ABS Accounting Cadetship Program

About the Cadetship Program

This program is designed to provide undergraduate university students (currently studying towards a qualification in Commerce or Economics, with a major in Accounting) the opportunity to gain industry experience while completing their qualification.

The successful cadet will:

• be currently undertaking an undergraduate qualification, with a major in Accounting
• be required to complete their qualification by 2021
• be required to complete approximately 390 hours of work placement over a six month period, this equates to approximately 15 hours per week; there will be an expectation that the successful cadet works full-time over their vacation breaks.
• have the intention of applying to be a Chartered Accountant (CA) and/or Certified Practising Accountant (CPA)
• be able to work from the ABS' Canberra Office.

Benefits of this program:

• competitive salary paid while you are working at the ABS and while you are studying
• permanent employment in the Australian Public Service
• upon successful completion of the program, you will advance to the APS3 Level (with a starting salary of $55,838)
• flexibility to complete your work placement hours around your study and exam timetable
• reimbursement of $800 per study unit (up to 4 units per semester) when you successfully pass semester subjects
• book allowance paid to assist you with your textbook and equipment expenses.

This program is open to students in all years of their undergraduate qualification.

About the Role

Duties will include, but are not limited to assisting with:

• end of month processes such as processing journals, reconciling accounts
• the preparation of financial statements
• drafting accounting position papers, finance reports and briefs
• the preparation of the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) return, GST and BAS
• reviewing and analysing transactions and providing commentary
• the preparation of budgets: internal, external and capital
• asset accounting such as processing additions or disposals in the Asset Register, stocktakes
• collection of data and consolidation of benchmarking results
• maintaining distribution lists, collating and analysing the data for the activity distribution survey
• the development of costings associated with new policy proposals, user funded surveys and internal projects
• the maintenance of the internal and corporate costing models
• system administration tasks for the finance system.

Key Qualities, Experience and Skills

The ideal candidate will have the following attributes:

• strong analytical skills
• attention to detail to produce accurate outcomes
• ability to problem solve
• strong liaison and communication skills
• working collaboratively with team members and stakeholders
• strong Excel skills
• ability to manage competing deadlines
• accounting knowledge and the ability to interpret accounting standards
• time management skills.