Business

Accounting and Payroll Specialist

Get the skills to succeed in accounting and payroll in just 49 weeks including an 8-week internship that gives you real-world experience employers value.

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Type

Diploma

Duration

49 Weeks

Internship

8 Weeks

Program Outline

View Outline

About The Program

The Accounting and Payroll Specialist Diploma at Eastern College is your gateway to a stable, in-demand career in finance and payroll. Whether you’re just beginning your professional journey or want to sharpen your existing skills, this program offers the practical training and technical knowledge to help you succeed in today’s competitive job market.

Students gain hands-on experience in essential areas like accounting procedures, payroll processing, and industry-standard software such as Sage 300, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Office. The curriculum is aligned with the National Payroll Institute (NPI), setting you on the right path toward earning the Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) designation, an industry-recognized credential that can elevate your career potential.

With flexible online delivery options, personalized instruction, and access to supportive campus resources, Eastern College helps you gain the confidence and qualifications to build a future in finance that fits your goals.

Career Opportunities

As an Accounting and Payroll Specialist graduate, you will qualify for positions such as: Accounting Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk, and Payroll Specialist.

Employers Who Have Hired Eastern Grads

On Task Property Management
Roadway Systems Limited
Nordia
Universal Staffing

Salary

$ 28

Average Wage/hr**

$ 35

High Wage/hr**

Source: workingincanada.gc.ca

NOC Code: 14200,13102 - Wage data based on NOC Code 13102 rounded down to the nearest dollar and based on New Brunswick data. Average wage doesn't reflect the starting salary but represents the middle value between lowest to highest wages. Local (or regional) income may vary. Last updated: December 2024.

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Available Learning Options

At Eastern College, you can choose the learning option that meets your needs. This program is currently available in:

On-Campus

Instructor-led classes held in-person at one or more of our 4 campuses.

Accounting and Payroll Specialist

Duration: 49 Weeks

Internship: 8 Weeks

Program Outline NB (With Internship)

Online: Remote Classes

Instructor-led classes on a set schedule, held remotely live on video over the Internet.

Accounting and Payroll Specialist

Duration: 49 Weeks

Internship: 8 Weeks

Program Outline NB (With Internship)

Program Details

The Accounting and Payroll Specialist program at Eastern College helps you gain industry-relevant skills while still managing your life. With online delivery options, including live, instructor-led sessions or self-paced study with facilitator support, you can choose the format that fits your schedule, learning style, and goals.

The program begins with core courses in business communication, digital literacy, and career preparation to help you build a solid foundation. You’ll then explore essential accounting skills such as budgeting, cash flow analysis, general ledger management, and reconciliation. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in financial software applications that are commonly used by Canadian employers.

Payroll training is a central focus, with courses that teach you how to apply payroll legislation, calculate pay and deductions, and manage employee records accurately and in compliance with current regulations. These courses are designed to prepare you for the PCP designation, which is highly regarded across Canada and demonstrates that you meet rigorous industry standards in payroll practices.

In addition to technical training, the program emphasizes workplace readiness. You’ll develop soft skills like professionalism, communication, and problem-solving, and receive support with resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

To complete the program, you’ll participate in an 8-week internship, allowing you to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world accounting or payroll setting. This hands-on experience not only reinforces your training but also helps you build professional connections and confidence.

With the Accounting and Payroll Specialist diploma, you’ll graduate with the skills, credentials, and support to step into your new career with clarity and confidence.

Course Listings: New Brunswick

Introduction to Accounting with Quickbooks

This course introduces basic accounting concepts and procedures. This course addresses double-entry accounting, analysis of source information, classes of transactions, and the accounting cycle. Using these critical concepts, accounting skills are applied and integrated to record transactions using proper procedures and forms in both a manual and computerized accounting system, QuickBooks.

Intermediate Accounting with Sage 50

This course continues the exploration of accounting procedures in payroll, petty cash, and bank reconciliations. Central to this course is the merchandising firm and its accounting cycle, appropriate valuation of inventory, and cost of goods sold calculations. This material will be applied in both a manual and computerized accounting system, Sage 50.

Accounting and Payroll Specialist Internship

On successful completion of the classroom hours of this program, you will be placed in a 200-hour internship at an outside organization. You will have the opportunity to apply their newly developed knowledge and skills in a real-world environment.

Business Communication

This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of communication skills in business environments. Focus will be placed on both written and spoken communications. You will review the basic writing process with emphasis on the mechanics of writing. You will also learn the importance of effective spoken communication, deliver an oral presentation, and participate in a mock meeting.

Client Relations

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of how a strong relationship with clients is developed and maintained. Professionalism, the importance of living up to obligations, and the various forms of prompt and attentive communication are discussed. The course will also provide you with the skills you need to articulate organization image and how to identify and adapt to specific client behavior styles and how to measure and take corrective actions to provide client satisfaction and ensure positive relations. The course also introduces practical techniques needed to deal with clients that are angry and upset and explains the significance of maintaining and encouraging the loyalty of clients.

Career Planning and Preparation - Level 1

This course will introduce you to and provide practice in using the tools required for a successful job search. The concepts covered in this course will help you maintain a career-focused approach throughout your studies so that you are better prepared to conduct a job search after graduating. Specifically, you will learn how to identify your soft and hard skills and how to articulate your abilities in a clear and concise Elevator Pitch that will appeal to employers and resonate with industry contacts. You will learn about the job search resources available to you including using career websites, creating LinkedIn profiles, accessing the “hidden” job market, and networking. You will examine sample résumés and cover letters and begin the process of creating your own professional résumés and cover letters that align with current conventions for content, organization, and formatting. You will also learn about the role of references, thank you letters, workplace philosophies, and strategies for success including maintaining a professional image and using proper etiquette when communicating with potential employers and industry contacts.

Career Planning and Preparation – Level 2

This course builds on concepts and skills introduced in the Career Planning and Preparation Level 1 course. In this subsequent course, you will update and refine your résumé and LinkedIn Profile. You will continue writing cover letters and learn the value of customizing cover letters to specific job postings. You will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge as you conduct a job search and write a cover letter tailored to an ideal job post. Through research, you will create a list of top employers and target current industry opportunities. You will learn about current methods for applying to job postings using technology. You will also gain an understanding of the job interview process, typical interview questions and possible responses, and expectations of both the interviewer and interviewee. In addition, you will engage in practical application of the interview process through role-play. Topics such as negotiating salary, self-management, and on-the-job success for placements and post-graduate employment will be also covered.

Digital Literacy for Professionals

This course introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of learning and working in a digital environment. This course will cover the following elements: using devices and handling information, creating and editing information, communicating and collaborating, and being safe and responsible online.

Diversity in the Workplace

This course introduces diversity and its strengths in the workplace. Among the topics covered are the strengths of diversity, its occasional challenges, how to manage diversity in the workplace, and the value of diversity training. Diversity in group dynamics is also addressed, with an emphasis on the strengths of a heterogeneous group and types of diversity.

Microsoft Excel

This Microsoft Office Excel course is created to help you build and validate the skills needed to succeed in today's economy. It will also provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use Microsoft Office Excel effectively in all aspects of your personal and professional lives. Excel is the world's most popular spreadsheet software. Whether you are managing a household or running a small business, Excel will help you develop useful techniques to help business processes. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of spreadsheet software. You are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs as necessary.

Interpersonal Communication

Effective interpersonal communication is vital for the success of any organization. It impacts working relationships, productivity, and a variety of other business activities. This course introduces the concepts of effective interpersonal communication in the workplace, considering internal and external professional relationships. You will also will learn about telephone etiquette, which will prepare you to answer calls with confidence and professionalism, respond to customer/client inquiries effectively, and handle customer/client complaints. You will leave the course prepared to navigate the complexities of interpersonal communication with colleagues and clients.

Microsoft Outlook

This Microsoft Outlook course builds and validates the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It will also provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use to effectively manage emails, contacts, calendars, and tasks. Outlook has become the corporate standard electronic personal organizer. These are the foundational skills needed to communicate using Outlook in a variety of positions within an organization. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of email software. You are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs.

Payroll Fundamentals 1

This course asses the methods for paying employees with regular and non-regular earnings. The calculation of allowances, benefits, and commissions and determination of the impact of non-statutory deductions on employee pay are addressed. This course develops understanding of the role of the payroll department in hiring and terminating employees, including the completion of Service Canada's Record of Employment.

Payroll Fundamentals 2

This course focuses on the proper recording of payroll information and using payroll technology; Federal and Non-Statutory remittances and reconciliations; Quebec Tax processes; year-end procedures; and Provincial, Northwest Territories and Nunavut medical and tax premiums; remittances, reconciliations, and Workers Compensation. All of these skills are covered to provide the knowledge required for Payroll Designation by the National Payroll Institute (NPI).

Payroll Compliance Legislation

This course covers compliance responsibilities that affect organizations, comprehending relevant payroll related legislation and effectively communicating this information to all stakeholders. Finding and applying the relevant information to a variety of scenarios for individual pay are integrated into the application of federal and provincial legislation to payroll including the Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, Income Tax, Employment Standards Legislation, Workers’ Compensation Acts, and Quebec-specific legislation.

Microsoft PowerPoint

This course will show you how to create and modify basic presentations by using Microsoft Office PowerPoint. You will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation; you will format text on slides to enhance clarity and visual appeal; and you will also add and modify graphical objects in order to finalize and deliver a presentation. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of PowerPoint software. You are expected to ensure you meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.

Student Success Strategies

This course stresses the importance of developing non-technical skills to enhance personal, academic, and career success. The course will address strategies that are important for all adult learners, such as managing finances, maintaining health and wellness, understanding learning styles, setting goals, and honing practical study skills (such as memory, reading, and test-taking techniques). In addition, this course emphasizes strategies needed to succeed in your program, such as navigating technology efficiently, interacting and engaging with peers and facilitators/instructors, and managing learning time and space.

Microsoft Word

This Microsoft Office Word course is created for you to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides you with the skills and knowledge you need to use Microsoft Office Word effectively in all aspects of your personal and professional lives. Word is the world's most popular word processing software. Learning how to create, edit, format and print documents, enhance work with formatting, use bullets and numbering, add simple borders, tables, headers/footers, organizing data columns, and styles, are the foundational skills needed to perform in many positions. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of word processing software. The course combines Theory/demonstration by an instructor with readings, trainings, projects, and a final exam for you to work on in a simulation-based environment. You are expected to ensure you meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.

Admission Requirements

Student has Grade 12 or equivalent or meets criteria for Mature Student Status.
Mature students must be 19 years of age, pass a qualifying test, and provide a Letter of Intent OR resume that supports their skills and aptitudes to be successful in the program.
The approved qualifying test for this program is the Wonderlic test. A passing score for this program is 15.

Career Quiz

Take a quick and easy quiz to find out more about yourself, your goals, and identify your strengths and social style. This quiz gives you suggestions for what career areas you might consider based on your likes and preferences. Give it a try now!

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