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The role of today’s CPA has evolved, and newly licensed CPAs are taking on new responsibilities that were traditionally assigned to more experienced staff.” By Carl R. Mayes Jr., CPA AICPA Associate Director — Quality & Evolution
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t’s never been a more exciting time to pursue the CPA license. The role of today’s CPA has evolved, and newly licensed CPAs are taking on new responsibilities that were traditionally assigned to more experienced staff. Becoming a CPA means you’ll need deeper skill sets, more competencies and a greater knowledge of emerging technologies. We’ve heard from accounting firms that they are looking for professional staff with digital acumen, data analytics skills and an understanding of IT controls and cybersecurity. That’s why the CPA licensure model is changing. CPA Evolution is a joint initiative of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The initiative is transforming the CPA licensure model to reflect the rapidly changing skills and competencies the accounting profession requires today and will require in the future. It will put in place a flexible and adaptable licensure approach that will serve as the foundation for future-proofing the CPA profession. Over the past three years, NASBA and the AICPA gathered input from more than 4,000 stakeholders from across the profession on how to transform CPA licensure and meet the needs of the marketplace. During these
CPA2b Fall 2021 | wicpa.org
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