Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Darryl Bonner of Connecticut-based Liberty Bank is part of a pioneering finance apprenticeship program. He’s in the midst of a rotation through several departments at the bank, and he’s taking steps to receive the CGMA designation as well.

Bonner is one of the first apprentices in the AICPA’s Professional Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program, which in 2022 was approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

On this podcast episode, Bonner discusses why he was drawn to Liberty Bank, how he mixes his day job with the CGMA Finance Leadership Program, and what title he seeks to achieve in his career.

Resources:

n Liberty Bank’s CFO, Paul Young, CPA, CGMA, joined the JofA podcast 13 months ago to discuss why the bank was interested in taking part in the program and how adding apprentices could help to address a talent gap.

n A short video on the impact of the apprenticeship program: https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/video/professional-apprenticeships-are-making-an-impact

What you’ll learn from this episode:

· How Bonner first heard about the finance apprenticeship program.

· Why he considered his interview process with Liberty Bank to be unique.

· An explanation of the departmental rotation program at Liberty Bank.

· Why Bonner says “everyone can’t be coached the same.”

Jennifer Wilson is passionate about the accounting pipeline and the work being done by the National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG). Wilson, the CEO of Convergence Coaching and independent facilitator for NPAG, joined the JofA podcast this week to update listeners on progress in addressing talent concerns.

Wilson details the timeline for delivering a draft report to AICPA Council, themes that are emerging in discussions so far, and how entities but also individuals can play a vital role in attracting talent to the profession.

Resources

The main NPAG page, AccountingPipeline.org

March 2023 JofA podcast episode with Avani Desai, CPA

August 2023 JofA podcast episode with NPAG chair Lexy Kessler, CPA, CGMA

Last week’s episode with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA

What you’ll learn from this episode:

· An explanation of the National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) and Wilson’s work with the group.

· Some key factors that contribute to “pipeline leaks.”

· The core value proposition of the profession, in Wilson’s words.

· The role of individual responsibility in helping to address accounting talent concerns.

· A timeline for some of NPAG’s key initiatives.

· The small changes that can lead to big ripples in the pipeline, according to Wilson.

Hamza Khan believes the four-day workweek to be “an inevitability.” It is the sort of workplace trend that could help to diminish burnout, which is the main topic of this JofA podcast episode with Khan, an author and entrepreneur.

This episode is the first of a two-part conversation with Khan, who has given keynote presentations at several AICPA & CIMA events, including the Global Women’s Leadership Summit and the CFO Conference.

Khan spoke last year on the JofA podcast about the difference between managing and leading, and he’ll talk on the next episode about how strong leadership should include meaningful one-on-one meetings.

Steve Saah, executive director of the finance and accounting permanent placement practice at Robert Half, joined the JofA podcast last week at the Future of Finance Summit in Orlando, Fla. In the interview, he shares recent data that seems positive related to hiring trends.

He also offers insights into the future of in-office work, analyzes the role that inflation plays in that dynamic, and discusses the advantages organizations have with multiple generations in the workforce.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

§ How organizations are approaching hiring in 2024, according to recent Robert Half data.

§ The reasons for the significant gap between supply and demand in the finance industry.

§ The one word Saah used to describe the 2023 economy.

§ What Saah thinks about the future of in-office work.

§ The hiring advantages of hybrid work models for organizations.

§ The relationship between age, career level, and coachability.