2018 marks the twentieth anniversary of The World Congress of Accountants (WCOA). The major international accounting conference is being co-hosted by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand at ICC Sydney and will draw thousands of delegates from over 130 countries.

Leaders in the finance and accounting space will gather to share their unique insights on the core themes of trust, ethics, diversity, sustainability and new technologies over a four-day program featuring keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions.

Curtin University student Natalie Lonyai is a CA student rep who has been selected to attend day four of the conference which will focus on the future of accounting and business with topics ranging from the significance of AI, to global trends and new ways of working in our digital future.

Natalie, who has a graduate position in the Private Clients division at PwC lined up for next year, is curious to find out more about how technology will shape her future in the industry.

"I think it will help me identify and be prepared for the changes I will experience throughout my career - whether they're immediate or 20 years from now. I'm really interested to hear the potential impacts on external audit in particular," she said.

One of the speakers who Natalie is looking forward to hear from in particular is CEO & Founder of the Young Professional Women Australia and Chartered Accountant, Kate Boorer. Kate will feature in a session with the General Manager of Liquids & Waste Services Cleanaway Waste Management Brendan Hargreaves on effective ways to use data and analysis in commercial proposals to demonstrate positive business outcomes. "I'm really interested to hear what Kate has to say," Natalie says.

I'm sure when I leave WCOA, I'll be really inspired to get my career started next year.

Natalie sees WCOA as a great opportunity to engage with different people from all over the world and she believes that the conference will have an impact on where her career goes, based on the insights she will gain from the experts in the field.

"I'm looking forward to meeting interesting people, not just the speakers, but also fellow attendees, learning about their careers and making some new friends," Natalie says.

"I think I'll learn so much more about where the profession is heading, the kinds of opportunities that will be available in the future, and how I can adapt to the technological developments that will have an impact on the industry. I'm sure that after WCOA, I'll be even more inspired to get my career started next year."