QUT

CPA Australia – going places

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Anyone who has half-glanced at my CV or some of my blog posts will note that although I provide information systems consulting services to my clients, I am actually a lapsed accountant.  The reason I remain so passionate about CPA Australia is that I think a Commerce or Business degree from a university is the best entry point into the world of business, bar none.  This is even more true if, as a student, you are not certain of your future direction.  Commerce generally, and accounting particularly, lets you direct your career to meet your changing circumstances and professional preferences.  And of course I think CPA Australia is the best accounting professional body for allowing you this flexibility.  Naturally.

By way of example, I quote the members of the CPA Australia Information Technology & Management Centre of Excellence (which I chair) – all qualified accountants (with one exception), all working in very different fields.  This wasn’t necessarily because they felt that accounting was their best entree into the world of IT, but rather because it allowed their career to be flexible and follow their interest whilst maintaining a leading business professional qualification. 

All of which is leading up to the fact that I note that CPA Australia’s new advertising campaign was launched this week.  I had a sneak preview at the new Queensland President’s networking drinks last week (Lyndal Drennan is the new Queensland CPA President) but the ads are, I think, their best yet.  You can see them here:  CPA Australia Advertising Campaign 2006. 

Nicolette Sharp - the only time she goes backwards...

Guest Lecturer – QUT International Business

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I am somewhat passionate about the impact of information systems upon business, and so when I had the opportunity to address the international business and ebusiness subject at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) last week, I fair jumped at the chance.

I think that information systems are the very close bedfellows of business – a clear understanding of both is a key component to career success for most people in business.  So, the powerpoint ‘Career Issues in IS’ is attached (I also understand that QUT made a video of the Thursday night lecture, so I’m sure that’s available to any uni students who are sufficiently interested.

By way of postscript, I note that the students were far more polite than my university class would have been – no-one interrupted the presentation with snoring, for example.  In our day I would have been the recipient of several hundred badly-formed paper planes, I am sure (all those other GenX miscreants, I assure you)…