Look beyond balance sheet, alumni encourages students

By NATHAN WOTI
PAST University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) accounting students have encouraged freshmen to “look beyond the balance sheet” and build connections during their time in school.
This was among the messages and encouragement passed on during a recent orientation.
The Society of Junior Accountants (SJA) at the School of Business and Public Policy in UPNG were told by their alumni at their 2024 orientation to have a balanced approach while earning their degrees.
Among the SJA alumni were Verbena Rema, marketing business controller at SP Brewery Limited, Cooper Mange, audit and assurance officer at EY, and academic Dr Suresh Babu Nagarajan, UPNG School of Business and Public Policy.
All three guests were given the opportunity to share their experiences, challenges after graduation and in their respective fields.
Mange told The National that it was always a privilege to speak to the students. “I remember when I was a student studying here and trying to figure out what I was doing or what I was saying and it was these kinds of encounters that really motivated me and inspired me to navigate my way through my studies,” he said.
“During the question and answer session you could really see students raising their hands and asking a lot of questions about the challenges in the workforce, and career opportunities, I hope what I shared with them can help them in some way,” Mange said. Rema also said that it was inspiring to see a great turn out at the event, and as a former student herself, she was proud of how the society had progressed throughout the years.
“I am inspired by the turnout and the way the students wanted to learn and understand how the world outside university works and what challenges lies ahead of them once they graduate.”
Society president Elias Kase told The National that the experiences from the alumnae would help students to understand that there was more to just what was learned in books and in lecture rooms as the practical application of that education was a learning experience in itself.
Kase said the society was established to provide a platform for members to build networks with other professional accountants, alumnis, cooperate bodies, the Government and other stakeholders.
The theme of the orientation was: “Beyond the Balance Sheet, Crafting Careers in Accounting”.