TAFE NSW has partnered with an accounting software provider in a bid to expose its students to a broader range of workplace tools, as Deloitte looks to its students to add "hands on" experience to its pool of graduates.
Reckon has teamed up with TAFE NSW to provide access to Reckon One to bookkeeping students, following a successful pilot program in 2017. TAFE NSW had previously only used MYOB in its courses.
Coincidentally, big four firm Deloitte has also announced that it will be reserving slots in its annual experienced hire intake for TAFE NSW graduates.
Deloitte's national talent acquisition senior manager for experienced hire, Donna McLeod, said the finance sector needed confidence that new graduates had the necessary hands-on skills to thrive in the workplace.
"We certainly see brilliant candidates coming out of TAFE NSW equipped with the right skills to work at small and large accounting firms," Ms McLeod said.
The new partnership follows increasing pressure from the industry on education providers to update their syllabus, with major universities such as UNSW, Macquarie University and Deakin University conceding that accounting degrees are not sufficient in preparing graduates to enter the industry.
Practice Ignition head of accounting and strategic partnerships Trent McLaren believes the gap in knowledge presents an opportunity for graduates who are exposed to accounting software as early as possible.
"This year, more than ever, highlighted that there is a gap between accounting firm expectation on graduate hires and the skills graduates come out of education with," Mr McLaren told Accountants Daily.