Upskilling to remain competitive

Preparing for an online start to the winter term: for more information. Lifelong learning program equips CPAs for industry disruption and a technology-driven future Globalization, digitization and automation are accelerating workforce transformations in every industry. Traditional professions, such as those in accounting and finance, are facing complex challenges that require professionals to adapt and upskill to succeed. "In as little as two years after graduation, alumni who are looking for new jobs have discovered they need additional skills, such as experience with specific analytics tools, to even apply for new roles," said Nancy Vanden Bosch, associate director of education for the CPA Ontario Centre for Performance Management Research and Education at Waterloo. "We need a new model for professional development given the pace of change and the ever-expanding scope of the body of knowledge," says Vanden Bosch. "As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to society for professional development opportunities and we need lifelong learning to deliver on that responsibility."  Collaborating to upskill CPAs Leveraging four decades of feedback with employers and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario), Waterloo's School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) is developing talent to meet industry needs. Working with CPA Ontario and WatSPEED , a new professional education unit at the University, Waterloo is developing lifelong learning courses that allow early career professionals to upskill so they remain competitive and agile.