Accounting is the language of business. The discipline of measuring, interpreting and communicating financial activity.
Chartered Accountants are accountants who have successfully completed the Chartered Accountants Program (comprised of the Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting and three years of mentored professional work experience). They hold the highest professional qualification available to accountants in Australia.
What do they do?
Chartered Accountants work in commerce (40 per cent), public practice (40 per cent), government and academia. They include the chief financial officers of Australia's Top 500 companies, and the Chartered Accountants auditing all of the top 100 ASX companies.
Chartered Accountants bring their analytic expertise to fields as diverse as strategic planning, market analysis, compliance, change management and the use of information technology.
Where do they work?
As a Chartered Accountant, your skills are currently in high demand in:
- International professional services:
With over 100 or more partners and offices around the world, these global accounting firms include what are commonly referred to as the Big 4 – Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers. If you’re fascinated by the workings of big business, high finance and international commerce then these firms are for you.
- Mid-tier accounting organisations:
Mid-tier firms typically have six or more partners and can offer you the opportunity to specialise in industry areas of particular interest to you. A career path in these firms is well defined and there are some great career development opportunities on offer.
- Small to medium accounting organisations:
With typically only one to six partners, small to medium firms offer a wide variety of work, promotion opportunities and close client contact.
From Sony Music to Microsoft to Westpac: Chartered Accountants are found at the very heart of business and are in high demand for their analytical thinking in an increasingly competitive environment.
From large federal government departments and agencies to state level public sector organisations, Chartered Accountants are highly sought after. If you’re keen to work in the public service it offers interesting and rewarding career opportunities.
- Not-for-profit / charity:
For those looking to work in the not-for-profit / charity sector, becoming a Chartered Accountant also opens many doors. Chartered Accountants help them to make a difference in today’s world.
Institute membership
All Chartered Accountants have to meet the high academic, professional, and ethical standards required for membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia - the most-respected national professional accountancy body.
These standards are the reason Chartered Accountants are highly regarded by business, regulators, and members of the general public. Their analytical thinking is prized in an environment where organisations compete for an edge. It’s one of the reasons Chartered Accountants are among the best-paid professionals in the country.
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The Institute’s education and training pathway is the preferred choice for industry professionals.
Considering a career as a Chartered Accountant? Looking for the next step in your professional life?
The Institute is leading the debate in the areas that matter most to business and the accounting profession. 
The Institute produces an invaluable suite of tools, guidance, products and services to help members in their work. 
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