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Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

OaSIS code 12200.00

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain complete sets of books, keep records of accounts, verify the procedures used for recording financial transactions, and provide personal bookkeeping services.

Overview

Also known as

  • Accounting bookkeeper
  • Accounting technician
  • Bookkeeper
  • Finance technician

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Keep financial records and establish, maintain and balance various accounts using manual and computerized bookkeeping systems
  • Post journal entries and reconcile accounts, prepare trial balance of books, maintain general ledgers and prepare financial statements
  • Calculate and prepare cheques for payrolls and for utility, tax and other bills
  • Complete and submit tax remittance forms, workers' compensation forms, pension contribution forms and other government documents
  • Prepare tax returns and perform other personal bookkeeping services
  • Prepare other statistical, financial and accounting reports.

Additional information

  • Progression to professional accounting occupations is possible with additional training.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Financial auditors and accountants (11100)
  • Payroll administrators (13102)
  • Accounting and related clerks (14200)
  • Banking, insurance and other financial clerks (14201)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

1 – Business, finance and administration occupations

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

12 – Administrative and financial supervisors and specialized administrative occupations

Sub-major group

122 – Accounting, insurance and related business administrative occupations

Minor group

1220 – Accounting, insurance and related business administrative occupations

Unit group

12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

Occupational profile

12200.00 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level
Communicating with Coworkers
4 - High Level
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance
4 - High Level
Getting Information
4 - High Level
Interacting with Computers
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
4 - High amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Standing
Duration
1 - Very little time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
3 - About half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
2 - Somewhat important
Frequency
3 - Once a week or more but not every day

Workplaces/employers

  • Establishements throughout the private and public sector
  • Self-employed

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Mathematical Reasoning
5 - Highest Level
Categorization Flexibility
4 - High Level
Deductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Numerical Ability
4 - High Level
Fluency of Ideas
3 - Moderate Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Numeracy
5 - Highest Level
Critical Thinking
3 - Moderate Level
Decision Making
3 - Moderate Level
Digital Literacy
3 - Moderate Level
Evaluation
3 - Moderate Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Analytical Thinking
4 - Highly important
Independence
4 - Highly important
Active Learning
3 - Important
Adaptability
3 - Important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: CI

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Investigative (I)

Investigative occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the observation and systematic or creative investigation of physical, biological, or cultural phenomena. These occupations require an extensive amount of thinking and frequently involve working with ideas, searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Completion of secondary school is required.
  • Completion of a college program in accounting, bookkeeping or a related field or completion of two years (first level) of a recognized professional accounting program (e.g., Chartered Accounting, Certified General Accounting) or courses in accounting or bookkeeping combined with several years of experience as a financial or accounting clerk are required.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Accounting
3 - Advanced Level
Clerical
3 - Advanced Level
Business Management
2 - Intermediate Level
Economics
2 - Intermediate Level
Finance
2 - Intermediate Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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