Jonathan Dent FCPA

I think there's a myth that accounting is boring, but that hasn't been my experience at all. I think accounting for me has been a gateway to allow me to be part of management teams, part of the group making decisions to drive the direction of a business. And I think that's really exciting work.

Chris Mamarelis FCPA

I think that myth of the bean counter just needs to be shredded because when I think about accounting and what it's done for me, I've been able to change organisations for the better. Drive exciting innovation programs, and importantly, change people's lives and have positive impact in that space. And it's all thanks to the accounting foundation that I've had.

Dionie Lippis ASA

I think the biggest myth about accounting is that we all sit behind desks and process numbers. I mean, it's true. That is a component of what we do. However, as things become more and more automated, we will be doing that less and the true value of accounting will be to provide clients with insights to their data and make the numbers talk.

Andrew Chanmugam FCPA

You know, I think the biggest myth that people have about accountants are they're bean counters and they're locked away in some cupboard in a corner, disconnected from reality and the business. And it couldn't be further from the truth. Accountants are at the heart of everything an organisation does.

CPA Australia is one of the world’s largest accounting bodies, with more than 173,000 members operating in over 100 countries and regions. CPA Australia members represent a broad spectrum of the accounting and finance profession across diverse business and industry sectors – including public practice, not-for-profit organisations, the public sector, academia, small business and large corporate entities.

Designations are used at the end of a person’s name to indicate they have a certain qualification or professional certification. For example, the globally recognised CPA designation represents that a person is a Certified Practising Accountant. It signifies financial, accounting and business advisory professionals of the highest training and expertise.

Professional bodies are typically organisations that support their members to maintain a certain level of skill and knowledge in a chosen profession. Being a member of a professional body allows you to demonstrate your high professional competence, and also gives you access to key services such as education, training, technical support, and advocacy.

Joining a professional body can give you access to a range of career-enhancing benefits including:

• establishing a competitive advantage
• realising your full leadership and earning potential
• receiving regular industry updates
• accessing valuable networking opportunities
• attracting more clients
• committing to lifelong learning.

The CPA Program is an education program that teaches applicants the skills and knowledge they’ll need to become a CPA. The program consists of three key components:

• CPA Program subjects. This relates to education, and is a semester-based, distance-learning program. You’ll have access to a range of learning resources – including printed and online materials – to assist with your studies.
• Your experience requirement. Your working experience counts towards your progression to becoming a CPA – whether you gain this experience before, during or after your studies.
• Your degree. To complete the CPA Program, you must hold a degree that is comparable to an Australian Bachelor’s degree level, or at least eight (8) standard units (one year full time) Australian postgraduate degree level.