BAF3M
Careers in Accounting
Rationale:
In order for students to fully appreciate the accounting course it is important for them to be exposed to
the diversity of careers available to those with an accounting background, degree and/or professional
designation. There are a number of stereotypes and preconceived ideas about accounting that may
keep students from considering a rewarding and diverse career path.
The Task:
Part A: Exploring Current Accounting Career/Job Opportunities via the Internet
1. Go to http://www.monster.ca/ website.
2. Under “Try Job Search” conduct multiple searches for accounting related jobs. You may have to
return to this home page to try new searches with new accounting related terms.
3. Under "Job Title," try entering CMA, CGA, Chartered Accountant, and book keeper for different
searches.
4. Under “Key Words" try leadership, analytical, financial, or accounting, etc.
5. Under "Location" select a major city you would consider living in.
6. If no jobs appear, you may have to increase your distance “radius” - see top of page under
“Location”. Try changing some key or title words.
7. Explore and read through a number of job opportunities available: skills, experience, and educational
requirements requested; suggested salaries; job description; position title; and background on the
company.
8. You will select 5 job postings that you find interesting. Of these five you must include at least one
private sector company (i.e. Ford) and one public accounting firm in the private sector, and one
government job (public sector). The final two can be any job posting of interest to you.
9. For each job posting you are to include the following information:
i.
Position Title
ii.
Name of the company and identify the industry and the sector to which the company belongs,
as well as the type of business ownership.
iii.
Brief description of job responsibilities
iv.
Brief description of skills, experience and educational requirements
requested/suggested.
v.
Potential Salary Range
**Note: Be sure to select job postings that provide you with the information required in
steps 3-5.
**You may also goto Yahoo HotJobs to search for job postings or other sites, though monster.ca is
a better website.
Note: Be sure to organize your work neatly and professionally.
Part B: Professional Designation Educational Paths
1. You are to select an Accounting Professional Designation of your choice that you wish to investigate.
(CA, CGA, or CMA)
2. You will be placed in a group of 3-4 people and together you will prepare an oral presentation
outlining the information required to become either a CGA, CMA or CA. You may use the designation
website and any other resources you find. You may present your information using a powerpoint
presentation or placing your information professionally onto Bristol board that you will refer to in your
presentation.
a. CGA - www.cga-ontario.org
b. CMA - www.cma-ontario.org
c. CA - www.icao.on.ca
http://www.careercruising.com (Username: ottawa
Password: 26150)
Your presentation should include the following information:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Full name of the related Professional Organization, Head Office address, phone number, email
address and designation granted.
Brief description of possible career and salary opportunities with this designation.
What high school courses should a student take who is considering this career path?
College and/or University Requirements and Courses.
Full description of designation program (May include required hours of completion and
additional course requirements including additional testing and examinations. How many
years of college, university, plus any additional experience requirements, exams, etc)
Work experience requirements
Task Evaluation Rubric for BAF3M: Careers in Accounting
Task Description:
Students are to research, gather and organize information pertaining to careers associated with professional accounting designations and bookkeeping.
Students will include job descriptions, potential salary ranges as well as a description of skills, experience, and educational requirements necessary for the
designation and job position.
Used to evaluate the following overall expectations:
ICV.03 describe professional accounting designations and career opportunities.
Specific Expectations:
IC3.01 distinguish among the professional accounting designations in Canada and the corresponding areas of specialization for accountants (e.g.,
financial accounting, management accounting, auditing);
IC3.03 identify and describe various accounting career opportunities that do not require professional accounting designations;
IC3.04 summarize, on the basis of research, the educational requirements of various career paths requiring a background in accounting.
Level 1
Criteria
Knowledge and
Understanding
Demonstrates an understanding
of career opportunities
associated with various
accounting designations.
Demonstrates an understanding
of educational requirements for
various career opportunities.
Thinking and Inquiry
Use of planning skills to gather
and organize accounting career
opportunities and educational
requirements and skills
152%
1
55%
Level 2
1+
58%
262%
2
65%
Level 3
2+
65%
372%
3
75%
Level 4
3+
78%
Demonstrates a limited
understanding of career
opportunities associated
with various accounting
designations.
Demonstrates some
understanding of career
opportunities associated
with various accounting
designations.
Demonstrates considerable
understanding understanding
of career opportunities
associated with various
accounting designations.
Demonstrates a limited
understanding of
educational requirements
for various career
opportunities.
Demonstrates some
understanding of
educational requirements
for various career
opportunities.
Demonstrates considerable
understanding of educational
requirements for various
career opportunities.
Uses planning skills with
limited effectiveness
Uses planning skills with
some effectiveness.
Uses planning skills with
considerable effectiveness
484
%
4
89%
4+
95%
4++
100%
Demonstrates thorough
understanding of
understanding of career
opportunities associated
with various accounting
designations.
Demonstrates thorough
understanding of
educational requirements
for various career
opportunities.
Uses planning skills with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Use of processing and
critical/creative thinking
processes. (evaluation of
information, problem solving,
decision making)
Communication
Expression and organization of
ideas and information in a clear,
logical, format.
Makes use of accounting
conventions, vocabulary and
terminology in both written and
oral form.
Uses processing and
creative thinking skills
with limited effectiveness
Uses processing and
creative thinking skills with
some effectiveness
Uses processing and creative
thinking skills with
considerable effectiveness
Uses processing and
creative thinking skills with
a high degree of
effectiveness
Expresses and organizes
ideas and information with
limited effectiveness.
Expresses and organizes
ideas and information with
some effectiveness.
Expresses and organizes
ideas and information with
considerable effectiveness.
Expresses and organizes
ideas and information with
a high degree of
effectiveness.
Makes some use of
accounting conventions,
vocabulary and
terminology in written form
and oral form.
Makes considerable use of
accounting conventions,
vocabulary and terminology
in written form and oral form.
Makes use of accounting
conventions, vocabulary
and terminology in written
form with a high degree of
effectiveness and oral
form.
Makes limited use of
accounting conventions,
vocabulary and
terminology in written
form and oral form.