Looking for opportunities to grow your RTO into new areas of training? Check out the popular FNS40217 Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and Accounting qualification, leading to quality vocational outcomes and opening the door to BAS Agent registration so your students to further their bookkeeping & accounting career.
With work opportunities across a huge range of industries and demand for training nationwide, this course will suit RTOs operating in their local area only AND on a national level.
Critically for RTOs, the Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and Accounting (including the two TPB units covering GST/BAS taxation principles) is the easiest way for most bookkeepers to meet the educational requirements to gain BAS Agent registration. This is required to hold certain positions and offer a range of GST-related services as a contract bookkeeper, meaning on-going demand for training as bookkeepers across the country wish to formalise their skills to advance their career in the industry.
The FNS40217 Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and Accounting Qualification
FNS40217 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping is a nationally recognised qualification that is ideal for people searching for job opportunities in the growing bookkeeping and account industry sector. This is an entry-level qualification with minimal entry requirements that gives RTOs the opportunity to train a large number of students with little or no experience in accounting or bookkeeping and are actively seeking employment.
The Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping is designed to meet all Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) requirements which outlines all the qualifications and experience for tax agents. The qualification is a great launching point for people seeking careers in accounting and bookkeeping, and Business Activity Statement (BAS) agents. This qualification is also a must-have for people BAS agents applying for TPB accreditation.
Training Opportunities
Currently, there are only 143 Registered Training Organisations that deliver this highly-sought qualification. The number of accounting clerks is expected to remain stable for the next five years. It is projected that the job openings for accounting clerks will be around 53,000 job openings over five years or around 10,500 a year. This is a very large occupation area, with job openings and training demand nationwide. Job openings for accounting clerks are available in almost every type of industry with 15 percent of accounting clerks having a Certificate III/IV qualification.
The employment outlook for bookkeepers is expected to stay the same over the next five years. It is expected to grow from 116,000 in 2018 to 118,500 by 2023. Some of the jobs that are generated come from new job openings, but most come from employee turnover or workers leaving. Approximately 18 percent of bookkeepers have a Certificate III/IV qualification.
The FNS40217 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping supersedes both the FNS40215 Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and FNS40615 Certificate IV in Accounting. There is currently no information with regards to the number of students taking the qualification. However, student numbers for FNS40215 Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and FNS40615 Certificate IV in Accounting has been growing steadily for the past three years which shows growing interest among students.
Careers
The Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping was developed to deliver the skills and knowledge required for individuals seeking employment in the accounting sector, including account clerks, bookkeepers, and BAS agents. Student who successfully complete this qualification can:
- Be recognised as a holder of the most current nationally recognised Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping qualification
- Be recognised for completing units covering Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Business Activity Statements (BAS) which are required to become a registered BAS agent.
Completing the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping course gives your students the opportunity to work in a variety of job roles across several industries. Employment opportunities relevant to this qualification are:
- BAS Service Provider
- Accounts Payable Officer
- Bookkeeper
- Accounts Clerk
- Accounting Assistant
- Debtors Clerk
- Payroll officer
- Accounts Receivable Officer
- Accounts support officer
Qualifications and Experience for BAS Agents
To become a registered BAS agent, individual applicants must satisfy certain qualifications and experience requirements, which are set out in the Tax Agent Services Regulations 2009 (TASR).
- A Certificate IV Financial Services (or a higher award) in bookkeeping or accounting from a registered training organisation or an equivalent institution
- Board approved course in basic GST/BAS taxation principles (GST/BAS course)
- 1,400 hours of relevant experience in the past four years.
Skills Overview
Your accounting and bookkeeping training resources will help to offer your students a wide range of accounting and bookkeeping skills that includes:
- Prepare financial reports
- Establish and maintain a payroll system
- Operational reporting
- Prepare Business Activity Statements (BAS)
- Create basic management reports
- Operate computerised accounting systems
- Prepare subsidiary accounts and ledgers
- Small business planning
- Manage operational budgets
Accounting and Bookkeeping Training Resources
Your accounting and bookkeeping training resources include a set of learning resources and assessment tools to deliver high-quality training to your students.
- Student Assessment Workbooks –assessment tasks for your students to complete and submit for evaluation.
- Trainer Assessor Assessment Materials – benchmark answers for your assessors to mark against, including evidence criteria used to judge the quality of the submission, so your trainers have clear rules for judgements of competence.
- Mapping Documents – lets you map each task against the unit of competency/training requirements
- Learner Guides – learning content and self-check questions for your students
Course Duration
MySkills reports that the average course duration for this qualification is one year. This is the average course duration as submitted by 23 training providers.
Course Structure and Units
The FNS42017 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping packaging rules requires students to complete 13 units. Compliant Learning Resources offers a range of units you may use to design your own FNS40217 course:
Core:
- BSBFIA401 Prepare financial reports
- BSBSMB412 Introduce cloud computing into business operations
- FNSACC311 Process financial transactions and extract interim reports
- FNSACC312 Administer subsidiary accounts and ledgers
- FNSACC408 Work effectively in the accounting and bookkeeping industry
- FNSACC416 Set up and operate a computerised accounting system
- FNSTPB401 Complete business activity and instalment activity statements
- FNSTPB402 Establish and maintain payroll systems
Electives:
- FNSACC405 Maintain inventory records
- FNSACC412 Prepare operational budgets
- FNSACC413 Make decisions in a legal context
- FNSACC414 Prepare financial statements for non-reporting entities
- BSBITU306 Design and produce business documents
- BSBITU402 Develop and use complex spreadsheets
Course Fees
The average course fee as submitted to MySkills by 21 training providers is $2500. This number does not reflect the average course fee for all RTOs that offer this qualification.
Entry Requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for the FNS42017 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping qualification. However, minimum requirements set by most RTOs offering this course include:
- Must be 18 years old or over
- Must have appropriate language, literacy, and numeracy skills to perform basic training tasks
Searching for high-quality accounting and bookkeeping training resources for your RTO? Get in touch with us now at Compliant Learning Resources! Australia’s most trusted source for nationally recognised learning resources.
