One of the great joys of being an accounting professor is hearing a former student say the following words: “I have passed all parts of the CPA exam.” That message is likewise heartening for CPAs in practice.

Encouraging more young people to become CPAs is crucial for the profession. With the exclusion of sole practioners, the majority of CPA firms surveyed said finding qualified staff at all levels was a top concern. These and other insights surfaced in the 2007 AICPA Private Companies Practice Section’s Top Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Issues Survey. The AICPA has named “people” as a leading priority in its fiscal 2009–2011 strategic plan. The plan calls for leading the profession in embracing a changing work force environment by attracting, educating and nurturing CPAs throughout their careers and into retirement.

The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) in 2007 launched “CPA Bound,” an advocacy initiative supported by the Howard University School of Business Center for Accounting Education (CAE). The program is designed to address one important segment of the CPA staffing challenge — the barriers to certification faced by African Americans.

One of the first steps in that initiative was a June 2007 gathering of thought leaders at a one-day summit designed to identify ways to fill the pipeline of future CPAs with African-American accountants who are ready and willing to sit for the exam.

Read the full article, which summarizes key recommendations that emerged from the discussions.