Budget Forecasting Mastery Program
Build practical skills in financial planning and budget management through hands-on learning. Our program focuses on real-world applications that Australian businesses actually use, taught by professionals who've built their careers on accurate forecasting.
September 2025
16 weeks part-time
Hybrid learning
Your Learning Journey
We've structured this program around three progressive stages. Each one builds on what you learned before, so by week sixteen you're working with tools and techniques that mirror actual business forecasting scenarios.
Foundation Phase
Start with core concepts and basic forecasting models. You'll learn how to read financial statements, understand variance analysis, and build simple projection templates.
Application Phase
Move into scenario planning and cash flow forecasting. We'll work through actual business cases where you'll apply different forecasting methods to real data sets.
Integration Phase
Complete a capstone project where you develop a comprehensive budget forecast for a simulated business. This includes presenting your findings and defending your assumptions.
What You'll Actually Learn
These modules break down complex forecasting work into manageable pieces. Each week includes theory, practical exercises, and real business examples from Australian companies.
Financial Fundamentals
Weeks 1-3- Reading and interpreting financial statements with focus on P&L and balance sheets
- Understanding key financial ratios and what they tell you about business health
- Building basic budget templates in Excel and linking data across sheets
- Identifying common pitfalls in early-stage forecasting work
Forecasting Methods
Weeks 4-7- Applying trend analysis and historical data to predict future outcomes
- Working with seasonality patterns in different business sectors
- Building driver-based models that connect operational metrics to financials
- Testing assumptions through sensitivity analysis and stress testing
Cash Flow Planning
Weeks 8-11- Creating 13-week cash flow forecasts that account for timing differences
- Managing working capital requirements and understanding payment cycles
- Planning for capital expenditure and major business investments
- Developing contingency plans for different cash scenarios
Strategic Integration
Weeks 12-16- Connecting budget forecasts to broader business strategy and goals
- Presenting financial projections to stakeholders with confidence
- Building rolling forecasts that adapt as business conditions change
- Completing a comprehensive capstone project with peer review
Learn From Practitioners
Our instructors have spent years doing this work in actual businesses. They bring real experience with the challenges you'll face and practical solutions that work in Australian market conditions.
Finnegan Whitlock
Lead Forecasting Instructor
Finnegan spent twelve years building forecasting models for mid-sized tech companies before moving into education. He's particularly good at explaining why certain methods work better in volatile markets and helping students develop practical spreadsheet skills.
Briony Thornquist
Cash Flow Specialist
After working as a financial controller for retail businesses across Australia, Briony knows exactly what happens when cash forecasts go wrong. She teaches the practical side of forecasting with emphasis on timing, seasonality, and working capital management.
Ready to Build Your Forecasting Skills?
Applications for our September 2025 intake open in June. We keep class sizes small to ensure everyone gets individual feedback on their work and plenty of practice with real data sets.
Express Your InterestQuestions about the program? Reach us at info@elynothrae.com or call +61402851924