Preparing Tomorrow’s Chartered Accountants for Digital Success

Co-founder of CA Connect and now a Strategic Advisor in Milpark’s School of Professional Accounting, Gareth Oliver has dedicated over 15 years to pioneering new approaches to accounting education.

He also chairs the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA)’s Digital Acumen workgroup, which is working to explain and refine CA’s core digital competencies and the role of AI in the profession. Gareth’s vision? World-class online accounting courses that equip CAs to think ahead, adapt bravely, and lead with impact.

Want to learn more? Follow Gareth Olivier on LinkedIn.

For Gareth, accounting education belongs in the digital space. “Online education is fundamental to preparing for the profession of today,” he says.

At Milpark, students operate in a fully digital ecosystem from day one – collaborating in an online community, managing their own lives and learning online, and engaging with information across platforms.

Along the way, they build core digital competencies like automating routine tasks, shifting focus to higher-value work, and applying ethical judgment in this world. Skills that mirror the demands of contemporary work and strengthen adaptability, communication, and self-discipline.

“Online learning rewires the architecture of your thinking,” Gareth adds. “It builds the habits and mindsets you need to succeed in a profession that’s constantly evolving.”

Explore our fully online, SAICA-accredited pathways to CA(SA) in the School of Professional Accounting (incorporating CA Connect).

Currently, there is still no consensus on which core digital capabilities are most critical. Gareth also thinks it is equally important to clarify what CAs should not be expected to do.

“We can’t have responsibilities that require expertise in every domain. Without a clear scope – what I call a CA’s ‘digital zone of accountability’ – we risk placing unrealistic demands on the profession, beyond the digital aspects that are truly core to the role of a CA.” 

With digital tools now embedded across every aspect of business – from analysis, decision making, strategy and leadership, to audits, compliance and reporting - CAs must understand how data flows, where it can go wrong, and how to use and interpret it responsibly.

As Gareth explains: “You don’t need to know how to make a watch to tell the time. But you do need to inform the design, set the desired outcome, reflect on improvements, and understand what you’re looking at – so you can make a good decision.” 

Discover the skills and responsibilities outlined in SAICA’s CA of the Future framework.

Once the scope of a CA’s responsibilities is clear, the next challenge is staying relevant as technology and the profession evolve. For Gareth, the most valuable skill is learning. “Curiosity - and the ability to keep learning - is what enables you to think bigger, adapt and stay relevant.”

Milpark’s fully online accounting programmes are designed with this in mind. “We don’t teach a specific tool because they change all the time. Our focus is on real, case-based learning that develops perspective and insight, looking at how information moves through a business - how to protect it and use it to make good decisions.”

“This helps to prepare students for constant change. Rather than memorising content, they learn to think critically and creatively, question assumptions and navigate complexity.”

As the largest provider of SAICA-endorsed PGDA/CTA graduates, Milpark is continually evolving its accounting courses to stay at the forefront of CA education.

“We made a strategic decision to work on our programmes, not just in them. That means looking at how digital is integrated throughout our accounting curriculum so that students can go beyond simply using tech, to understanding what’s happening underneath, and how it affects all decisions they make.”

In the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA/CTA), all technical accounting modules embed digital components, encouraging students to think critically about technology’s role in core areas like governance, ethics, finance and business decision making, strategy, financial reporting, auditing, and tax.

And in the recently launched BCom in Accounting, digital capability is built in from the first year, fully aligned with SAICA’s CA of the Future framework.

Learn more about our undergraduate accounting degree: Milpark’s Future-Focused BCom in Accounting.

As automation handles more routine work, employers are looking for graduates who can interpret data, make sound judgments, and take responsibility for outcomes.

“Valuations, IFRS compliance, automation – they all depend on the quality of the data. If the data’s flawed, so is the outcome. It’s the CA who has to take responsibility.”

At Milpark, students are primed to see data not just as numbers, but as information that requires context, interpretation and ethical oversight. “We’re teaching students to think critically about where data comes from, what it brings, and where it is limited.”

Learn more about how leadership and strategy are embedded in Milpark’s BCom in Accounting. Developing Future Leaders

• Digital fluency means understanding how to use, question, and lead with data, not learning to code. 
  “We’re constantly asking: what is a CA’s role in digital business issues? And we continually work on our programmes to equip students for that role.”
• The ability to keep learning is the most critical skill of all.
  “Learning to learn is the most valuable skill – it’s a digital superpower,” he says. “It’s what allows CAs to adapt to new tools and challenges in a fast-changing world.”
• Future CAs are responsible for accuracy and the ethical use of data. 
  “CAs need to navigate digital systems from day one confidently. They need to know what questions to ask, where their responsibilities lie, and what to trust.”

Are you ready to become a digitally fluent professional accountant? 

Explore Milpark’s SAICA-accredited pathways to CA(SA): 

• BCom in Accounting
• Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA/CTA)

Or contact us to find out more about bridging and other options