IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/accfor/v34y2010i2p89-108.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Developing skills via work placements in accounting: Student and employer views

Author

Listed:
  • Paisey, Catriona
  • Paisey, Nicholas J.

Abstract

This paper evaluates the development of skills during a work placement year within a Scottish accounting degree. It discusses the history of placements within higher education, the advantages and disadvantages of placements from student and employer perspectives, and work placement as a vehicle for developing personal transferable skills. Students and employers involved in work placements agreed that they were effective in developing a range of skills. Their views were then compared with those of students at a similar university without a placement degree. Degrees including a work placement were found to be a useful complement to more traditionally structured degrees.

Suggested Citation

  • Paisey, Catriona & Paisey, Nicholas J., 2010. "Developing skills via work placements in accounting: Student and employer views," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 89-108.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:accfor:v:34:y:2010:i:2:p:89-108
    DOI: 10.1016/j.accfor.2009.06.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0155998209000210
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.accfor.2009.06.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Grant Samkin & Graham Francis, 2008. "Introducing a Learning Portfolio in an Undergraduate Financial Accounting Course," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 233-271.
    2. Gaetan Breton, 1999. "Some empirical evidence on the superiority of the problem-based learning (PBL) method," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12.
    3. Monte Wynder, 2004. "Facilitating creativity in management accounting: a computerized business simulation," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 231-250.
    4. Ralph Adler & Rosalind Whiting & Kate Wynn-Williams, 2004. "Student-led and teacher-led case presentations: empirical evidence about learning styles in an accounting course," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 213-229.
    5. Darlene Bay & Kim McKeage, 2006. "Emotional Intelligence in Undergraduate Accounting Students: Preliminary Assessment," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 439-454.
    6. Trevor Hassall & John Joyce & José Luis Arquero Montaño & José Antonio Donoso Anes, 2005. "Priorities for the development of vocational skills in management accountants: A European perspective," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(4), pages 379-394, December.
    7. Stuart Fraser & David Storey & Paul Westhead, 2006. "Student Work Placements in Small Firms: Do They Pay-off or Shift Tastes?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 125-144, March.
    8. John Cullen & Sue Richardson & Rona O'Brien, 2004. "Exploring the teaching potential of empirically-based case studies," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 251-266.
    9. John Burns & Trevor Hopper & Hassan Yazdifar, 2004. "Management accounting education and training: putting management in and taking accounting out," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 1(1), pages 1-29, April.
    10. Susan Richardson & Catherine Blakeney, 1998. "The undergraduate placement system: an empirical study," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 101-121.
    11. D. Larry Crumbley & L. Murphy Smith, 2000. "Using short stories to teach critical thinking and communication skills to tax students," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 291-296.
    12. Bob Gammie & Elizabeth Gammie & Erica Cargill, 2002. "Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 63-78.
    13. Shaun Jackson & David Durkee, 2007. "Incorporating Information Literacy into the Accounting Curriculum," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 83-97.
    14. Jose Luis Arquero Montano & Sergio Manuel Jimenez Cardoso & John Joyce, 2004. "Skills development, motivation and learning in financial statement analysis: an evaluation of alternative types of case studies," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 191-212.
    15. Joan Ballantine & Patricia Mccourt Larres, 2007. "Final Year Accounting Undergraduates' Attitudes to Group Assessment and the Role of Learning Logs," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 163-183.
    16. Elizabeth Gammie & Bob Gammie & Fiona Duncan, 2001. "The development, implementation and operation of an undergraduate distance learning module in auditing: a teaching note," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 403-412.
    17. Howieson, Bryan, 2003. "Accounting practice in the new millennium: is accounting education ready to meet the challenge?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 69-103.
    18. Ferguson, John & Collison, David & Power, David & Stevenson, Lorna, 2005. "What are recommended accounting textbooks teaching students about corporate stakeholders?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 23-46.
    19. Jesse C. Robertson, 2007. "Staff auditor reporting decisions under time deadline pressure," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 22(4), pages 340-353, April.
    20. Joan Ballantine & Patricia McCourt Larres, 2004. "A critical analysis of students' perceptions of the usefulness of the case study method in an advanced management accounting module: the impact of relevant work experience," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 171-189.
    21. Clare Gardner & Markus Milne & Carolyn Stringer & Rosalind Whiting, 2005. "Oral and written communication apprehension in accounting students: Curriculum impacts and impacts on academic performance," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 313-336.
    22. Lin Mei Tan & Michael Fowler & Lindsay Hawkes, 2004. "Management accounting curricula: striking a balance between the views of educators and practitioners," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 51-67.
    23. Sidney Weil & Peter Oyelere & Elizabeth Rainsbury, 2004. "The usefulness of case studies in developing core competencies in a professional accounting programme: a New Zealand study," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 139-169.
    24. Collins, Karen M. & Killough, Larry N., 1992. "An empirical examination of stress in public accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 535-547, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bassam Maali & Ali M. Al-Attar, 2020. "Accounting Curricula in Universities and Market Needs: The Jordanian Case," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(1), pages 21582440198, January.
    2. Arquero, José Luis & Fernández-Polvillo, Carmen & Hassall, Trevor & Joyce, John, 2017. "Relationships between communication apprehension, ambiguity tolerance and learning styles in accounting students," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 13-24.
    3. Felix Ostertag, 2023. "Integrating OCBE Literature and Norm Activation Theory: A Moderated Mediation on Proenvironmental Behavior of Employees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-27, May.
    4. Lee, Kerry & Hope, John & Abdulghani, Fatima, 2016. "Planned approaches to business and school partnerships. Does it make a difference? The business perspective," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 35-45.
    5. Haoyu Wang & Sen Li & Peifan Qin & Fei Xing, 2022. "The Employability of Graduates of National Characteristic Discipline Programs of Study in China: Evidence from Employers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    6. Jon Warwick & Anna Howard, 2015. "A Note on Structuring Employability Skills for Accounting Students," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 5(10), pages 165-174, October.
    7. Athanasios MANDILAS & Dimitrios KOURTIDIS & Giannoula FLOROU & Stavros VALSAMIDIS, 2016. "Accounting Education And Research In Relation To Business Needs," Scientific Bulletin - Economic Sciences, University of Pitesti, vol. 15(3), pages 3-12.
    8. Azrinawati Mohd Remali & Mohamad Afiq Ghazali & Mohammad Khairi Kamaruddin & Tan Yong Kee, 2013. "Understanding Academic Performance Based on Demographic Factors, Motivation Factors and Learning Styles," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 3(9), pages 1938-1951, September.
    9. Byrne, Marann & Flood, Barbara & Hassall, Trevor & Joyce, John & Arquero Montaño, Jose Luis & González González, José María & Tourna-Germanou, Eleni, 2012. "Motivations, expectations and preparedness for higher education: A study of accounting students in Ireland, the UK, Spain and Greece," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 134-144.
    10. Gittings, Lara & Taplin, Ross & Kerr, Rosemary, 2020. "Experiential learning activities in university accounting education: A systematic literature review," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    11. Palazuelos, Estefanía & San-Martín, Paula & Montoya del Corte, Javier & Fernández-Laviada, Ana, 2018. "Utilidad percibida del Aprendizaje Orientado a Proyectos para la formación de competencias. Aplicación en la asignatura «Auditoría de cuentas»," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 150-161.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lin Mei Tan & Fawzi Laswad, 2018. "Professional skills required of accountants: what do job advertisements tell us?," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 403-432, July.
    2. Tan, Hwee Cheng, 2019. "Using a structured collaborative learning approach in a case-based management accounting course," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    3. Pan, Peipei & Perera, Hector, 2012. "Market relevance of university accounting programs: Evidence from Australia," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 91-108.
    4. Margaret Healy & Maeve McCutcheon, 2010. "Teaching with Case Studies: An Empirical Investigation of Accounting Lecturers' Experiences," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(6), pages 555-567.
    5. Monique Micallef & Cheryl Mifsud & Lauren Ellul & Peter J. Baldacchino & Simon Grima, 2023. "The Skill Set Required in the Accounting Workplace: Perspectives of Accounting Graduates and Warrant Holders," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 117-145.
    6. Nabil Ibrahim & John Angelidis, 2009. "The Relative Importance of Ethics as a Selection Criterion for Entry-Level Public Accountants: Does Gender Make a Difference?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(1), pages 49-58, February.
    7. Dellaportas, Steven & Hassall, Trevor, 2013. "Experiential learning in accounting education: A prison visit," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 24-36.
    8. Satoshi Sugahara & Roanne Coman, 2010. "Perceived Importance of CPA’s Generic Skills: A Japanese Study," Asian Journal of Finance & Accounting, Macrothink Institute, vol. 2(1), pages 124-124, December.
    9. Paul M. Goldwater & Timothy J. Fogarty, 2007. "Protecting the Solution: A 'High-Tech.' Method to Guarantee Individual Effort in Accounting Classes," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 129-143.
    10. Apostolou, Barbara & Hassell, John M. & Rebele, James E. & Watson, Stephanie F., 2010. "Accounting education literature review (2006–2009)," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 145-197.
    11. R K Tailor & Ashoka M L & Parameshwara & Abhishek N, 2020. "Suitability of accounting education to current market," Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, Educational Research Multimedia & Publications,India, vol. 11(2), pages 14-23, May.
    12. Christopher Humphrey, 2005. "'In the aftermath of crisis: Reflections on the principles, values and significance of academic inquiry in accounting': Introduction," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 341-351.
    13. Albu Nadia & Albu Catalin & Garbina Madalina, 2012. "IMPROVING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN EMERGING ECONOMIES -AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS ON THE ACCOUNTANTSâ€(tm) ROLES AND COMPETENCIES," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 846-852, July.
    14. Plant, Kato & Barac, Karin & Sarens, Gerrit, 2019. "Preparing work-ready graduates – skills development lessons learnt from internal audit practice," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 33-47.
    15. Mouhcine Tallaki & Enrico Bracci & Monia Castellini, 2015. "Accounting learning preferences: the role of visualisation," Working Papers 2015094, University of Ferrara, Department of Economics.
    16. Peggy Coady & Seán Byrne & John Casey, 2018. "Positioning of emotional intelligence skills within the overall skillset of practice-based accountants: employer and graduate requirements," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 94-120, January.
    17. Pavel Strach & Irena Stejskalova, 2015. "New Didactic Approaches in Accounting: Moving Beyond the Calculation Exercise," Proceedings of Business and Management Conferences 2304424, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    18. Arquero, José Luis & Fernández-Polvillo, Carmen & Hassall, Trevor & Joyce, John, 2017. "Relationships between communication apprehension, ambiguity tolerance and learning styles in accounting students," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 13-24.
    19. Crawford, Louise & Helliar, Christine & Monk, Elizabeth & Veneziani, Monica, 2014. "International Accounting Education Standards Board: Organisational legitimacy within the field of professional accountancy education," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 67-89.
    20. Gohar Saleem Parvaiz & Owais Mufti & Muhammad Wahab, 2017. "Skills Acquisition Shortfall: A Study of Professional Accounting Education," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 9(2), pages 135-164, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:accfor:v:34:y:2010:i:2:p:89-108. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/accounting-forum .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.