6 August, 2019

Tweed Heads resident, Kirsten Lee, has landed her dream job with National Plant and Equipment shortly after completing a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Accounting with TAFE Digital.

Ms Lee said, “It is almost as though I was destined for this particular role, as I was contacted within 10 minutes after the interview asking for references and by 2pm that same afternoon I was offered the job.”

According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook the number of accountants grew very strongly over the past five years and is expected to grow further over the next five years: from 199,200 in 2018 to 207,200 by 2023. There are likely to be around 84,000 job openings over five years – that is about 16,800 a year.

Since the age of 24, Ms Lee worked in accounting and payroll before a stint in the legal profession doing wills/probate, conveyancing and third-party motor vehicle accidents.

“When I was 32 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease,” said Ms Lee. “My world crumbled – I was very sick and scared.”

Undaunted, Ms Lee overcame adversity and decided to upgrade her skills in the accounting profession, which she knew she had a natural aptitude for and where there was high demand for people with nationally accredited qualifications.

“With new determination I enrolled online with TAFE NSW to study a Certificate IV in Accounting, followed by a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Accounting as I had moved to Tweed Heads from the Hawkesbury area,” she said. “The teaching staff were amazingly supportive - if it were not for them, I would not have completed my studies.”

National Plant and Equipment, one of 33 companies in the National Group, is experiencing a tremendous growth curve and Ms Lee looks after nine of the companies’ sets of books.

“As an assistant accountant my role is broad and can change each day, which I love,” said Ms Lee. “I have a great boss who leads me supportively in an organisation big enough to give me the needed scope to continually learn and small enough for me to delve into every avenue of accounting and hone my skills.”

Online study has certainly stood Ms Lee in good stead. “It was the staged progression model, with units and stand-alone qualifications available online that offers a clear and defined pathway from Certificate IV, towards a Diploma and Advanced Diploma that appealed to me the most,” she said.

To see TAFE Digital’s hundreds of courses across a range of modern industries, please visit https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital

Media contact: Bonny Gunn, TAFE Digital Media Business Partner. M: 0417 134 048