Enhancing students’ employability skills awareness through the accounting professional body on an undergraduate accounting degree

Whilst there is an array of literature written about students’ skills development, there is a gap between skills development and what students can learn through a membership of professional accounting bodies. This study examines how being connected with a professional body, the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA) from the outset of their degree helps awareness of developing their employability skills via belonging to the profession. Using an online questionnaire, focus group meetings, and email reminders about the ACCA services offered, the findings show that ACCA student membership begins to help students identify with the profession and brings awareness to planning and developing both their technical and employability skills, assisting them in entry to the profession and the world of work. The results from this research illuminate the importance of integrating student membership into the curriculum so that students identify early with the career that they have chosen.