In Part 1 I discussed the similarities and differences between the traditional in-person online facilitator training and last winter’s virtual training sessions. This post continues with themes of educator best practices and discusses why these themes are critical to learner development and CPA PEP design. Social interaction When delivering the virtual training for new online facilitators, Kami, Nikki, and I made sure to provide moments where trainees could participate, communicate, share, inquire, and learn, and the formal learning interactions occurred as expected. What was missing were the ..read more

If you’re nearing the end of your CPA studies, you may be thinking about sitting on the other side and becoming a facilitator. What exactly does New Facilitator training look like? Before COVID-19, it was similar to Experienced Facilitator Workshops, except focused on training and policy best practices, assuming trainees know very little about delivering CPA PEP. This past winter, Kami, Nikki, and I taught our first training session since the shift to a completely virtual environment. While we have led sessions together in the past, this was the first time we presented them virtually. What was ..read more

CPAWSB presented the 2020 Exemplary New Professional award to a recent graduate, Kathleen Gerber, CPA, who demonstrated the qualities of a Chartered Professional Accountant during their time as a candidate, and during the year following successful completion of the Common Final Exam. This award is made possible by Kouri Bezeren Heinrichs, an Alberta- based CPA firm.   Why did you become a CPA?  I didn’t know when starting post-secondary education that I wanted to become a CPA. It took trying out some different classes to figure out what I enjoyed l ..read more

The first part of this series discussed reframing “quitting” with the second part focusing on skills development. This final post will discuss how to put it all together. Closing time, you don’t have to go home But you can’t stay here Closing Time, Semisonic Great: you are confidently solving problems and helping others. Your inbox has activity, your calendar is starting to fill up. What now? Say “yes…” As discussed in Part 2 of this series, say yes and volunteer, consult, add value within your organization. Build your skillset and say yes to offers when they come in. When a project is done ..read more

In Part 1 of this series I discussed the importance of reframing “quitting”. This post will continue to discuss career progression, concurrently creating value for yourself and others. Mindset shift: YOU are a business We know businesses with multiple sources of income tend to be less “risky”. Ideally, those streams of income complement the natural business cycle, like a landscaper who in the winter, plows snow. As CPAs, we analyze the health of a business, conclude and advise ways to mitigate risks, yet why do so many of us choose to focus all of our efforts on one source of income?  It ..read more

Career progression. How can someone harness the power of their education? When should one move on? In this three-part mini-series, I will explore the theme of career progression. First, I’ll discuss why quitting is essential to growth, then how to set yourself up for growth, and conclude with exploring the bigger picture of a CPA and lifestyle design. Metaphor Soup Traditionally, career progression has been referred to as “climbing the corporate ladder”, while recent metaphors include a jungle gym and coloured parachutes. Except, what happens when you don’t know if you want a ladder, jungle gy ..read more

Winter 2021 Plagiarism Statistics Plagiarism—submitting someone else’s work as your own—is unacceptable in CPA education and carries serious consequences such as failure of the module and/or expulsion. Following every session, CPAWSB investigates suspected instances, and below we share the results from the Winter 2021 CPA PEP session. Winter 2021 Plagiarism Occurrences During the Winter 2021 CPA PEP session, plagiarism instances included the following: Exam Plagiarism Exam plagiarism occurs where responses are copied from: Websites CPA provided solutions CPA Learning E-Book without citation ..read more

In this “Ask an Advisor” series, we answer questions regularly received by the different teams responsible for CPA course and module administration. This week, we focus on a question received by the CPA preparatory courses Student Experience team. Dear Advisor, I’m enrolled in a re-designed course and I’m not sure how to figure out if I’ll qualify to write the final exam.  How do I check the progress of my course requirements? Thank you, CPA preparatory courses student Dear CPA preparatory courses student, Each CPA preparatory course has specific deadlines. You are responsible for ensurin ..read more

With the CFE just around the corner, it is important to remember why we train.  You have done enough; no candidate has ever mentioned they feel like they have completed their studies, much like we never quite feel ready to make an important presentation. You can execute your plan and ensure you can bring your best come exam day. Now is the time to look inward and practice self-care. That may look different to everyone, but could include:  putting your phone on do not disturb and having a bath watching a movie, listening to an audiobook or podcast, and munching on snacks&nb ..read more

Mature applicants are individuals who do not have a Canadian equivalent undergraduate degree but do have related work experience that may count towards waiving the degree and credit hours. This post outlines the criteria for entry under this category. If you do not hold a degree but have obtained substantial work experience that meets the CPA competency standards, you may be eligible to apply as a mature applicant. To be eligible for Mature entry into CPA PEP you must have at least eight years of related experience in the accounting field and submit additional documents to be reviewed by commi ..read more