Real Life Stories: Why I Chose an Accounting Degree

Ever wondered why someone would choose an accounting degree? In these interviews, ICMS accounting students and graduates share what influenced their study decisions, their experiences at ICMS and their early career journeys.

The interviews reflect their circumstances and professional roles at the time they were conducted.

Name: Mariana Vicente
ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) (2024)
Role at time of interview: Industry training
Company: Kelly+Partners

Q: What inspired you to study an accounting degree?

I chose to study accounting after becoming aware of all the different aspects involved in the business environment through completing the Economics and Business Studies subject as part of my Higher School Certificate (HSC).

During my study of the ‘Finance’ topic in Business Studies, I learnt about the basics of financial reports, which made me aware of the importance of accounting. In my opinion, accounting is useful not only in a workplace setting, but also in one’s personal life, which is one of the main reasons as to why I chose this specialisation.

By studying an accounting degree, I will be able to work in any area of the business industry with my general business management skills and knowledge.

Q: Why did you choose to study an accounting degree at ICMS?

Studying the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) has allowed me to expand and solidify my previous existing knowledge, and build a foundation of skills which will be useful in my future job when reviewing, monitoring and managing budgets.

Throughout my time at ICMS, my lecturers have been great mentors and have taught me incredibly valuable lessons. Each one of them has had years of experience in the industry, which has provided great value to my learning as they are able to share their personal opinions and past experiences.

Subsequently, this has solidified my understanding of the topics being discussed and has also challenged me to question my own thoughts and put them into perspective. Overall, by learning from their experiences, I hope to make adequate decisions in the future to help me achieve my career goals.

Q: How will your ICMS industry training at Kelly+Partners help you in your career?

By doing my industry training at this prestigious firm, I hope to gain exposure to real life scenarios currently happening in the accounting field.

Additionally, by the end of my internship I hope to have a proficient understanding of tax returns and business activity statements, along with their usefulness and importance.

* The placement is part of the ICMS Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme which offers individually tailored internships as part of all degrees offered at ICMS.

Name: Thomas Bramley

ICMS qualification: Bachelor of Business (Accounting) (2021)

Role at time of interview: Consultant, Private Tax

Company at time of interview: PwC

Q: What inspired you to study an accounting degree?

I originally started studying an ICMS Bachelor of Business (Marketing) for the work integrated experience component of my tertiary studies that ICMS offers.

However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, I pivoted to follow my desire to help business owners achieve their goals and ambitions through financial empowerment through an ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting).

I came to the conclusion this was most effective through an in-depth understanding and solid grounding of financial information and hence decided to take up the accounting qualification and to work towards my Chartered Accountancy (CA).

This passion of working with business owners was what fueled my desire to switch and I have loved every minute of it since!

Q: Can you please explain more about your role, what it entails, and how you got there?

I am currently working as a consultant in the PWC Private Tax team based in Melbourne, Australia.

I work on a large variety of clients, mainly supporting both private business owners and senior management of large multinational companies with their various tax affairs here in Australia and internationally.

I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to a wide variety of matters, whether it be international structuring, due diligence for both buy and sell side, Australian tax compliance or legal analysis and advisory pieces.

Q: What is the best thing about working in the accounting industry?

The best thing about working in the professional services space is either being surrounded by some pretty amazing people or the constant opportunities to learn and grow.

I have met some empowering entrepreneurs, caring leaders/mentors and, perhaps most importantly, a bunch of fun and motivated colleagues who I am lucky to now call friends.

Whether it be the support from the firm to pursue my CA or the constant upskilling opportunities, there is so many ways to apply yourself and get more out of your day-to-day. The free coffee in the office is also a nice perk!

Name: Alana Williams
ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) (2023)
Role at time of interview: Graduate Accountant
Company: Peer Wealth

Q: What inspired you to study an accounting degree at ICMS?

By choosing to study at ICMS, I knew that I would be graduating with more than just a piece of paper – I would be walking away with the essential skills to assist me in building my career and have that ‘head start’ of having gained hands on experience within the industry.

I feel with that my time at ICMS, I have been incredibly fortunate for all the opportunities the college has posed to me.

ICMS prides themselves with the professionalism they place not only on their learning experiences, but also the preparation they provide in assisting you in securing your dream job.

I knew that by studying at ICMS, I would have been well prepared for entering the accounting industry, and also would have been able to make countless, valuable industry connections that would be able to assist me to flourish within the industry.

Q: What is the best thing about working in the accounting industry?

Meeting new people and dealing with different clientele from all walks from life; it is also such a transversal field. No day is ever the same, you will always be doing something different and for someone different. It keeps me on my toes.

Q: ICMS prides itself on mentoring students to achieve their career goals. Has this been your experience and, if so, in what specific ways?     

ICMS has not only equipped me with the essential skills I will require to flourish throughout my career. Given all lecturers are from the industry, they were constantly guiding me with what I need to do to get to where I need to be.

Additionally, with the numerous events ICMS holds, I was fortunate enough to be invited as a guest from the ICMS Deans List to attend their Annual Partners Lunch. Here, I was able to expand my network and make valuable connections throughout various industries.

What can you do with an accounting degree from ICMS?

The ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) is accredited by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and CPA Australia, and recognised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Subject to completing the required subjects, graduates meet the academic entry requirements for the CA ANZ and CPA Australia professional programs and may be eligible to apply for associate-level membership. Progression to full professional qualification requires additional study and relevant work experience.

Recognition by ACCA means graduates may be eligible for exemptions from selected ACCA examinations, depending on the subjects completed, and may satisfy the academic requirements to commence the ACCA professional qualification.

To find out more about the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting), click here.

Disclaimer: The views and experiences shared in this article reflect those of the individuals interviewed at the time and may not represent their current employment circumstances. Individual student experiences, professional placement opportunities and graduate employment outcomes vary and are not guaranteed.

The ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) is accredited by CA ANZ and CPA Australia and recognised by ACCA. Separate professional accreditation, membership and registration requirements apply to accounting careers. These may include additional study, examinations and practical experience undertaken independently of ICMS. Students and graduates should confirm current requirements directly with the relevant professional body or regulator.