AICPA & CIMA, which together form the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, have today announced the launch of the Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners in the State of Florida. The program partners with the Florida Institute of CPAs and accounting and finance leaders to enhance the Florida talent pipeline by providing instruction leading to a profession-recognized credential, on the job training and mentorship.

The Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners is the nation’s first-of-its-type program for accounting and finance. It is dedicated to establishing a pipeline of highly engaged candidates that allows employers to monitor and develop more skilled, and long-term employees. The program is built on the globally rigorous CGMA Finance Leadership Program leading to the award of the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation.

“Skills development and career progression are the new currencies for companies looking to hire, develop and keep the best talent,” said Tom Hood, CPA, CGMA, EVP of Business Growth & Engagement, AICPA & CIMA. “Considering the rapid pace of change, especially with technology, and the specialization required in the accounting and finance function, companies are increasingly seeking to ‘grow their own’ and to train and develop new hires and existing staff to meet the challenges they face as they transform to become the finance function of the future. We are excited to provide this pathway to enhance the future of the profession in Florida.”

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The program’s growth into Florida continues the rapid advancement of the Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners. “In Florida, we have partnered with FICPA to provide this pathway through our recently launched Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners. Since we launched the program in 2022, it is also registered in the State of Maryland and has grown to now include accounting and finance apprentices in over 15 industries,” noted Joanne Fiore, VP – Pipeline & Apprenticeships at the AICPA & CIMA. “We are also piloting a youth apprenticeship for high schools to attract students into the profession earlier and we have introduced a new entry level Registered Apprenticeship for Accounting and Finance Associates, for those interested in upskilling but are not yet ready to decide to become a Finance Business Partner and earn the CGMA designation.”

“We are pleased to partner with the AICPA in using the apprenticeship model to create opportunities in Florida for professionals in the accounting and finance profession,” said Shelly Weir, President & CEO of Florida Institute of CPAs (FICPA). “I have personally seen how apprenticeships can be used successfully to upskill professionals.”

For more than a century, the AICPA & CIMA has focused on driving a robust pipeline of professionals prepared to support and grow organizations worldwide. The Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners is the latest step in that mission.

Benefits of the Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business include:

For employers, apprenticeship programs –

– Are career development programs that establish a pipeline of employees that employers can develop and monitor over time to greatly increase the chance of developing a highly engaged, more skilled, long-term employee.

– Are a talent pipeline management tool, which allows organizations to build, in addition to buy talent, and in doing so take control over how they address ongoing and future needs of their organization and improve recruitment.

– Expand the candidate pool by providing experiences and education that the candidate may not have at the start and allows employers to consider a broader range of candidates.

For apprentices, these programs allow them to earn a paycheck while they learn and benefit from exposure to more career development and mentoring opportunities. If interested in learning more about the Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners contact Faith.Balshan@aicpa-cima.com.

Accounting