Facing the future of accounting, CPA Ireland launches remote working supports for accountancy trainees

This Advertorial is brought to you by CPA Ireland

On 15 January 2021, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar launched the National Remote Work Strategy, and its uptake is likely to make remote work a permanent feature in the Irish workplace.

So, what does this mean for trainee accountants? The obvious answer is that trainee accountants will need to hold skills in remote working. We are no longer speculating over the ‘future of work’. The new world of work is upon us and this means that students looking to secure traineeships will need to ensure their skills are aligned with the contemporary workplace. While remote work is appealing to most (94% of workers would like to work remotely according to the latest National Remote Working Employee Survey), it requires the skillset to back it up. To support trainee talent, CPA Ireland has recently launched Trainee Remote - a fully funded online course supported by Skillnet, which is aimed at assisting CPA students to identify, develop and apply the skills and competencies required work in a dispersed environment. Don Crowley, Head of the Department of Organisation & Professional Development in the School of Business at Munster Technological University Cork, says: “The CPA accountant is highly regarded and is in demand in the workplace nationally and internationally. "The CPA qualification combines accounting and other business skillsets to develop accountants who will be finance professionals and future business leaders”. Therefore, anyone considering a career in accountancy should look to CPA for future proof skills training. Remote traineeships differ to traditional traineeships as the virtual office space lacks physical observation and shadowing, so trainees must be confident in how to operate and communicate effectively. To collaborate with mentors, clients and team members, a solid mix of technical and softs skills is required. This ‘new world of work’ is also subject to constant change due to technological advancements which will continue to augment skills for the foreseeable future. CPA Ireland Trainee Remote is helping to train students in the software tools used for client service, collaboration, communication and the organisation of work. Trainee Remote also provides essential and practical skills training in double entry bookkeeping techniques, working with ledgers and creating profit & loss and balance sheet reports. All of which are required to progress into a trainee accountancy role. “The CPA qualification is contemporary, relevant and internationally recognised measure of competency in the field of Accounting,” says Dr. Trevor Prendergast, Head of Department, Accounting and Business Computing at Athlone Institute of Technology. If you would like to search for a trainee role, you can do so via CPA Ireland's newly launched online Job board – CPA Ireland Job search. Here you will find Trainee Accountancy roles advertised from leading employers Nationwide. You can apply directly for advertised roles and set up your own candidate profile, where employers can find your CV. If you would like to know more about CPA Trainee remote or Job search, contact the CPA team. CPA Ireland is no longer speculating over the ‘future of work’. The new world of work is upon us and this means that students looking to secure traineeships will need to ensure their skills are aligned with the contemporary workplace. Check out CPA Trainee Remote and CPA Ireland Job Search for more information. This Advertorial is brought to you by CPA Ireland