Making Accounting Cool

Need to up the profile of accountants.

Why? General increase in demand for accountancy services due to:-

• increasing regulation
• hot economy
• record levels of M&A
• adoption of international accounting standards

In Australia, there is only one accountant for every 4 job openings.

How to raise the x-factor in accountancy for the supply?
Besides the standards thrills and frills of bigger pay packages, signing on bonuses, etc etc etc,

• Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA), through its office in Beijing, will help to train 1,500 mainland accountants over 10 years.
• The most interesting idea of all - Institute of Chartered Accountancy of India (ICAI) want to add the prefix "CA" (ie. Chartered Accountant) to the names of all licensed CPAs ie. as per "Dr" for doctors.

So signing off now at 1.45am, CA Edgar Wong :)

Reference - Feb 2007, "Making Accounting Cool", CFO Asia.