CPA Australia
Accountancy: a career that takes you places
The CPA Program provides CPAs with…necessary skills, providing a world-class professional education program for leadership careers in finance, accounting and business.
Recent global events are demanding that the corporate world show its credentials in business leadership, strategy and financial management, as in the past year some of the largest financial institutions have either teetered on the brink of collapse or actually fallen. Many of the survivors have managed to do so only thanks to unprecedented government financial commitments.
Strong and visionary leadership is needed to pull the global financial and economic system back from the brink. Leadership, from business and government, is critical in restoring confidence in the global financial system and to minimise the fallout.
In this speech extract the President of CPA Australia, Alex Malley FCPA, elaborates on how the CPA Program provides accountants with vital skills to cope with global events. He made the speech to the Business Leader's Forum in Sydney in October 2008.
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There is a growing emphasis on strategic business thinking, governance and ethical issues, all inherent strengths in the Australian accounting and finance professions, as opposed to the traditional bean counting function. These high level strategic business skills will be relevant in the present climate where foreign capital investment is at a premium. The ability to be analytical, conceptual and to practice strong business ethics are hallmarks of the Australian accounting profession and its educational institutions. CPAs play a major role in this, being logical and analytical; they are also innovative and visionary. Businesses need both. It is this unique combination that drives business success and the presence of these skills in any prospective market that provides the certainty which underpins capital investment.  As such accountants are as critical to driving foreign investment as are roads, rails and other key infrastructure. CPAs are critical in ensuring that the issues I've raised — governance, ethics, rigour in financial reporting and the importance of a regional and global perspective — are all integrated into good business leadership, strategy and ensuring financial stability. The CPA Program provides CPAs with these necessary skills, providing a world-class professional education program for leadership careers in finance, accounting and business. While ensuring that CPAs are highly educated technically and professionally, the CPA Program locates professional accounting education within the contemporary and interconnected contexts of business strategy, decision-making and leadership, and corporate governance. The compulsory segments in this program equip CPAs with the right technical skills as well as lateral skills to enable them to think and create. It's important in the present circumstances that we take a global view. If we needed any reminding, these events have certainly shown just how interconnected world financial and economic markets are. The CPA Program’s elective segment International Business provides candidates with an understanding of the concepts, practice and real-world knowledge necessary to conduct business in an international environment taking into consideration the impact of various forces that influence the global business environment. There are many lessons to be learned from what we're presently experiencing. To revisit an earlier point, some previously unshakeable beliefs have now been well and truly shaken. While it creates an environment conducive to new ways of thinking it also highlights the continuing importance of transparency, rigour and ethics, all qualities the CPA Program and Mentor Program instil upon our members. |
A CPA drives business success
Business success today is driven by a holistic approach. Imagine someone with the powerful combination of logical and lateral thinking. As a CPA it is these qualities that ultimately equip members with the fundamental skills to drive business success.
It's a CPAs broad view of the professional business landscape plus a high level of technical skills that gives them a competitive edge and the ability to see the bigger picture. CPAs balance logic plus vision and analysis plus innovation. This holistic approach is integral to business success today.
CPA Australia is the global professional accountancy designation for strategic business leaders, with more than 20,000 members holding the position of General Manager, Financial Controller, Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer. Around 25,000 CPA Australia members currently live or work outside of Australia proving our member are strategic leaders in international business. CPA Australia also has reciprocal arrangements with several overseas accounting bodies, meaning you can easily take advantage of international career opportunities that come your way.
Life is all about choices and creating your own individual style. The CPA Program is an internationally recognised, challenging and comprehensive, flexible and highly sought after program. The challenging content of the CPA Program ensures that on completion CPAs possess technical expertise that is second to none. Benchmarked worldwide and aligned with international best practice, it is regularly reviewed to ensure its structure and content are of the highest standard and exceed the demands of today’s business professionals.
It is delivered through flexible learning, designed for you to study when and where you choose, with the convenience of having the study materials sent to you anywhere in the world. The course structure comprises six units plus practical mentored work experience, which together must be completed within six years. You must take three compulsory segments, as well as choosing three electives from a possible ten segments, such as international business or financial accounting. The examinations for these segments are all open book, combining both written case based and multiple-choice formats. The CPA Program allows you to choose the support you need — from study groups to workshops and online forums. You also have the choice of 240 locations around the world in which to sit your exams. So whether you’re travelling, working, or both, the CPA Program is flexible enough to fit into whatever you are doing in life.
Get the edge with CPA Passport
Becoming part of this fraternity has its advantages. CPA Passport is CPA Australia’s global student network and your ticket to the broadest career options available. It provides more resources, networking opportunities, study support, ongoing training and work experience programs, both in Australia and overseas, than any other professional body of its kind.
Free to CPA Passport students is our Real Business magazine, the only finance, accounting and business magazine specifically for students. It provides you with industry information, employer profiles and the information you need to join the workforce. To join CPA Passport visit our dedicated student website www.cpacareers.com.au
CPA Australia Internship Program
The CPA Australia Internship Program is about helping you find relevant professional experience throughout Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia with great employers. In past programs, many students have been offered ongoing work or graduate positions as a result of their placement.
All placements are paid professional experience roles that will take place for 6–12 weeks starting in November 2009. There are a number of paid placements across a range of industries available and each student can apply for a maximum of four placements.
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