Professional Development 

Careers

Professional Development

Successful career development requires a strategic approach and the right tools. The C.A.T. and PD Network may be just what you need.

FROM: JUL-AUG 2005 ISSUE | BY PEGGY HOMAN

For students in the CGA program of professional studies, achieving the CGA designation is a time to celebrate the energy and commitment each individual has put into reaching a personal and professional goal. Admission to the CGA membership is also a key milestone marking the transition from certification to lifelong career growth.

To stay current, CGAs have Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements to fulfill each year. Planning and implementing an effective CPD strategy is now easier than ever, as CGA-Canada's Professional Services department, in partnership with the affiliates, has created a user-friendly way to earn CPD credits online.

Registering on the Professional Development Network (PD Network) is free for members. PD Network is one of the quickest, easiest, and most cost-effective ways to access CPD courses and seminars, as members can log-in from wherever they choose, whenever they choose.

New Standard for CPD

The Code of Ethical Principles and Rules of Conduct requires all CGAs to develop and maintain their professional competence and the Association relies on the professional judgment of each member to choose relevant CPD activities. The requirement is one of several that the Association has in place to protect the interests of the public and the profession.

In March 2005, CGA-Canada's Board of Directors approved a new CPD standard. The standard reinforces the Association's CPD guidelines, already among the strongest in the profession, to comply with International Education Standard 7, which was published by the International Federation of Accountants last year. The most significant change is the move to measure professional development in hours rather than credits. Hours-based CPD reporting is being phased in by the affiliates over the next three years.

Meet the C.A.T.

The Competency Assessment Tool (C.A.T.) was created based on the Association's competency framework to provide a convenient way for CGAs to assess their own professional development needs and to identify resources for meeting those needs. Members will find the C.A.T. useful as a self-assessment tool and as an effective means to plan career development strategies.

Featuring an intuitive and easy-to-use Flash format that allows users to evaluate their skill level in specific competencies, the C.A.T. also defines competencies for several job profiles. Once the member evaluates their current skill levels, the C.A.T. automatically generates a gap analysis to identify which skills the member needs to develop. From there, the C.A.T. provides links to courses, seminars, and articles on PD Network to assist users in developing advanced knowledge and skills. These resources support CPD requirements and provide CGAs with an online roadmap to professional success.

Discover PD Network

Looking for a convenient, accessible, and economical way to meet your CPD requirements? PD Network (www.cga-pd.net) is the best online resource for CPD for CGAs. The network was launched in 2001 and the number of users continues to grow steadily; in fact, the subscriber base has more than doubled over the past year alone. Registration is free, as are some of the online learning products.

Cameron MacKenzie, CGA, director, Professional Services, CGA-Canada notes that PD Network is produced under the guidance of the Joint Professional Development Initiative Committee, which is made up of member services directors from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Quebec, and B.C. The network is a member service initiative enabling quick access to the latest information and online learning products; it is also a powerful tool to support and direct CPD where users can complete online courses at their own pace and convenience.

PD Network's navigation and site structure relates directly to the competency framework and the C.A.T. A national panel of experts known as "section guides" oversees the library of resources maintained on the site, including links to articles, third-party Web sites, seminars, and periodicals. According to Karen Ashton, CGA, supervisor, Professional Services, CGA-Canada, there are seven English section guides covering the 10 main sections on the site. There is also a newly hired French section guide who will be responsible for augmenting the French content on the site.

A new feature to PD Network is a service called HR Answers Now, a human resources information service and a quick source of expert guidance and straightforward answers to HR-related questions of relevance to Canadian business. This service could prove invaluable for CGAs responsible for the HR function, as it offers members access to a network of HR professionals; in essence, it functions as a virtual HR department. Up to February 28, 2006, this service, which normally costs $499 per year, is offered to PD Network subscribers free of charge.

Vickie Keirstead, CGA, a public practitioner with Steeves Porter Hetu in Quispamsis, N.B., and the mother of two young children, finds it very challenging to meet her PD requirements. "Since the birth of my children I've dropped down to working 15 hours per week and it is a continuous struggle to accumulate my PD points," she says. "I find it is just not as easy to meet the requirements when you are not in an office environment full time."

"In the past, I've fulfilled my requirements by attending annual conventions and participating in as many seminars as possible. But with two young children at home, I don't have as much time as I used to," she explains. Keirstead wasn't aware of PD Network until the topic came up during a recent conversation with Trudy Dryden, FCGA, director of Member Services for CGA New Brunswick. "I mentioned the challenges I find with meeting CPD requirements, and Trudy brought up PD Network as an accessible and effective means to earn credits," says Keirstead. "I've just started to use the network and I find there is so much useful information, it is just amazing," she exclaims.

Creating an Effective Strategy

In addition to using appropriate tools, what else goes into creating an effective professional development strategy? According to Michelle Causton, FCGA, section guide for the Management and Applied Management sections of PD Network, and an accounting instructor at North Bay, Ontario's Canadore College, "Many people recognize that it is important to keep learning, but often people get comfortable with the knowledge they have and their focus shifts to other things. I think most of us suffer from information overload and we appreciate useful filters to break information down into effective sections."

"I often feel that what I should know is insurmountable," says Causton. "Over the last few years I've tried to combat that feeling by narrowing my focus to what interests me and to topics that are critical for me to know," she continues. "No matter which PD activity I am engaged in — be it a conference, a course, or an article — I try to apply that strategy for effective learning. I find breaking information down into manageable chunks is helpful," she adds.

Causton says she's never had a problem meeting her PD requirements. "The seminars, courses, and online research I do as part of my job and for my own interests means that meeting my PD requirements comes naturally. I always said I wouldn't take any more accounting courses, but then I found out about the Laurentian University MBA program, and it was too good to pass up," she recalls. "The program is extremely good value and it is highly accessible. I'm finding the LU MBA courses tremendously valuable, as I am developing a much deeper understanding of a range of topics, and this knowledge will make me a better teacher and a better accountant," she says.

Returning for a moment to the topic of accessibility, Causton indicates that it is a key concern for many members. "With the time crunch everyone faces these days, the question is how to make fulfilling professional development requirements more accessible," she says. "I think one of PD Network's great strengths is its accessibility. I use it to update my knowledge as I find it to be a very effective portal and I'm delighted with the useful items I've stumbled across." She adds, "As an educator, I've always believed in the importance of lifelong learning. And in today's knowledge-intensive world, it is essential for people to engage in ongoing learning."

Trish Brydon, CGA, an account executive with Robert Half Management Resources and the section guide for PD Network's Personal Skills section and Leadership, agrees that the Association's CPD requirements are necessary and appropriate for keeping CGAs at the forefront of the accounting profession. "The requirements are quite flexible and I've never had a problem meeting them," she says. Brydon recently completed a master's degree from Royal Roads in Victoria.

Brydon emphasizes that today's accountants must have a broad knowledge base and that they need to be proactive in order to stay well informed in a constantly changing business and regulatory environment. "PD Network is an extremely useful resource with up-to-date information on a range of topics some CGAs might not be familiar with," she points out. "I'd encourage all CGAs to take a look at what PD Network has to offer, as it is designed to make it easier for them to meet CPD requirements and remain current on important issues," she concludes.

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Peggy Homan is associate publisher and editor of CGA Magazine.