Division controllers are people who help to provide the financial information that their companies need to analyze their business operations. These professionals essentially strive to protect their organizations’ assets and assist with the successful functioning of the establishment. If you desire to become a division controller, you need to complete at least four years of training beyond high school, although finishing an additional two years of graduate school and attaining industry certification will increase your employment opportunities in this field.
A person who plans to become a division controller has to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. Your chosen school’s admissions team will ask to see your high school diploma or the equivalent certification along with your high school transcript. You also need to fill out the enrollment application by the deadline and submit your most recent scores on standardized exams for review.
Various financial classes will give you the basic knowledge necessary to assume a position in this career area. For instance, you should learn about the various types of accounting sheets and how to produce reports on a company’s monetary activities regularly. Studying the correct way to develop business budgets, as well as the various government regulations that address how organizations must keep track of their money also prepares you to become a division controller, who is responsible for all of these activities.
Completing an internship will provide you with field experience as well as prove to future employers your mastery of this field. This type of opportunity gives you the chance to help an organization to create monthly or annual predictions of how the company will fare monetarily. You also need to practice reading and analyzing financial statements to help a company to determine its level of profitability. Creating reports for the business executive team and even giving verbal presentations on your findings additionally boosts your skills.
Although companies usually look for someone who has a four-year degree, many prefer those who have earned a graduate school degree and related certification. You should consider completing a master’s degree program in accounting, which typically takes two years. This training will provide you with more in-depth knowledge about your financial responsibilities when you become a division controller and require you to complete a major research project prior to graduation. In addition, earning your advanced degree makes you eligible to complete a certification exam through a professional industry institute, which makes you more competitive as you aim to become a division controller.
