Members of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) visited 65 high schools in the state during the fall of 2023 to inform students about the benefits of having a successful career in accounting and how to become a certified public accountant (CPA). Through the NJCPA Career Awareness Program, more than 60 NJCPA members made presentations throughout New Jersey.

NJCPA members visit their local high school or their alma mater to discuss the many ways businesses and individuals rely on CPAs for financial strategies and advice. Students and faculty learn how data analytics and the latest technology play significant roles in shaping accounting functions.

“Returning to my high school as part of the NJCPA’s Career Awareness Program was incredibly fulfilling. It was when I was at the desks those students now sit in that I decided to pursue a career in accounting. Going back to share in my experiences as a professional was incredibly rewarding,” said Tara M. Baldwin, CPA, a manager at WilkinGuttenplan, who visited Hillsborough High School in Somerset County. “The accounting profession has evolved so much over the past few years, it is exciting to share that with students — and hopefully play a small part in their decision to begin their journey to become a CPA.”

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“While awareness is important at all levels, high school is a great time to reach students about the benefits and opportunities that exist within accounting. We are extremely grateful to have such dedicated members who continuously give back to their communities and their profession, and demonstrate the rewards of an accounting career,” added Aiysha Johnson, MA, IOM, CEO and executive director at the NJCPA. “Encouraging and supporting the next generation of CPAs and ensuring that the profession is accessible to all students are key objectives of the NJCPA.”

The Career Awareness program also encourages talented students to seek funding that is available to them through many scholarship opportunities via the NJCPA Scholarship Fund. Every year $1,500 scholarships are awarded to college-bound New Jersey high school seniors who intend to major in accounting or obtain a concentration in accounting. The Fund also awards scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $6,500 to accounting students at New Jersey colleges or universities who are currently in their sophomore or junior year or in their senior year and entering an accounting-related graduate program. In 2023, the Fund awarded more than $220,000 in scholarships to 53 students. Learn more at njcpa.org/scholarships.