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.
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 9,750
In general, accounting technicians and bookkeepers:
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.
Source: 2016 Census
In addition, those in this role who gain certification in cloud-based accounting platforms and associated applications may find themselves in greater demand.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
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 35 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. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
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.
Career paths
With further training, accounting technicians and bookkeepers can move into professional accounting and management or supervisory jobs. They can also become self-employed.
Additional resources