Learn practical methods for identifying financial variances and developing realistic correction strategies. Our autumn 2025 program focuses on building analytical skills through hands-on case studies.
View Course ScheduleWe've spent years watching professionals struggle with budget analysis. These principles shape how we teach deviation tracking—and why participants actually apply what they learn.
Every case study uses actual financial data from Australian businesses. You'll work with scenarios that mirror what you'll face on Monday morning—not theoretical exercises.
A variance isn't just a number. We teach you to understand the business story behind budget deviations before jumping to corrective actions.
Your analysis doesn't need to be flawless. It needs to help decision-makers understand what's happening and why it matters right now.
We track what happens after people complete our program. Here's what we've seen since launching in 2022.
Financial controllers, department heads, and business analysts from mid-sized Australian companies have completed our program since 2022.
Based on follow-up surveys, most participants report cutting their monthly variance review time by about three-quarters within six months.
Average rating from participant feedback collected between January and March 2025, focusing on practical applicability and clarity.
These folks took the program at different points in their careers. Here's what changed for them.
I'd been looking at budget reports for eight years but never really understood what I was seeing. The program showed me how to spot patterns I'd been missing—like seasonal shifts that looked like problems but weren't.
Best part was learning which deviations actually need attention. I used to flag everything over 5%, which just created noise. Now I can tell my CFO what matters and what's just normal business fluctuation.
The case studies were surprisingly similar to what we deal with in manufacturing. I started applying the methods during week three of the program, which probably wasn't recommended but it worked.
Sixteen weeks, Tuesday evenings. Each phase builds on what came before, with real analysis work between sessions.
We start with why budgets deviate in the first place. You'll learn to recognize the difference between variance types and understand what each one signals about business operations.
This is where you learn the actual techniques. We cover trending, ratio analysis, and comparative approaches—then practice on datasets from retail, services, and manufacturing sectors.
Analysis is only useful if people understand it. You'll learn how to present findings to different audiences—from CFOs who want summaries to department heads who need details.
Final two weeks are for your capstone project. You'll analyze a complex budget scenario, identify deviations, and present recommendations—just like you would in your actual role.
Next cohort starts September 2025. Classes run Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:30 PM AWST, with optional Saturday workshops monthly.
