An open letter to the next gen of accountants and bookkeepers

Many people will be embarking on new opportunities as the summer draws to a close, and as Sage's latest cohort of graduates gets started, I want to say a big congratulations to everyone beginning their accounting or bookkeeping career this year.

You are joining a profession that matters. Accountants and bookkeepers help businesses make better decisions, manage risk, deal with complexity and build confidence in the future. I know that first-hand. I trained as an accountant, and I understand the judgement, rigour and trust this profession demands. I also know the difference accountants and bookkeepers make every day, especially when things are uncertain.

At Sage, that respect for the profession runs deep. Many of our leaders have accounting backgrounds. Our solutions are built with accountants, for accountants, shaped by the people who understand the work, the pressure and the responsibility.

Sage was founded more than 45 years ago by graduates with an idea: to use technology to help businesses manage their finances better. The technology has changed beyond recognition. The need for great accountants has not.

We should be honest: the profession is changing fast. AI will automate tasks that used to take hours. It will improve productivity. It will take cost and friction out of the system. That is a good thing. But technology will not replace judgement. It will not build trust with a business owner. It will not challenge a decision, explain the consequences carefully or give someone reassurance at a critical moment.

That still takes people.

That is why we are investing in the next generation of accountants. Sage works directly with around 20 universities, including Durham, Nottingham Trent and Manchester Met, to support the delivery of accountancy degrees. Through these learning programmes, we help future accountants build the practical skills they need for the workplace of the future, supporting 3,000 future professionals last year alone. We will also launch a Young Advisory Board, giving early-career accountants a stronger voice in shaping the support and tools they need to succeed.

So, my message is simple: the future of accounting is not AI instead of accountants and bookkeepers. It is accountants and bookkeepers who know how to use AI.

For anyone starting out, that is the opportunity. Learn the fundamentals. Stay curious about technology. Build the human skills that clients and businesses will always value: judgement, confidence, empathy and trust.

The accountants who combine those things will not just adapt to the future. They will help shape it.

The future needs accountants - welcome to the profession.