Justin Kyriakou, Global Development Manager for the Association for Accounting Technicians (AAT) says there is a growing trend in Botswana organisations to invest in accounting students as a long-term strategy.
“Finance impacts on almost everything an organisation does, so it is almost impossible for any organisation to be successful without good financial management. It’s important to know where you are spending money and what you are earning. Well-trained finance staff contribute to an organisation’s stability and its growth,” Kyriakou says. A number of studies have attributed a lack of financial skills to business failure in Botswana and elsewhere. At the same time, the finance industry is one area in Botswana that has displayed steady growth as the mining industry takes strain. “Finance is a growing career area because there is a shortage of trained accounting professionals in Botswana. This means there are lots of opportunities out there. All growing economies need highly skilled accountants and accounting technicians to facilitate that growth,” Kyriakou says. “Botswana is also focused on developing entrepreneurs, so there are also opportunities for those with accounting and financial qualifications to use their skills to run their own successful business.”
