At the recent AICPA conference, much of the discussion focused on what skills the accountant of the future would possess. There are two major changes happening in public accounting — technological disruption and a move to more advisory services.
These two changes require more diverse skills than ever before. Many of the skills are beyond the traditional CPA.
One of the primary skills that will be needed in the future is the ability to continuously learn.
“There will be a need to learn, unlearn and relearn… it’s the thought of futuristic literacy moving forward–not to read and write but the ability to unlearn so you can relearn, and the general awareness of all these activities for everyone. If you’re trusted advisors, you need to know the implications of these shifts–of both the wide knowledge and capabilities for a narrow knowledge.”
With these changes, the certifications will need to evolve. Possibly different types of certifications will be needed beyond the CPA.
To see the remaining summary of the conference, go to
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/the-accounting-professional-of-the-future-non-cpas
In my opinion, as students start to focus on graduation, certification needs to be a focus. No matter the certification — CPA, CMA, CFE, or CISA, those initials will matter and could be a difference maker.
I Teach Accounting Information Systems 