Is 2025 the year that accountancy becomes sexy? Once mocked as the dull preserve of “bean counters”, the sector is undergoing seismic changes transforming both current ways of working and the ambitions of new starters entering the industry.
The advent of AI and the increasingly complex global tax landscape mean accountancy is attracting the brightest and best, with younger staff not afraid to tackle dusty “Rachel from Accounts” typecasting.
“The old stereotypical bean counter image is long gone,” says Anna Draper, head of people, culture and purpose at the global accountancy giant BDO. “Accountants aren’t just ‘numbers people’, they understand tech, AI, global markets and sustainability. They are interested in the world around them, are team-orientated and love solving problems.”
This switch from backroom function to powering company performance is being driven by the rapid uptake of new tech and AI systems. With software increasingly able to perform routine accounting work, future accountants will add value as strategists.
The maverick accountant Mike Whitmire, founder of tech-driven platform FloQast, predicts that accountants are already evolving to become “accounting transformation managers”.
“Future accountants will need to work in part like software engineers: leaning on tools to enhance their output but remaining as the final reviewers. That hybrid skill set, automating the repetitive tasks while focusing on strategic guidance and problem-solving, is going to be incredibly valuable.”
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Whitmire found fame in the sector for his hit accountancy YouTube Series PBC, industry speak for “Prepared by Client’, a faux-documentary in the style of The Office garnering over 1.2 million views. “I want to change the perception of accounting from boring to brilliant”, he explains.
However, one aspect of the sector that certainly isn’t boring is salaries. The latest Reed national salary data reveals that both of the UK’s highest-paying roles are accountancy-based. Chief financial officers average a salary of £137,000 while the standard remuneration for chief operating officers is £129,000.
New fiscal policies, including Trump’s tariffs, NICs, VAT on private schools, and EV tax changes, are driving demand for corporate, indirect, and cross-border tax expertise, with accounting vacancies up 14 per cent on last year. Yet this growing need for accountants who are also leaders has resulted in a skills shortage, with 90 per cent of specialist firms reporting difficulties recruiting. While the sector already supports one in 40 UK jobs and is worth over £80 billion to the economy, a shortfall of 60,000 staff is predicted by 2050.
To fix the burgeoning skills gap, KPMG is heavily promoting its apprenticeship schemes alongside the traditional graduate routes into the industry. Figures show 18 per cent of school leavers now consider accountancy as a career option, on a par with tech. Karl Edge, chief people officer for KPMG UK, said: “Accountancy opens doors to working with firms from across UK plc and globally.”
Major players including Deloitte are advertising early years careers programmes on social media to reach a wider audience and emphasise just how far an accountancy career can take you.
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“Just look at the FTSE 100 to see how many CFOs and CEOs have accountancy qualifications”, says Allee Bonnard, managing partner for audit and assurance at Deloitte UK. “The profession is far from what it is often perceived as — but what it does is build the skills you need to work in business.”
How to get ahead
Ready to count yourself into a future-forward accountancy career? Here’s how to prepare yourself.
• Routes into the sector include apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships and graduate schemes. Research your best options, join industry organisations and network.
• Understand the why and how behind accounting. Don’t just memorise debits and credits, understand the reasoning behind them. That context will help you use automation tools effectively and stay relevant.
• Be ready to bridge the gap between theory and reality. When you learn about the accounting principles, they often don’t match the messy, unpredictable nature of real-world accounting. Get comfortable with that and be willing to adapt fast.
• Develop strong communication and collaboration skills. Accounting is becoming more cross-functional. You’ll need to work across teams, explain things clearly and influence decisions, not just crunch numbers.
• The most exciting future roles will sit at the intersection of accounting and technology. If you can pair accounting knowledge with automation skills, you’ll be in high demand and probably earn more than most.
• Stay curious about technology. People who resist change or avoid learning new tools are going to struggle. The ability to understand and work with new tech will set you apart.
‘There’s opportunity for the naturally curious and adaptable’
As a self-confessed “accounting nerd”, Mike Whitmire studied accountancy and worked at Ernst & Young before launching accounting automation platform FloQast. Within the industry, he’s best known for YouTube hit PBC.
Whitmire, 40, said: “I started out auditing media companies before making the decision to join Cornerstone OnDemand, which was ramping up its accounting team as it prepared for IPO. This experience was really a turning point for me.
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“The profession is changing fast, especially with AI taking on a bigger role. We’re moving away from all the repetitive, manual work and heading toward more strategic, tech-driven roles. That creates a huge opportunity, especially for people who are naturally curious, adaptable, and open to new ways of working. Whether you’re just starting out or thinking about a career change, there’s real potential to step into roles that are way more dynamic and cross-functional than what accounting used to look like.”
Support after a career break
Running from May 12 to 16, the UK’s first Career Returners Community Week offers support for experienced staff looking to get back into the workplace after a career break. Backed by major firms including the Bank Of England, Sage and JPMorganChase, events take place online and in-person in Dublin, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Newcastle. Its founder, Julianne Miles from CareerReturners.com, said: “Our new research shows 94 per cent of returners find it challenging to return to a professional role. The involvement of leading employers sends an important message.”
Half of staff are lonely
Despite return to office mandates in full swing, 53 per cent of UK staff claim to be lonely, a study from Cigna Healthcare shows. Alongside this, 26 per cent admit their personal life suffers because of work. “Loneliness can be a silent struggle for many employees, impacting their wellbeing, vitality, and productivity”, said Cigna Healthcare’s Wendy Sherry. “The global workforce is increasingly looking to their employers to create a workplace where everyone feels seen, heard, and connected.”
Workers trust AI
More than three quarters of frontline workers trust AI to keep them safe at work. Over a third believe the technology will make work safer by predicting and preventing accidents, with one in three hopeful it can spot risks that humans might miss. The findings were released for World Day for Safety and Health at Work from SafetyCulture. Spokesman Alex Brooks-Sykes, said: “Many studies assume the worst about workers’ attitudes to AI but staff are optimistic about the safety benefits in particular.”
‘Overcommunicate’ to win over Gen Z
Feeling frustrated with your Gen Z staff? Then “overcommunicate”. The training consultancy Development Beyond Learning claims clear communication with younger staff can foster stronger connections and higher engagement and reduce stress levels. Firms should look to adapt “clarity over assumption” alongside “frequent and intentional check-ins”.
“This doesn’t mean bombarding employees with messages, It means ensuring clarity, openness and communicating with context,” said Josh Mackenzie, founder of Development Beyond Learning. “Gen Z employees expect transparency.”
Appointment of the week
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is seeking to appoint a chief executive. As the independent body that administers public funding in support of MPs’ parliamentary duties, IPSA makes impartial decisions about MPs’ pay, pensions and business costs.
The new chief executive will lead IPSA, provide strong and inspirational leadership to the 98-member team, managing IPSA’s overall operations to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of its strategic objectives. Candidates must be comfortable holding responsibility for a £280 million annual budget, regulating and administering the business costs and determining the pay of the 650 elected MPs in the UK.
Applicants should be experienced and accomplished senior leaders with substantial leadership experience at executive director level within a high-profile, publicly focused organisation. The ideal candidate will be passionate about supporting democracy, with demonstrable ability to lead strategic and transformational change, including cultural change and the application of innovative digital solutions to improve customer experience.
In addition, applicants will be exceptional communicators and negotiators with a strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders, managing sensitive relationships and building trusted partnerships.
Apply by May 20 at appointments.thetimes.com
