The Australian Computer Society (ACS) and accounting body CPA Australia say they intend to improve career prospects for IT and finance professionals by aligning their credentials and qualifications.
ACS represents almost 50,000 technology professionals in Australia and is the publisher of Information Age, while CPA Australia represents certified practising accountants.
The two professional associations signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Sydney this week, and signalled an intention to “co-design, develop, and deliver training programs and thought leadership”.
The work would specifically be aimed at improving career opportunities in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IT financial procurement, ethics, and cryptography management, the organisations said.
Tech skills now ‘critical’ to accounting
ACS CEO Josh Griggs said technology such as AI, cybersecurity, and IT skills had now become “a critical part of the accounting profession”.
He said CPA Australia members would be included in ACS’ partnership with risk management and compliance firm Cyberknowledge, whose platform would “provide accounting professionals with essential capability to help small-to-medium businesses assess and improve their cyber resilience”.
“We are also pleased to be working with CPA Australia to incorporate the [ACS] SFIA (Skills for the Information Age) framework into their continuous learning program,” he said.
“This will ensure accounting professionals have the technology skillsets demanded by the modern economy.”
CPA Australia CEO Chris Freeland said the two organisations held “strong ties and common interests” which would be strengthened by working collaboratively on “a longer-term vision”.
“Both are invested in future-proofing the global workforce through mutual activities in skilled migration, educational program accreditations, and meaningful skill capability development programs for both our members and affiliate professionals to help bridge the gap between operational and economic management,” he said.
Using AI ‘effectively and ethically’
Freeland said CPA Australia and ACS recognised AI was “a burgeoning area of technology that could affect every area of the workplace”.
He said the two organisations would use their “extensive networks of subject matter experts” to create training programs informing finance, accounting, and IT professionals how to use AI “effectively and ethically”.
“With the fast-paced change in professional skills required by both current and emerging professionals, CPA Australia and ACS have recognised the importance of working together to develop pertinent specialism streams to support professionals enhance their skill capabilities across the intersection between the technical and financial literacy spheres,” Freeland said.
Other recent MoUs signed by ACS have included an agreement with the federal government’s Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) and global IT association ISACA.
