The American Institute of CPAs and state CPA societies have launched a monthlong initiative in November to introduce high school students to opportunities in the accounting profession, while the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board are separately looking for university graduates to join their Postgraduate Technical Assistant Program.
The AICPA is teaming up with state CPA societies and CPA firms on the Accounting Opportunities Experience for high school students. Throughout this month, CPAs and state CPA societies across the country will host classroom visits, career fairs and community events aimed at inspiring the next generation of accounting professionals, with the goal of reaching 50,000 high school students through in-person and virtual engagement activities.
A number of states have officially designated November — or specific weeks and days within the month — as “Accounting Month,” “Accounting Week,” or “Accounting Day.” AOE month also included International Accounting Day on Monday, Nov. 10, a global celebration recognizing the contributions of accountants to the economy and their communities.
“The future of accounting depends on reaching students early and showing them that this profession is about far more than numbers — it’s about trust, purpose and impact,” said AICPA president and CEO Mark Koziel in a statement Monday. “When we all work together to bring the profession into classrooms and communities, we make the pathway to accounting more visible. Every conversation we have this month with a student can spark an interest that lasts a lifetime.”
The AICPA is encouraging CPAs to visit their state CPA society website to find out how to participate in local AOE month initiatives, including classroom presentations, student mentorships and community events. Educators and professionals can find free resources and ready-to-use templates on the
FASB and GASB Technical Assistant Program
Separately, FASB and GASB are kicking off the nomination period for their Postgraduate Technical Assistant Program, which provides individuals interested in an accounting-related career with an opportunity to play an active role in the financial reporting standard-setting process.
During the year-long program, postgraduate technical assistants will learn about the standard-setting process from start to finish, getting the opportunity to work alongside senior members of project staff, and will be involved in all phases of their assigned projects, including conducting technical accounting research, performing outreach with stakeholders, preparing memos on technical accounting issues, drafting due process documents, and presenting their findings to FASB and GASB members or external stakeholders.
In addition to gaining professional experience, PTAs will be exposed to leaders in different professional fields, including private-sector accounting, not-for-profit accounting, governmental accounting, auditing, investing, business and academia.
Nomination packages are now being accepted for the Summer 2026 and/or Winter 2027 PTA programs at each standard-setter. A school can nominate one qualified candidate for each of the four programs — FASB Summer, GASB Summer, FASB Winter and GASB Winter — for a total of four candidates from each school. Each candidate can also elect to be considered for their preference of either the FASB or GASB programs and/or either Summer and Winter starting dates. The standard-setters recommend that schools only submit nominees who are in or who have recently completed a graduate program, or have or will have completed 150 credit hours by the start of the PTA Program.
The standard-setters said that individuals who are successful in the PTA program generally have:
- Strong critical thinking skills and are creative;
- A genuine interest in the theoretical aspects of accounting;
- The ability to be a self-starter;
- Effective communication skills — particularly superior writing ability;
- The ability to work effectively as a member of a team;
- Strong leadership skills; and,
- A career interest in auditing or technical accounting.
To nominate candidates for the PTA Program, schools should submit a
- A formal letter of recommendation from a faculty member indicating the nominee’s program of interest. The process is to consider candidates for either board or either start date unless indicated otherwise. The letter of recommendation should say whether a candidate would prefer to not be considered for FASB or GASB or a specific term. In addition, it should indicate in the nomination form if the candidate has an interest in working on the eXtensible Business Reporting Language team as a FASB PTA.
- The nominee’s resume, including full name, address, phone number and email address.
- An essay written by the nominee on why they want to participate in the FASB/GASB PTA Program. The essay should be no more than two pages in length. If a nominee would like to be considered for both the FASB and GASB PTA Programs, their essay should indicate that. The candidate’s name must be displayed clearly on their essay.
- The nominee’s transcripts.
Due to the importance of strong writing skills for the programs, FASB and GASB’s expectation is that the essay is the candidate’s own work. The use of generative AI is prohibited for all nomination materials, including the essay and the recommendation letters.
Applicants can submit their nominations by
Candidates who are selected for further consideration will receive, no later than Dec. 23, 2025, an invitation to interview between January and March of 2026. FASB and GASB’s offers of employment will be made by March 31, 2026. Depending on the program they are accepted into, the FASB/GASB PTAs will begin their year with the boards in early July 2026 or early January 2027, full time and in person at the Norwalk, Connecticut, office.
There is an important caveat for potential candidates who already have job offers: “While our program has always been highly selective and desirable, its timing for nomination, interviewing and selection may raise concerns about a potential conflict between participation in our program and obtaining a career position,” said the email. “Candidates for the program typically have already interviewed and accepted career positions with CPA firms or other organizations. Invariably, those organizations have viewed the FASB/GASB opportunity favorably and encouraged students to pursue it. If there are questions regarding any potential conflicts with prior commitments, we will be happy to work with successful candidates to resolve those issues.”
Credit: Source link
