The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia announced today a partnership with Deakin University to offer the Graduate Certificate of Chartered Accounting Foundations, a new course for graduates from non-accounting backgrounds who want to establish a career in Chartered Accounting.  
 
Since 1997 the number of domestic students selecting an accounting degree has remained flat while the Australian economy continues to grow, contributing to a major skills shortage in accounting. 
 
“Offering the Chartered Accountants Program to non-accountants increases the talent pool to fill accountant positions. The Graduate Certificate will provide a solution to those employers that have found it difficult to recruit accountants due to the acute skills shortage.” said Graham Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. 
 
"Our partnership with Deakin University offers a highly accessible, one-year online course for non-accounting graduates that have completed, for example, a science or engineering based degree and decided to make a career change. The course also provides those currently working in accounting roles the ability to move their career to the next level," Meyer continued. 
 
The course is part of the changes to the Institute’s Chartered Accountants Program to open up the Program to graduates with non-accounting degrees announced last year.  
 
The course will begin in March 2007 and is structured with six modules: Financial Accounting, Auditing, Finance, Management Accounting, Commercial and Corporations Law, and Taxation. Those graduates with some post-graduate accounting knowledge are able to apply for ‘advanced standing’ for the relevant modules and only complete the units they need to fill knowledge gaps. 
 
“The Graduate Certificate replicates the English model which sees a high percentage of graduates from non-accounting degrees with diverse backgrounds and knowledge entering the Chartered Accountants profession. We are pleased to be working with the Institute to offer a course that expands students career options and also helps alleviate the accounting skills shortage in Australia,” said Professor Philip Clark, Dean, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University. 
 
Students that complete the Graduate Certificate of Chartered Accounting Foundations can begin the Chartered Accountants Program when employed in a full time accounting position with an Institute accredited firm.  
 
The total cost of the Graduate Certificate is $8,400 and enrolment for March is open until 15th February 2007.