ACRA Launches First Accountancy Education & Career Guidance Playbook to Help Students Explore Careers in Accountancy

Singapore, 27 May 2025 – The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) today launched Singapore’s first Accountancy Education & Career Guidance (ECG) Playbook, aimed at helping education and career guidance (ECG) counsellors, as well as teachers, to guide students on opportunities in the accountancy profession.

2 The Playbook was launched at the event, “Bridging Classrooms and Careers: Shaping the Future of Accountancy”, which brought together educators, ECG counsellors, student leaders and industry thought leaders to engage in dialogue on career pathways and opportunities in accountancy.

Empowering Future Talent with Insights and Opportunities

3 Today, about 120,000 professionals are employed in accountancy-related jobs in Singapore. Nearly 20% are employed by accounting firms, which contribute about $3 billion to our annual GDP. The rest are in accounting and finance functions in businesses, such as financial and insurance services, and trade and manufacturing-related sectors. There are also emerging fields in sustainability reporting, business valuation and tax that hold the prospect of good jobs for those who are accountancy-trained. As Singapore grows as a business hub, the demand for accountancy services and the need for accountancy professionals will grow in tandem. 

4 The ECG Playbook serves as a comprehensive guide to inform students on opportunities in the accountancy profession. Tailored for all ECG counsellors and teachers, the Playbook aims to: 

• provide an overview of the sector’s outlook and skills required for various roles in the accountancy field
• present insights into career personas and emerging roles in the accountancy sector such as sustainability reporting specialists, business advisors, and information technology auditors
• dispel common misconceptions about accountancy and help students understand the value, diversity and impact of the profession  
• explain the pathways to enter the accountancy profession, from academic routes to professional qualification

5 ECG counsellors help students in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning to explore their strengths, interests and aspirations, and guide them towards making informed decisions for their education and career choices. The Playbook will equip ECG counsellors and teachers with engaging and practical resources to guide students in exploring their career options, and to consider accountancy as a potential field of study and career. It also explains the purpose-driven nature of accountancy, highlighting its role in safeguarding public interest, giving confidence to capital markets, and contributing to a trusted business eco-system.

6 The ECG Playbook is one of the key initiatives of the Implementation Committee for Accountancy Workforce Development (ICAWD), to spark interest in the accountancy profession amongst students¹. The ICAWD is co-chaired by ACRA and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) to advance the recommendations of the Accountancy Workforce Review Committee (AWRC) to build a sustainable talent pool of accountancy professionals².

7 “The Playbook represents our commitment in nurturing the next generation of accountancy professionals. Accountancy is not about number-crunching — it is about giving insights to financial health of companies, engaging in forward-thinking about their financial future and helping companies make strategic and sound decisions. We hope this Playbook will equip ECG counsellors and teachers with the tools and insights to showcase the exciting and wide-ranging opportunities in the accountancy profession,” said Mrs Chia-Tern Huey Min, Chief Executive of ACRA.

8 The Playbook can be downloaded at https://go.gov.sg/accountancy-ecgplaybook ↗ (opens in new tab) 

Panel Session Featuring Industry Thought Leaders

9 As part of the launch, a panel session titled “Bridging Classrooms and Careers: Shaping the Future of Accountancy”, featuring senior leaders from the accountancy profession, was held today.

10 The panel explored how accountancy remains relevant and rewarding in today’s fast-changing world. The discussion showcased the breadth of career opportunities within the profession and the meaningful role accountants play in driving business success and serving the public interest. The panellists also discussed how emerging trends such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and digitalisation, are reshaping the accountancy landscape. The panel also outlined various pathways into the field, emphasising the support available and encouraged students to aspire towards the Chartered Accountant (Singapore) designation.

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¹Media factsheet on Strengthening Singapore's Accountancy Workforce, 14 Nov 2024: https://www.acra.gov.sg/news-events/news-details/id/841 

²Press release on Shaping Singapore’s Accountancy Workforce for Tomorrow, 10 May 2024: https://www.acra.gov.sg/news-events/news-details/id/790