Accounting Students Engage with Leading Accounting and Auditing Firms at Career Exhibition

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Firms representing the spectrum of accounting and auditing professions in South Africa converged on the Westville and Pietermaritzburg campuses to participate in Accounting Professions Day 2020.

The annual event hosted by the College of Law and Management Studies’ Student Support Services and the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance (SAEF) saw the firms advising students on the various career avenues available to them within the profession and also provided a platform for them to recruit some of the University’s top Accounting students.

Dean and Head of the SAEF, Professor Mabutho Sibanda thanked the firms for their participation and support. ‘Your willingness to come here, spend resources and bring staff to engage with our students is highly appreciated. It is our desire to inspire greatness as a School and as UKZN to make sure you get quality graduates.’

Among the 18 companies that exhibited were Nolands who were exhibiting for the first time, PKF, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), Standard Bank, the National Treasury, KPMG, the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA) and the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA).

SAIPA Consultant, Master’s in Accountancy student at UKZN and Accounting in CTA tutor, Ms Ayesha Omarjee who represented her employer, said that this was an opportunity to promote SAIPA’s Project Achiever programme and inform students about different career options.

‘The SAIPA Project Achiever programme prepares young Accounting professionals academically and practically to write the Professional Evaluation Exam and earn the prestigious designation of Professional Accountant (SA),’ she said.

Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting student and BCom Accounting graduand, Ms Lungelo Ndlovu said the event was eye-opening. ‘Such events help us to find out about the different career options out there. The industry is very broad; not all firms are the same. Before today I did not know I can do my articles at a bank,’ she remarked.

Words and photographs: Lungile Ngubelanga