Today, many students still believe that in order to be a good accountant one must be able sit in a small office and crunch numbers from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., have a nonexistent social life, thick black glasses and a mustache. However, the reality is that accountants are at the center of some of the most important decisions that are taken in the business world. More specifically, Chartered Accountants, or CAs, use their expertise and knowledge to help their clients make enlightened decisions about their businesses.
CAs acquire in-depth knowledge of the businesses for which they work. In addition, their business sense, financial knowledge, sense of responsibility and objectivity make them favoured advisors to businesses. More than half the Chartered Accountants in Quebec are at the helm of enterprises or hold key executive positions. Whether as business leaders, vice-presidents of finance, controllers or in other management capacities, CAs are leaders in all segments of industry. As key players in the business world, they are the drivers behind countless success stories. The chartered accountancy profession can be the launching pad for a national or international career, so it is the perfect gateway to a career that embraces today’s global economy. CAs are respected world-wide for their high professional standards. The CA designation is recognized everywhere in Quebec, in Canada and in Bermuda, as well as in a number of other countries, including the United States, France, Australia and Japan. For the gold diggers out there, note that the average salary for an entry-level job as a CA is roughly $70,000.
Bishop’s University Chartered Accountancy Club has grown drastically over the past year. Indeed, other than presentations given by prominent firms such as Ernst & Young and fundraising activities, such as the Candy sale, the club participates in conventions and conferences both on the provincial and national level. On March 19th, six delegates from Bishop’s had the chance to go meet with more than 120 students from 13 universities all across Quebec. This was a great opportunity to meet recruiters from various firms, network with students from several business schools and, let’s be honest, compete to see which university has the best flip cup team (don’t worry BU students, we’ve been training hard to keep the legacy going).
On March 30th, four accounting firms (Deloitte, Grant Thornton, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and KPMG) came to visit our students. This was a great opportunity to learn more from the firms, their specialities and their internship/job prospects. This event was a must-attend for any students interested in pursuing their CA designation.
At the end of April, six other students will have the chance to participate at another convention, the University of Waterloo Accounting Conference, which is in the first and only undergraduate accounting conference in Canada. Students coming from as far as British Columbia come to this exceptional event. Our students will have the chance to listen and learn from some prominent speakers such as Bill Thomas, CEO of KPMG, and Colleen Johnston, CFO of TD Bank Financial Group. Part of the convention is also dedicated towards a case competition where the winning team is awarded $1,000. No specific knowledge of accounting is required. All you need is good critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving skills. In short, if you ever figured how to attend five parties in the same night, get trashed with only $20 and still have enough change the next day to have breakfast at Pizzaville, this case competition is for you.
Thanks to Ernst and Young and their generous contribution, the club will have the chance to organize many events next semester and students are more than welcome to participate and suggest ideas.
If you have any questions about the club or would like to be involved, don’t hesitate to contact us at BUCAC2009@gmail.com or add Bishop’s CA to your friends’ list on Facebook!
