A degree in accountancy opens up many interesting career options for graduates, beyond striving to become an auditor or chartered accountant.

Take University of Johannesburg grad, Rebecca Mulaudzi, as an example. Her qualification has given her an entrance into a field where training, information technology and finance intersect. As a trainer at Sage Pastel Accounting, she trains working professionals and graduates in using Sage Pastel’s business software, empowering them with skills that help them perform at work and advance their careers.

Rebecca completed her BCom Accounting Degree in 2014 and struggled to find just the right job because so many employers were looking for people with experience. After looking at a number of graduate and intern programmes, she sent an email to Sage South Africa, about its Sage Evolution internship.

After a successful interview, Sage Pastel brought her on board.  In the six month programme, she would get three months of intensive product training and then spend three months working with one of Sage Pastel’s business partners.

A practical workplace experience

“While we were being trained on the product itself, I felt like I was back in varsity,” says Rebecca. “The course really challenged me and I had to push myself to the next level. I did not only learn about the system, but also about workplace conduct. This was very important to me because this is not something you learn at school or university - you can only learn it through practical experience.”

Following her training at Sage Pastel - which included two weeks of practical intern work for Sage divisions - Rebecca joined a Sage Business Partner for three months. Here, she had the opportunity to work on customer projects and gain exposure to how companies implement and use Sage Pastel Evolution in the real-world.

“The business Partner, made me feel really welcome, and I learnt so much during my time with the company,” says Rebecca. “I was proud at the end of the programme to be certified as a Sage Evolution Premium Expert.”

Opening new doors

“The mixture of Sage Pastel Accounting experience and an accounting qualification opens doors for me,” Rebecca adds. “Most accounting jobs require knowledge of an accounting system. I knew job hunting was not going to be an issue because of the skill I have. I hope Sage Pastel keeps the internship program going, empowering and creating jobs for the youth of our country.”

Sage Pastel was impressed by Rebecca’s work ethic, talent, and interpersonal skills, so the company offered her a permanent job as a trainer. “I love improving myself and Sage Pastel gave me that opportunity,” she says. “I now want to give the same chance to others and training is a great way for me to do that.”

Why learning accounting software matters Daryl Blundell, General Manager of Sage Pastel Accounting, says that accountancy is a life skills subject that can assist a learner or university graduate in nearly any career and in every industry. It can empower you to run your own business, work in certain fields of IT, pave the way to management, or give you a challenging and satisfying career in traditional disciplines such as finance management or auditing.

“In the working world, meanwhile, there are very few businesses left that do not have accounting software in place,” says Blundell. “We’d like to see university students and high school learners have access to accounting software that prepares them for the workplace.” In addition to the Sage Evolution Premium Learnership, Sage Pastel offers a range of options for schools.

Sage Pastel Accounting has a longstanding and successful initiative for teaching basic computerised accounting and bookkeeping to learners in grades 8 to 12. The Sage Pastel Certified School Programme aims to teach learners how to use a computerised accounting solution in line with the accounting curriculum.

Its Business Incubator course for Grade 11 and 12 Business Studies helps them to develop entrepreneurial ideas to create, register and run their very own business. For Grade 8 and 9 Economic and Management Sciences, Sage Pastel has a Computerised Accounting Module that complements the existing theoretical curriculum with a practical component.