New AICPA apprenticeship program expands accounting talent opportunities

The AICPA has added to its suite of apprenticeship offerings with the launch of a program that focuses on empowering organizations to recruit new talent or upskill existing employees in entry-level positions.

The Registered Apprenticeship for Accounting and Finance Associate is a response to market feedback to help recruit entry-level positions and upskill those in these positions to add more value and achieve more mobility, according to Joanne Fiore, AICPA & CIMA vice president–Pipeline and Apprenticeships.

“As fewer people graduate from college and the profession faces a talent pipeline crunch, interest grows in roles that do not require a college degree,” Fiore said. “It made great sense to utilize our learning and apprenticeship program to assist those in entry-level roles to upskill and add value.”

The new apprenticeship, like the successful Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program, provides an “earn and learn” opportunity for apprentices built on the CGMA Finance Leadership Program. The new program is open to candidates at least 16 years old with a high school diploma and is designed for those interested in positions such as accounting clerk, accounts payable, and payroll specialist.

The new program is stackable with a pair of already established AICPA apprenticeship programs.

Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program

The nation’s first-of-its-type and U.S. Department of Labor-registered program for accounting and finance is dedicated to establishing a pipeline of highly engaged candidates that allows employers to develop skilled, long-termer employees. Eligible candidates must be 18 years old with a high school diploma, GED, or other high school equivalency and obtaining an associate degree in accounting, finance, business, or related field by the end of the program.

Youth Apprenticeship program

Currently offered in Maryland to high school juniors or seniors, this program offers foundational business and finance/digital finance courses, tailored on-the-job training, participation in a two-day skills and networking program, and an assigned curriculum coach.

For participating employers, the AICPA’s latest apprenticeship program assists with:

• Recruitment: Promotes social mobility by attracting a wider range of candidates sooner.
• Retention: Promotes retention in two ways. Apprentices continue with the employer post-apprenticeship, and incumbent employees are upskilled to enhance or change roles within the employer.

To learn more about the suite of AICPA apprenticeship programs, contact Fiore at joanne.fiore@aicpa.cima.com.

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Bryan Strickland at Bryan.Strickland@aicpa-cima.com.