1431-NOC

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

(NOC 1311)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$52,140
Typical Education Background
Diploma/Certificate Excluding Apprenticeship
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
9,520

Career Overview

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers manage the way the day-to-day financial records of a business are kept. They may work with Chartered Professional Accounts (CPAs) and other accounting professionals or they may offer personal bookkeeping services.

Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a bookkeeper is like.

Duties

In general, accounting technicians and bookkeepers:

  • Keep financial records
  • Create, maintain and balance accounts using manual and computerized systems
  • Post journal entries
  • Make sure that transactions are recorded in the company’s books and match bank or credit card statements (account reconciliation)
  • Prepare trial balances
  • Keep general ledgers
  • Prepare financial statements
  • Calculate and prepare paycheques, payments for utilities, taxes and other bills
  • Complete and submit taxes, workers' compensation and pension contribution forms and other government documents
  • Prepare tax returns
  • Prepare statistical, financial and accounting reports

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$52,140

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$41.19/hr
Median$25.00/hr
Low$16.24/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

22,000

% Employed Full Time

38%
Source: 2016 Census

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers typically work in an office from Monday to Friday. They may work for small, medium or large businesses, or be self-employed and work from a home office. In larger companies, their job might only be bookkeeping related, but in smaller companies they may have other duties.

This type of work means long hours at a desk using a computer, which may cause muscle strain, sore eyes or headaches. Sitting for a long time can also affect blood flow or cause back pain. As a result, some people in this career use sit-stand desks and other supports to avoid these health problems.

Career Pathways

With further training, accounting technicians and bookkeepers can move into professional accounting and management or supervisory jobs. They can also become self-employed.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Conventional
Conventional

Job Titles

Bookkeeper, accounting
Clerk, bookkeeping
Officer, budget
Officer, finance
Technician, accounting

Education, Training and Skills

  • A secondary school diploma, along with one of the following:
    • Completion of a college program in accounting, bookkeeping or a related field
    • Completion of two years (first level) in a recognized Chartered Professional Accounting (CPA) program
    • Bookkeeping or accounting courses, along with several years of financial or accounting clerk experience
  • A strong understanding of computers and cloud applications
  • The ability to use Microsoft Office and/or other similar desktop applications

In addition, those in this role who gain certification in cloud-based accounting platforms and associated applications may find themselves in greater demand.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Accounting
  • Accounting Assistance/Bookkeeping
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Numeracy

Using mathematics to solve problems.

60%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

56%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

56%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

56%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

53%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

53%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

50%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

50%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

47%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

47%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

22,000
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 950 3.9%
Kootenay 970 4.1%
Mainland/Southwest 13,580 53.9%
North Coast and Nechako 630 2.5%
Northeast 670 3.1%
Thompson-Okanagan 3,580 14.7%
Vancouver Island/Coast 4,340 17.8%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

9,520
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 220 0.1%
Kootenay 280 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 5,270 1.3%
North Coast and Nechako 230 0.9%
Northeast 190 0.6%
Thompson-Okanagan 1,530 1.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,820 1.2%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Construction72,700
Retail Trade115,500
Finance, insurance and real estate50,900
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services46,100
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Employers often look to hire experienced accounting technicians and bookkeepers, which means that it can be hard for people to find work right after they finish their education. Experience in this career may be gained by doing volunteer work or through a co-operative education program. Often, office administrators in small companies are asked to do bookkeeping tasks; so, starting off with this job is another way to gain experience.

In B.C., it is not necessary to be licensed to practice as a bookkeeper.

Technology has changed the way accounting technicians and bookkeepers do their work. Being able to adapt quickly to change is necessary. Small business owners often want to invoice, collect payments, and update their books in only a few steps. People in this occupation typically use technology, including cloud-based accounting software associated applications, mobile apps, online banking and email.

Resources