Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand recently released a report that delves into the changing nature of professions such as accounting, law and medicine – including the strengths, weaknesses and road ahead.

The 21st Century Profession report surveyed 1500 members of the public in Australia and New Zealand and found a commitment to ethics and integrity underpins public faith in professions.

The unique trinity of ethics, expertise and integrity are characteristics that set professions apart.

It is this trinity that CAs bring to our role as trusted advisers every day, particularly as we guide individuals, communities and businesses to overcome the various challenges presented by COVID-19.

“It is this trinity that CAs bring to our role as trusted advisers every day.”

The report also outlines that professions must look forward and continue to adapt; only those professions that are nimble will remain relevant into the future.

The CA Program for the future

Last year, we began the design phase of a CA Program for the future to shape and support the capabilities in response to disruptive technological change that is taking place globally. This renewed CA Program will be launched in mid-2021.

An important milestone in our two-year research and consultation phase was developing a foundational framework that guides professional development for the future.

This framework, or capability model, describes what’s expected of the future workforce of chartered accountants, providing a structured way for our members to assess their technical, personal, business and leadership capabilities throughout different career stages.

It outlines how we can support and improve an individual’s ability to be flexible, innovate, adapt and respond with agility and maintain resilience in the face of challenges.

It will also inform the creation of self-assessment tools for members to use and will be applied end-to-end across our learning and knowledge sharing activities.

I look forward to sharing more with you as we develop the tools behind this framework that will help shape both the current generation of chartered accountants and the next.

Welcome to the Class of 2020

I would like to take a moment to congratulate the Class of 2020 who have entered the profession under different circumstances than the years before them. While many members can recall the moment they were handed their certificate, this year our new members’ ceremony will be a little different. However, even though it may be virtual, this cohort’s achievements and perseverance to become CAs is recognised and appreciated.

On behalf of the membership, I would like to say a hearty welcome to the Class of 2020 and that we are honoured to have you join our community. I look forward to meeting with you when we can.

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