Guided by industry consultation, this project reviews payroll, bookkeeping, and accounting qualifications to ensure training responds to skills shortages, digital demands, and fast‑evolving industry practice. 

Payroll, bookkeeping and accounting are undergoing significant structural transformation, driven by workforce shortages, regulatory reform and accelerating digital change. Bookkeeping is now one of the most in-demand finance roles, with the FSO Workforce Plan 2025 projecting the largest workforce deficit across the finance industry by 2030. At the same time, payroll roles are increasing in complexity due to legislative reform, compliance risk and automation, while accounting faces declining enrolments and growing demand for sustainability and AI-related capabilities. 

This project will review payroll, bookkeeping, and accounting qualifications in the Financial Services Training Package (FNS TP) to determine whether they still meet the needs of employers and learners. It will identify gaps, assess how industry changes are affecting training, and highlight areas where updates may be needed.

Project scope includes: 

• Identify gaps and emerging needs in payroll, booking and accounting

• Assess how current qualifications are being used and where they fall short 

• Gather evidence on workforce demand and skills shortages 

• Provide recommendations to align training with evolving industry practice 

• Ensure future qualifications support flexible delivery and career progression 

This project positions payroll, bookkeeping, and accounting training to meet digital demands and workforce shortages, and to strengthen employer confidence in job‑ready graduates.