Online Accounting Courses to Boost Your Career

Completing an online accounting course is the wisest move you can make if you want more control over the growth of your business or career.

It can sound intimidating, especially if your schedule is packed with personal and professional commitments, but the time and energy you devote to those courses will pay off.

“You may have had an accounting class in high school or college, but that isn’t enough to prepare you to manage a business. So, you may never have had the chance to pick up financial skills. But now is the time,” Karen Berman and Joe Knight wrote in Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs, which Harvard Business Press published in 2008.

“You may be a great salesperson or an inspired engineer. You may be terrific with customers and employees. Your concept for a company is probably fantastic. But if you don’t know finance, you’re operating at a disadvantage in the world of business.”

Your first challenge will be to find a course that is flexible, self-paced, and delivered online, so you can either continue to work full-time or keep working on your business while you study your course.

Be realistic about how much time this can take. An important course like the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping can take up to 1,280 hours if you have minimal accounting or bookkeeping experience.

So, if you devote at least 15 hours a week, you’ll need less than two years to complete the course.

By then, you’ll have gained a strong understanding of finance and practical skills for bookkeeping, including payroll management. You can build on your foundational skills by learning cloud-based accounting software such as MYOB or Xero. Or you can proceed to a Bachelor of Commerce if that is what you want.

“I had a very positive experience when I recently enrolled in a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping FNS40222 course with Ab² Institute of Accounting,” wrote David Hocley, who completed his course in 2022.

“The support staff member who called me after I requested more information was terrific. Understanding what each course provides in terms of qualifications and skills was very important for me to get right…The level of support was amazing. During a phone call from Ab² to see how I was getting on with the course, I mentioned a particular aspect I was finding difficult, and an extra coaching session to help me out was immediately set up. I was impressed with this level of support.

For Nana Wirekoh, who completed the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping FNS40222 in the last quarter of 2022, the weekly check-in sessions and monthly sessions helped tremendously.

“The tutors are consistently supportive, competent, and professional. Everyone throughout the organisation provided expertise and a great experience.”

If you would prefer a course you can complete in less time, a good choice is the Certificate III in Accounts Administration. This will take up to 1,003 study hours and will equip you with the understanding and skills to:

• Perform financial calculations and produce complex spreadsheets.
• Process financial transactions and extract interim reports.
• Administer subsidiary accounts and ledgers.
• Conduct business activities using a computerised accounting system.
• Deliver and monitor a service to customers.

When you find yourself thinking about the costs, remember that certain accounting and bookkeeping course providers like Ab² Institute of Accounting can offer payment plans.

And every time you invest in your learning, you will reap rewards in terms of real-world skills and expanded opportunities, whether you want to lead your own business or climb up a corporate career path.

Accounting Skills Entrepreneurs Need

Sources: “8 Financial Accounting Skills for Business Success” and “5 Essential Accounting Skills for Entrepreneurs,” Harvard Business School Online

The stories of successful entrepreneurs mention a few must-have qualities, among them being determined, optimistic, and resourceful.

To succeed, you’ll need to know what numbers to watch and how to measure them. A good background in accounting and bookkeeping will equip you to protect your business by keeping your records accurate and compliant; projecting your cash flow and resource needs; and ensuring you have enough to grow.

In Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs, Berman and Knight put it this way: “The art of accounting and finance is the art of using limited data to come as close as possible to an accurate description of how well a company is performing.”

“Accounting and finance are not reality; they are a reflection of reality, and the accuracy of that reflection depends on the ability of bookkeepers, accountants, and finance professionals to make reasonable assumptions and to calculate reasonable estimates.” If you want to understand how a business is performing, a third course you’ll want to consider is the Diploma of Accounting. Of the three accounting and bookkeeping courses mentioned here, this will potentially take the longest to complete.

But once you complete it, you can confidently:

• Manage budgets and forecasts.
• Provide financial and business performance information
• Implement internal control procedures.
• Prepare tax documentation.
• Apply legal principles in contract, consumer, corporation, and property law.

We recommend finding yourself an institution that will do more than make your resume look better. To make the most out of your investment in fees, time, and energy, it would be wise to take your accounting or bookkeeping course with a provider that:

• Offers courses developed and taught by real-world industry leaders.
• Suits your schedule and budget, by delivering courses online and, if needed, on a payment plan
• Introduces you to accounting and bookkeeping industry bodies.
• Connects you with potential industry contacts or employers who can keep you informed about opportunities.
• Guarantees prompt and efficient student support, to ease your learning experience.

If you choose well and invest in your growth, your career will keep you learning. It will give you financial stability, the deep satisfaction that comes from solving important challenges, and the ability to create opportunities for others.

We recommend that you explore our courses to see which one best fits your career interests and needs.