Does the changing world of professional work need a new approach to accounting education?

Abstract

The paper raises concerns about entry-level positions within large organisations as corporate accounting tasks are re-engineered, automated and relocated. Reduced opportunities for accounting graduates to start their careers are but one factor in a confluence of challenges to accounting education; not least, that in England and Wales study debt is around £50,000 for a typical degree programme. Drawing on discussions from an education/employer stakeholder group, the enquiry finds that longstanding tensions about the optimal mix of intellectual, technical and generic skills in accounting education might be better framed within a broader process of helping students to develop a social identity relevant to their work context. A key proposal is that educators should play a pivotal role in mentoring students so that they develop their own sense of preprofessional identity and thus, become work-ready on graduation.