Keeping in touch with market developments is key to enjoying professio
Keeping in touch with market developments is key to enjoying professional success.
Unfortunately, the reality for many travellers is that once they leave their home shores they quickly drop out of the loop. But it doesn’t have to be that way, with myriad associations able to help keep people in the know with their job market, training and trends in their industry.
Accounting is one of those areas in which support is at hand, especially if you’re a member of CPA (Certified Practising Accountant) Australia, which has 117,000 members in 98 countries as well as an office in London’s Australia House.
CPA president Alex Malley was in the UK this month, and spoke about the importance of accountants keeping abreast of developments in their industry.
“We recognise travel is now fundamental to people and we think our qualification is built to make you as relevant as you can be anywhere you land,” he says.
To assist professionals with both their travels and professional development, Malley says the CPA could provide members with the tools to take them around the globe.
“Wherever you are you can stay linked in with back at home if you wish, or if you’d like to move to Asia at some point, you can link in with our Asian offices and perhaps begin a dialogue with them and let them know you’re looking to travel there,” he says.
With such a variety of work available the CPA is working to shake off the ‘bean counter’ image of accountancy. “We are very much breaking down the image and the barriers of what people consider an accountant to be,” Malley says.
“We’ve been on YouTube. We did a three-and-a-half minute mockumentary called Love Your Super. It was about a young man courting a young lady and he was her super.” It’s a message, Malley says, that extends beyond accounting professionals.
"We’re advocates of the public interest as well, we’re not just advocates to our members,” he says.
» For more information see www.cpaaustralia.com
