The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants has created an online training resource to help accountants hone their career development plans.

The online tool, known as ACCA Compass, available only to ACCA members, allows users to benchmark their skills and assess their level of experience, and compare it to a recommended market average for 20 different job titles. The process can help identify areas that require further development and the skill sets required for the positions that members aspire to as they move up the career ladder.

“Given that many accountants could spend up to 12 days or nearly 100 hours a year on professional development, there is a clear need to ensure that there is a good return on this investment,” said ACCA acting director of professional development Tony Osude.

Users can create a development pathway on the same career trajectory or try out a parallel track. The site describes up to 23 competencies applicable to various finance roles. Once members have completed their original assessment, they can adjust their competency skill levels to reflect their current role and compare them to the recommended levels. ACCA has also created a companion online guidebook, “ACCA Guide to Career Pathways in Public Practice.”

For more information, visit www.accaglobal.com.