Accounting pathways in focus
AUT Business School welcomed prospective students, whānau and industry representatives for the 2026 iteration of Counting on Success: How Accounting and Finance Can Lead to Different Career Pathways.
The annual event highlights the breadth of opportunities available through accounting and finance careers.
Delivered in partnership with MYOB, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and BDO New Zealand, the evening brought together secondary school students considering future study options alongside their teachers, parents and accounting professionals.
Rather than focusing solely on traditional accounting pathways, the panel explored how financial expertise now intersects with technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship and global business.
Education Manager at MYOB, Shailan Patel, chaired the discussion and encouraged attendees to think broadly about where accounting qualifications can lead – especially in a rapidly changing employment landscape.
The profession continues to evolve alongside advances in digital technology and changing workforce expectations. Yet despite significant developments in tools like AI, the panel emphasised that there remains a lot of ‘people time’ in the accounting world and that there are in fact more accounting jobs now than ever before.
Jade Manolas, Group Financial Controller at Tahua Group, highlighted the growing importance of transferable skills like communication and adaptability, noting, “Accounting graduates increasingly move across roles, industries and even continents throughout their careers.”
Current AUT students also offered advice to attendees about building industry connections and making the most of opportunities beyond the classroom.
Final-year student and Co-President of the AUT Investment Club, Sebastian Varadi, urged students to get involved.
“We often look at people on stage or in leadership roles and assume it's just hardwired into who they are. But it’s built. It’s built by putting your hand up, volunteering and putting yourself in rooms where you have space to grow.”
A poignant reminder from someone who sat in the audience two years ago.
Marketing Manager for AUT Accounting Association, Victoria Clark, had this advice, “Try your hardest, ask lots of questions, and make lots of friends along the way because it’s a fun but wild ride.”
Check out the photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCV2TA