More than just crunching numbers, financial professionals should be versatile and well-versed in operations, technology and economics.
IT is no secret that being versatile is a valued skill in the workplace.
The same could be said for financial professionals especially now during this post-Covid-19 phase and as the economy continues to bounce back.
Instead of just crunching numbers, modern finance teams are expected to have knowledge beyond finance but also in operations, technology and economics, according to PwC Malaysia.
Possessing this knowledge along with an unbiased, end-to-end view of the company’s full value chain would allow teams to provide insights to help their clients make important decisions, it says.
In light of this new demand, CPA Australia’s programme aims to go beyond numbers and teach skills that would help accountants and financial professionals like leadership, strategy and business.
Building leaders
“One of the key reasons I chose the CPA Program was that it helps grow talents' critical thinking and leadership skills,” says CCS & Co business development professional Jared Low CPA (Aust.).
Harnessing skills gained during the programme, he proposed the company to digitally transform just three months before the first lockdown.
“By the time the movement control order (MCO) was announced, we had a ready-made mechanism for paperless workflow so were not badly hit by the first Covid-19 wave,” he says.
“Rebuilding the company website also helped us maintain relationships and gain new clients during the second wave.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers senior associate Emmalina Hood CPA (Aust.) says subjects such as Global Strategy and Leadership and Contemporary Business Issues helped her take into account the impact the external environment could have on a business, and the human aspect of a company.
“When I first started as an audit associate, all I saw was numbers,”
“Understanding how the entire process flows has helped me to better understand my clients’ concerns and cater to them accordingly,” she says.
(From left) Low, Emmalina and Dayana all benefited from the CPA Program
Flexibility to excel
Emmalina, who was awarded the certificate of excellence during her CPA study, says: “I am also part of CPA Australia’s Young Professional Advisors Committee, which focuses on helping younger members through their exams and the first few years of their careers.”
Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) Dayana Reza CPA (Aust.), a former Yayasan Peneraju scholar, works at investigating unlicensed activities, misconduct and irregularities in capital markets, and valued the flexibility of the CPA Program.
On top of her full-time job, she also runs her own photography business and just started her Nyonya Kain batik business.
“I found it easy to adapt within my business and work schedules,” she says.
The programme’s online platform includes extensive resources from business simulations, video resources and weekly webinars to module quizzes and downloadable study notes.
“Everything in the course teaches you how to find your passion in your career, be it in audit, taxation, corporate finance or business management,” she adds.
Besides that, the programme is one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies, with some 168,000 members working in 100 countries and regions across the globe.
How you can get started
Tune in to the Become a CPA information webinar to find out more about the programme - subjects, exam format, study resources, important dates, fees, application process - and enjoy a waiver on the application fee.
Learn more about its special admission pathways with other professional bodies for those holding other professional qualifications.
There are special exemptions available under the CPA Australia-MIA MOU pathway for MIA members with a minimum of five years of MIA membership in good standing.
Those interested in registering for the upcoming S1 2022 batch could also try to obtain financial assistance from CPA Australia - Yayasan Peneraju sponsorship and the CPA Australia - Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL)-MARA education loan.
For more information, fill out a simple form or call/WhatsApp 012-229 6746 or 012-207 5772 to reach out to CPA’s friendly team.
