CPA Australia’s Jesse Moors talks industry trends

Jesse Moors is a Relationship Manager for CPA Australia and has extensive experience in graduate recruitment.

The industry is evolving

Technological innovations are changing the industry, Moors said, but far from replacing jobs, they’re creating new and exciting opportunities for those in the profession.

“Developments in technology are helping us respond to increasing consumerism and the rapid changes associated with globalisation,” said Moors. “More than ever we are looking to technology to give us the tools to adapt.”

Soft skills are in demand

The uptake of digital advancements has also highlighted the importance of professionals with commercial awareness, cross-cultural practice and good communication and interpersonal skills.

“Universities are really good at equipping students with soft skills like communication and team work and the future of the profession demands this,” said Moors.

You can’t digitise customer experience and human emotion.

Roles are more diverse

The days of the accountants working quietly away in the background are over. According to Moors, accountants have increasingly diverse responsibilities within organisations.

“Accountants must work hands on to partner with organisations to understand their needs and inform their decision making.”

Professor Garry Carnegie, the head of RMIT’s School of Accounting confirmed this trend. “Accounting is not just a technical skill – it’s a social practice that has the capacity to impact human behaviour and influence how organisations make decisions.”

The Australian market is growing

Moors said job vacancy insights indicate that roles for accountants in Australia are on the rise and the evolving capacity of accountants is expanding to include high-end advisory and strategy work, as well as understanding and implementing new technologies.

“The demand is there for accountants to work in a huge range of roles and across all sectors and industries in Australia,” he said. 

Story: Grace Taylor