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For candidate resources, visit www.mocpa.org/cpanext.
Executive Summary
As the accounting profession faces a significant shortage in the number of accounting students taking and passing the Uniform CPA Examination (CPA Exam), a major effort is needed to strengthen the accounting education and experience pipeline in Missouri. MOCPA’s Educational Foundation is already making advancements by establishing a Legacy Endowment Scholarship Fund, developing high school awareness programs to promote the accounting profession as a viable career option, and supporting the AICPA’s initiative to have accounting added under the umbrella of the K-12 and university STEM disciplines. While these initiatives generate awareness, offer financial support, and position the profession for long-term success, the human capital supply-chain or pipeline point at which CPA candidates pass the CPA Exam needs refinement and renewal.
To further impact these important pipeline awareness efforts, MOCPA’s Educational Foundation has launched CPANext—the next step in the progression of resources offered to MOCPA Student Members. CPANext is an emerging professionals’ program with the goal of increasing and strengthening the accounting pipeline in Missouri. For many candidates, the journey is a solitary experience—especially for minorities, those in rural areas and first-generation college students. CPANext is open to candidates who are enrolled in or have completed Intermediate Accounting I and seek encouragement and guidance to sit for the CPA Exam. Through CPANext, candidates will be guided, coached, and motivated to pass the CPA Exam. The initiative also seeks to provide firms and companies with greater access to prospective employees. Roadmaps, resources, and sustained support will help program participants navigate the process more easily. They will continually be reminded of the strong value and vast lifetime career opportunities they can receive from becoming a CPA. In short, CPANext is aimed at encouraging more CPA Exam candidates across the finish line (i.e., passing all four sections of the CPA Exam) and assisting firms and companies in finding qualified staff.
MOCPA will provide the platform that brings CPA Exam candidates, accounting educators, and employers together for a common cause. Missouri’s accounting educators will play a strong role in guiding candidates along the path to CPA Exam success. Educators can help identify candidates for MOCPA outreach and coaching, as well as provide the students with information and encouragement. Likewise, employers will have sustained access to talent beyond the largest enrolled accounting programs they typically recruit from, including a large cohort of candidates attending smaller schools across the state. By learning about all Missouri accounting programs, employers can establish relationships with many more worthy candidates than they currently reach and share information about their corporate culture, leadership and internship programs, and hiring processes.
Program Goals:
• Increase the number of CPAs in Missouri by guiding and coaching accounting and business majors to begin the process of sitting for the Uniform CPA Examination and staying the course through to licensure. • Provide firms and companies increased access to qualified candidates from which to recruit. Offer firms and companies outreach and coaching opportunities for their CPA candidates as they progress through the CPA Exam process (e.g., financial assistance for review course or exam fees, coaching opportunities, leadership program invitations, internship/job offers). • Help candidates navigate hurdles in the CPA licensure process.• Leverage the CPANext program’s resources and goals to benefit minority candidates, first-generation college students and those living in rural areas.
Benefits to Candidates:
• Receive guidance on the exam process from MOCPA’s CPA Exam Coach Program.• Obtain resources (e.g., Mock CPA Exam session, CPANext welcome packet, updates on exam changes) to help pass the CPA Exam and achieve licensure.• Connect with employers for career and internship opportunities, as well as firm/company leadership programs.• Access résumé placement opportunities with potential employers.• Collaborate with peers who are also going through the process (e.g., online Connect Community, private study groups).
Benefits to Firms and Companies/Stakeholder Organizations:
• Reap the advantages from an increased pool of qualified candidates to hire.• Gain early access to eligible emerging accounting professionals for recruitment opportunities.• Receive access to a candidate résumé bank.• Search database for eligible candidates based on filtered attributes (e.g., type of practice desired by applicant, size of company desired, geographic preferences).• Serve as a sponsor of MOCPA’s Awards Celebrations, which are attended by recent CPA Exam passers.
As the accounting profession faces a significant shortage in the number of accounting students taking and passing the Uniform CPA Examination (CPA Exam), a major effort is needed to strengthen the accounting education and experience pipeline in Missouri. MOCPA’s Educational Foundation is already making advancements by establishing a Legacy Endowment Scholarship Fund, developing high school awareness programs to promote the accounting profession as a viable career option, and supporting the AICPA’s initiative to have accounting added under the umbrella of the K-12 and university STEM disciplines. While these initiatives generate awareness, offer financial support, and position the profession for long-term success, the human capital supply-chain or pipeline point at which CPA candidates pass the CPA Exam needs refinement and renewal.
To further impact these important pipeline awareness efforts, MOCPA’s Educational Foundation has launched CPANext—the next step in the progression of resources offered to MOCPA Student Members. CPANext is an emerging professionals’ program with the goal of increasing and strengthening the accounting pipeline in Missouri. For many candidates, the journey is a solitary experience—especially for minorities, those in rural areas and first-generation college students. CPANext is open to candidates who are enrolled in or have completed Intermediate Accounting I and seek encouragement and guidance to sit for the CPA Exam. Through CPANext, candidates will be guided, coached, and motivated to pass the CPA Exam. The initiative also seeks to provide firms and companies with greater access to prospective employees. Roadmaps, resources, and sustained support will help program participants navigate the process more easily. They will continually be reminded of the strong value and vast lifetime career opportunities they can receive from becoming a CPA. In short, CPANext is aimed at encouraging more CPA Exam candidates across the finish line (i.e., passing all four sections of the CPA Exam) and assisting firms and companies in finding qualified staff.
MOCPA will provide the platform that brings CPA Exam candidates, accounting educators, and employers together for a common cause. Missouri’s accounting educators will play a strong role in guiding candidates along the path to CPA Exam success. Educators can help identify candidates for MOCPA outreach and coaching, as well as provide the students with information and encouragement. Likewise, employers will have sustained access to talent beyond the largest enrolled accounting programs they typically recruit from, including a large cohort of candidates attending smaller schools across the state. By learning about all Missouri accounting programs, employers can establish relationships with many more worthy candidates than they currently reach and share information about their corporate culture, leadership and internship programs, and hiring processes.
Program Goals:
• Increase the number of CPAs in Missouri by guiding and coaching accounting and business majors to begin the process of sitting for the Uniform CPA Examination and staying the course through to licensure. • Provide firms and companies increased access to qualified candidates from which to recruit. Offer firms and companies outreach and coaching opportunities for their CPA candidates as they progress through the CPA Exam process (e.g., financial assistance for review course or exam fees, coaching opportunities, leadership program invitations, internship/job offers). • Help candidates navigate hurdles in the CPA licensure process.• Leverage the CPANext program’s resources and goals to benefit minority candidates, first-generation college students and those living in rural areas.
Benefits to Candidates:
• Receive guidance on the exam process from MOCPA’s CPA Exam Coach Program.• Obtain resources (e.g., Mock CPA Exam session, CPANext welcome packet, updates on exam changes) to help pass the CPA Exam and achieve licensure.• Connect with employers for career and internship opportunities, as well as firm/company leadership programs.• Access résumé placement opportunities with potential employers.• Collaborate with peers who are also going through the process (e.g., online Connect Community, private study groups).
Benefits to Firms and Companies/Stakeholder Organizations:
• Reap the advantages from an increased pool of qualified candidates to hire.• Gain early access to eligible emerging accounting professionals for recruitment opportunities.• Receive access to a candidate résumé bank.• Search database for eligible candidates based on filtered attributes (e.g., type of practice desired by applicant, size of company desired, geographic preferences).• Serve as a sponsor of MOCPA’s Awards Celebrations, which are attended by recent CPA Exam passers.
Missouri Society of CPAs
540 Maryville Center Dr Ste 200
St. Louis, MO 63141
www.mocpa.org
800-264-7966
member@mocpa.org