Knack for numbers leads to accounting career for Whanganui UCOL graduate

Whanganui mum Cassy Titter found the right balance to upgrade her accountancy skills at UCOL. Photo / Supplied

Cassy Titter was working in the shearing industry when she first came to UCOL Whanganui.

She was looking for something new and after her aunty had signed up for UCOL's New Zealand Diploma in Business, Titter thought she would try it too and she is one of more than 2000 students graduating this year.

"I didn't know what I was in for at the time, but after I got a couple of papers under my belt and I got a job at the Whanganui River Māori Trust Board.

"I found that I was good with numbers and the job increased my interest in accounting and finance and made me want to study more."

Titter studied for the diploma part time while working full time and raising her son.

"I had great support from my whānau to help look after my boy. The UCOL lecturers were really great – they were understanding of my situation and were always on hand to help out with my studies."

Once Titter finished the diploma, one of her lecturers recommended that she continue with the Bachelor of Applied Management, majoring in accounting.

"Eventually I want to be a chartered accountant, so it wasn't a difficult decision for me," Titter said.

The UCOL degree has professional accreditation with Chartered Accountants New Zealand (CAANZ) and Certified Practising Accountants Australia (CPA Australia), so provides a recognised pathway for those who want to become chartered accountants.

Titter had begun working full time as a finance and administration officer at Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, before moving into a financial administrator role at Te Rūnanga o Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa. There, she was able to do her third-year industry project, which involved transferring the business' accounting records from MYOB to Xero software and digitalising all the paper records.

Now working as the organisation's financial controller, Titter said she was able to apply a range of skills and knowledge she picked up at UCOL - even from when she first started studying in 2006.

"In the information accounting systems paper, one of our assignments was on Xero - how to set it up and how to import transactions and invoices.

"That was really helpful when I was transitioning everything from MYOB to Xero. The financial accounting paper helped me know what I was looking for when we had an audit. The professional practice paper helped me with CV writing and job interviews - I hadn't had to write a CV in years having worked for the iwi for 11 years."

Having completed her degree, Titter has her sights set on studying to become a chartered accountant and expanding the work she does at Te Rūnanga o Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa.

"I'm happy where I am and would like to get more into the investment side of the business. I have experience with fund managers and investment trusts, and I really enjoy that kind of work."

Titter is among the 2236 students graduating at UCOL campuses this year. Due to the Covid-19 traffic light requirements, the traditional ceremonies have not been held, but graduates have been able to collect their parchments and have photographs taken in caps and gowns before celebrating with friends and families.