By Shireen Chengadu, Chief Academic Officer at Richfield
For generations, choosing a tertiary education pathway meant choosing a profession. Accountant, IT specialist, business manager, the titles were familiar, the trajectories predictable, and the pathways well defined. Today, that certainty no longer exists. The career landscape has shifted dramatically, reshaped by data, automation, and rapid digitisation.
As recently as five years ago, few matriculants would have factored roles such as AI Prompt Engineer, Sustainability Data Analyst, or Digital Transformation Specialist into their career planning. Positions like Cloud Support Engineer, Data Privacy Officer, and UX Researcher were either highly specialised or largely unknown. Today, they are firmly embedded in mainstream workforce demand.
These roles have emerged because organisations now operate on digital systems and data-driven decision-making. Employers increasingly seek professionals who understand technology, data insights, compliance, and risk, but who can also apply this expertise within a broader business context. The distinction between “technical” and “commercial” skill sets has blurred. Success now requires a combination of both.
As a result, the critical question facing parents, education funders, and matriculants entering tertiary education in 2026 is no longer simply which degree to choose. It is whether the curriculum underpinning that qualification equips graduates to succeed in a labour market that continues to evolve at speed.
Familiar careers, new skill requirements
Many traditional professions remain relevant, but few remain unchanged. Accountants increasingly work alongside automated systems and advanced analytics. Financial managers rely on predictive insights rather than historical reports. Business administrators oversee digital platforms and remote teams. IT technicians are expected to transition into cloud based and cybersecurity focused roles.
This evolution has reshaped what professional competence looks like. Foundational qualifications remain essential, but they must now be complemented by digital fluency, an understanding of how technology influences organisational decision-making, and the ability to translate insight into strategic action.
Accounting provides a clear example of this convergence. Modern finance functions are driven by integrated digital systems, automation, and data analytics. In response, Richfield has introduced the BCom (AGA-IT), a qualification that integrates core accounting principles with information technology and business systems, aligning academic preparation with industry realities and which is SAICA endorsed along with the BCom (AGA-SA).
Skills that transfer across careers
Across sectors, this expanded competency profile underpins both emerging and evolving roles. Graduates require strong subject based knowledge, but they must also be comfortable working with data, collaborating in digital environments, understanding automation, and solving complex problems in fast changing contexts. Cyber awareness, data ethics, and professional judgment are no longer optional additions, they are foundational capabilities.
Equally important is adaptability. No longer a corporate catchphrase, adaptability has become a prerequisite for career sustainability. Graduates who succeed will be those who understand that qualification completion marks the beginning, and not the end, of their learning journey.
The implications are clear. A traditional degree on its own no longer guarantees employability or long-term success. Students need exposure to real world business environments, opportunities to apply theory in practice, and curricula that are continuously refreshed in consultation with industry.
As career paths become increasingly non-linear, matriculants must choose tertiary education partners that prepare them for movement, change, and reinvention. Careers today are dynamic journeys. The graduates who thrive will be those equipped not only with disciplinary expertise, but with practical, digital, and transferable skills that travel with them across roles and industries.
