CA magazine: October 2023
By Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communication
28 September 2023
Attracting and retaining the next generation of talent is one the biggest challenges facing the accountancy profession today.
In this edition of CA magazine, we hear from industry experts on how firms can attract top talent and from ICAS’ CEO on how we’re transforming our student experience and future proofing the CA qualification. We also meet two CAs to find out how they have put their CA qualification in action, by hearing in their words, the positive impact it's had on their careers.
Our cover story for this issue focuses on one of the biggest challenges facing both the accounting profession and professional services firms more widely. Finding and educating future generations of CAs to fill the roles required by those firms is the lifeblood of what ICAS does. We recently launched a new campaign aimed at prospective students, which sets out the different pathways to ICAS, for everyone from school leavers to those already in the finance profession.
This issue also features two fine examples of how the CA qualification provides the platform for a successful and varied career. We speak to Michelle Shuttleworth CA who has worked for the BBC, Virgin, Reuters and Burberry and is now CFO at the Francis Crick Institute.
Then, Robin McPhail CA shares the extraordinary experiences of a long career which has taken him around the world.
We’re also providing advice for firms on how to attract the next generation of talent. Next year we launch CA 24 which will ensure the curriculum reflects the changing world, for both employers and employees, around key issues such as sustainability. To ensure that we continue producing new CAs each year, the profession also needs to be as inclusive as possible. To help SMEs successfully create the right working environment we’ve also recently launched a new, free EDI toolkit.
October marks Black History Month. Back in 2021, ICAS became a signatory to the Charter for Black Talent in Finance and the Professions and one of our key EDI objectives for the future is building the Black Members’ Network, which you will hear more about shortly.
Last, but far from least, we feature an exclusive with Clive Myrie, one of our most famous black Britons. Read the interview and make a date in your diary for his appearance at ICAS’ event at HMS Belfast on 2 November.
Enjoy the issue...
For more resources, visit our EDI toolkit.
