Measuring accountant preparedness.

• Author: Ladd, Scott
• Position: FERF RESEARCH - Financial Executives Research Foundation - Brief article

Are accounting professionals prepared to compete in a modern, global marketplace? How does a company competing in a more challenging economic environment attract and retain diverse accounting talent? And what should the educational pathway look like now and in the future for accounting professionals?

The Pathways Commission--a joint project of the American Accounting Association (AAA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)--aims to answer the last of those three questions and to help provide companies with the most talented, educated and prepared accounting professionals they need and are seeking. The commission recently issued its 2012 survey on the subject.

Bob Walker, currently a trustee of Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF) and a former chief financial officer of Agilent Technologies, served as the representative of Financial Executives International in the Supply Chain #2 Pathways Commission Representative group.

In an effort to assist The Pathways Commission with its goals, FERF surveyed FEI members on their current demand for candidates with accounting degrees and their anticipated demand in five years. The survey included questions on the technical and professional competencies needed to meet both current and future employment needs.

The results presented in the latest report provide unique insight into corporate hiring intentions and...