Consultancies Suggestions for Accounting Internship - Brisbane

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  dust on 25/01/2023 - 20:57

  +3

  I'm pretty sure unpaid internships are illegal.

  Has your friend tried applying for entry legal bookkeeping/accounts payable/receivable jobs?

  • 

    CrypticM on 25/01/2023 - 21:03

    Thanks for the reply.

    Yes, she did. Most of the jobs asking for basic experience which she didn't have other than TAFE course training.

    We were thinking may be a consultancy provided internship can be best way forward.

    To state an example, have another friend who is a mechanical engineer, some consultancy charged him for reference services and arranged him internship ( with basic pay). Looking for similar services for accounting in Brisbane.

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  p1 ama on 26/01/2023 - 00:46

  +1

  Accounting and bookkeeping are very different, but I'll get back to that.

  On accounting first - if you want to go into accounting, basically you look at books (i.e. you're an auditor, controls, risk…etc.), or your work is more strategic in nature (i.e. you are a finance business partner, for instance). None of these types of roles can be filled by someone with a Cert 4, they all require at least a Bachelors' degree, some work experience (e.g. with an accounting firm), with relevant industry qualifications (e.g. CA). The way that most accountants get into the roles they want is by getting into a graduate program at one of the Big 4 accounting firms, getting sponsored to do a CA, then leaving after a few years.

  If your mate wants to become an accountant, she needs to do a university-level accounting degree.

  Bookkeeping is different - a bookkeeper's work is not strategic in nature and you will not find employment with a consultancy because these are not the types of services that they offer. Your best bet is to work with a small business and help them manage their finances. I would almost imagine medium-scale SMBs, like a car dealership, tuition centre…etc. something a bit more complex than a small shop or restaurant.

  The realistic truth (at least from my understanding) is that accounting software can do most of the work that bookkeepers traditionally did, and the reality is that your mate is not really in a position where she can be offering strategic advice to her employer, which is what people would want if they were to hire someone to manage their finances. In other words, not someone to just do the bookkeeping, but also someone who can help them understand how their business works, what opportunities are available, how to understand their financials better (in terms of ratios…etc.).

  I think it'll be really hard based on the reality of the market. Has your mate tried talking to others in her cohort to see where they're headed?

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  freefall101 on 26/01/2023 - 14:47

  +1

  She won't be able to get there on a Cert IV IMO. A lot of students come from overseas with a bachelors in accounting and pay a fair bit to get into programs that include work experience components. If she wants to be a bookkeeper, I'd do some training in Xero or start looking for jobs in payroll as a foot in the door (or try AP/AR roles).

  Generally volunteering/free internships are illegal though in Australia. There has been many examples of for-profit companies back-paying wages to "volunteers".

  What's a bachelor in electronics made up of though? If it's electrical engineering then I'm surprised she can't find a job, especially if she has any experience.

  • 

    CrypticM on 27/01/2023 - 00:51

    Thanks. Bachelor of electronics is mainly on electronics such as micro processors and generic electronics stuff. Very very few opportunities here.

    You mentioned about for profit companies, I am looking exactly for them. Any references?