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Focus Session Leaders
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Being a Focus Session Leader provides many valuable benefits, including:  

  • Contributing your knowledge and experience to training future members of the profession
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  • Enhancing your confidence in your own facilitation and leadership skills
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  • Earning Training & Development hours and
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  • Being remunerated whilst 'giving back' to the profession.
Leading focus sessions also provides an ideal way to ensure your technical knowledge remains up-to-date.  
There are also opportunities to undertake exam and extension project marking. Leaders are invited to fill these positions and are remunerated for their time and efforts. 
 
Download Focus Session Leader brochure (358kb,pdf) 
 
How do focus sessions work?  
Focus sessions are a key learning component for the Chartered Accountants Program.  
Each session involves:  
  • Two Focus Session Leaders
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  • Working with approximately 20-25 candidates
The sessions are designed to allow candidates to:  
  • Demonstrate their problem solving skills and understanding of the material
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  • Actively participate in a series of exercises, presentations and discussions.
Each module has a different balance between technical knowledge and problem solving requirements.  
  • Taxation analyses and applies information relating to taxation law including the environment and regulatory framework.
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  • Audit & Assurance explains the framework for auditing and assurance, including topics such as legal and professional requirements, conducting audits, risk, fraud, internal controls, ethics, reporting and assurance and audit related engagements.
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  • Management Accounting & Analysis applies the core concepts of management and strategic accounting, including topics such as forecasting and budgeting with decision tools and investment analysis tools and techniques, corporate finance and risk management, strategic planning and analysis, ethics and corporate governance, and performance reporting.
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  • Financial Accounting & Reporting provides an understanding of the framework for financial accounting, and be able to identify and apply fundamental standards and pronouncement.
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  • Ethics & Business Application integrates ethics and corporate governance and provides a consolidation of the learning from the technical modules, this module draws heavily on candidates’ work experience to apply what they have learnt to solve real business problems.
What experience and skills are required?  
  • Be a Chartered Accountant or hold a similar qualification
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  • Have five years practical work experience, including at least two years experience in a relevant technical area. 
  • To lead focus sessions, Leaders need a working knowledge of the module content areas covered.
Two Leaders are used for each focus session and are selected with complementary experience in the content areas covered in each module. 
 
What are the responsibilities? 
Focus Sessions Leaders take the role of 'leader' rather than that of a 'teacher'. They assist candidates to reflect on and learn from the material presented in each module, by:
  • Assisting candidates' comprehension and encouraging them to improve their knowledge, skills and values
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  • Guiding candidates in applying theory to practical situations and helping them identify areas where they do not have adequate knowledge
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  • Generating relevant discussion and counseling candidates who are not performing adequately in the sessions; and
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  • Formally assessing the contributions made by candidates during sessions and activities.
How much time will it take?  
Leaders attend and conduct the four focus sessions required for every module.  
Each focus session is approximately three hours long, with an extra half hour "meet and greet" before the first session. The sessions are conducted Monday to Thursday over a period of four consecutive fortnights, or over an intensive or split weekend.  
This represents a total of 12 1/2 hours, with additional time required to complete assessment documentation and session preparation.  
 
What is provided?  
The Institute provides Leaders with comprehensive training to familiarise you with the Chartered Accountants Program and requirements of the focus sessions.  
You are also provided with all the required materials, including detailed notes on the module contents. In addition, ongoing support is supplied throughout the module, so you are fully prepared for the sessions.  
 
Who is suited to this role?  
Working as a Leader is a great opportunity for Chartered Accountants with an interest in training future professionals.  
It requires an open, friendly and encouraging personality. Leaders need to be prepared to listen and be keen to help candidates progress through the Chartered Accountants Program. 
In undertaking the role of Leader, you also receive feedback on your own performance from the candidates in your focus sessions.  
 
What to do now?  
If you satisfy the above requirements and are interested in registering to become a Focus Session Leader please complete the Confidentiality Agreement (32kb, pdf) and the relevant experience questionnaire (191kb, pdf) and send to your local regional Institute office.