Lifelong learning program equips CPAs for industry disruption and a technology-driven future
By Patty Mah
Globalization, digitization and automation are accelerating workforce transformations in every industry. Traditional professions, such as those in accounting and finance, are facing complex challenges that require professionals to adapt and upskill to succeed.
“In as little as two years after graduation, alumni who are looking for new jobs have discovered they need additional skills, such as experience with specific analytics tools, to even apply for new roles,” said Nancy Vanden Bosch, associate director of education for the CPA Ontario Centre for Performance Management Research and Education at Waterloo.
“We need a new model for professional development given the pace of change and the ever-expanding scope of the body of knowledge,” says Vanden Bosch. “As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to society for professional development opportunities and we need lifelong learning to deliver on that responsibility.”