course (ask us about our interest free payment plans). A university course payment can be deferred until your income exceeds a set threshold, after which it is repaid over time. (Be sure to check out the Australian Government’s Study Assist program).