CPA Pipeline Resources

Tools and resources for promoting the accounting profession

Whether you’re a CPA, state society representative, faculty member, university administrator, career counsellor, or student presenter, the AICPA has materials to aid your presentations and initiatives.

Inspiring the next generation of CPAs

When you share your CPA story with students, you spark their interest in accounting and set them on the path to a dynamic career. Learn how you can inspire the next generation of CPAs in this short video from Okorie Ramsey, 2023-24 Chair of the American Institute of CPAs and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

If you are planning to speak with middle school, high school, college students, or CPA Exam candidates, the AICPA has created materials to help make your engagement opportunities a success.

The following resources were created using best practices and based on AICPA research into student audiences. The presentations, guides, videos, and awareness collateral were designed to help state societies, CPAs, and other professionals engage with future accounting professionals.

Volunteer resources

The following resources are available to aid you in preparing for your student engagement.

Volunteer 1-Pager: Review this one-page volunteer resource for tips on connecting with students, getting to know your audience, and answering frequently asked questions.

PowerPoint Training Video: Rebekah Olson, CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs, provides a review of the "Let's Talk Business" high school PowerPoint template and shares presenter tips along the way.

Your Stories - How they can help fill or empty the talent pipeline: Allen Lloyd, Executive Director at the Montana Society of CPAs, shares how CPA stories have the power to help fill (or empty) the pipeline. A PDF of the presentation slides is available here.

Tools for high school engagement

Customizable PowerPoints designed to raise awareness of accounting career opportunities among high school students. Use these for high school student engagements, including events aligned with the Accounting Opportunities Experience.

Discover Your Future: A PowerPoint presentation for high school students with little to no experience with accounting (e.g., high school freshmen and sophomores).

Discover Your Future - Budget Boss: A shortened PowerPoint presentation with an interactive activity that gives students a hands-on look at what accountants do. This is also appropriate for those with little to no experience with accounting. Download the optional corresponding handouts here.

Let’s Talk Business: A PowerPoint presentation for high school students who already have a baseline understanding of what accounting is.

Unable to connect with students in person or virtually? Share one of the following On-Demand Presentations with educators, so students can hear from a CPA at a time that is convenient for them:

Tools for college student engagement

Customizable PowerPoints and resources designed to spark conversations with college students about CPA licensure, the benefits of becoming a CPA, and the CPA Exam. They’re ideal for any situation where you’re engaging with college students, starting with those enrolled in Intro to Accounting courses.

Let’s Talk Business - Intro Accounting: Although similar to the high school presentation linked above, this version includes a few updates tailored for students in an Intro to Accounting class.

Potential, Prestige & Purpose: An introduction to the Accounting Profession: Use this PowerPoint if the goal of your presentation is to introduce or familiarize students with the profession in general. It describes what accountants do, details the benefits of becoming one, and explains the difference between accountants and CPAs.

Becoming a CPA Presentation: What is a CPA? This PowerPoint takes the discussion a step further, introducing students to the CPA credential, including benefits of becoming a CPA, paths to licensure, and the CPA Exam.

Crafting Your Career: An Actionable Plan for a Rewarding Work Life: This guide exists to help students piece together an exciting and rewarding career path and contains accounting-specific information for those on the path to becoming a certified public accountant (CPA).

Videos promoting accounting

Let's Talk Business

Led by Ming Lu, an accounting professor at Santa Monica College, this video takes students down the career paths of three young CPAs in various industries so they can hear first-hand what it’s like to work as a CPA in the fields of education, tax, business and industry and forensic accounting.

Why become a CPA?

Becoming a CPA can offer a range of professional benefits, including increased career opportunities, recognition, financial rewards, and the ability to make a positive impact in the field of accounting and finance. But don’t just take our word for it! Hear from accounting students as they share why they want to become a CPA.

5 most interesting fields

Accounting is a diverse profession with various specializations and interesting career paths. Each field offers unique challenges and opportunities for accountants, allowing them to specialize in areas that align with their interests and career goals. Watch to hear about five of the most interesting fields in accounting.

University resources

One way to establish an ongoing dialogue between academia and practice is for academic accounting departments or schools to create an accounting advisory council (AAC). The AICPA & CIMA Accounting Advisory Council Toolkit, updated in 2024, provides guidelines and best practices to use in building your council of advisers.

Accounting Advisory Council Toolkit

The resources, training opportunities, and networking events hosted by career centers help students find work in their field after graduation. Accounting firms and organizations often work directly with career center staff to advertise open positions and arrange internship opportunities. This toolkit outlines best practices that campus career service centers and accounting firms and organizations can use together to ensure that students are well-equipped professionally.

University Career Services and Accounting Partnerships

STEM toolkit

AICPA created a toolkit for state CPA societies and others to work with schools to change their Classification of Instruction Programs (CIP) code to obtain STEM recognition. These resources are being made available to schools as well, and we encourage colleges and universities to connect with their state CPA society to share resources and ideas.

Click here to download STEM toolkit resources.

CPA culture of support toolkit for firms

Your firm has the power to inspire Uniform CPA Examination success. The work environment can be a significant factor for CPA candidates as they pursue the credential. A firm culture of motivation, support, and recognition can be just what employees need to prepare for and conquer the Exam.

Find tools that both firms and candidates can use to encourage Exam success.

Supporting diversity in the profession

The difference between an ally and an advocate comes down to action. Use this toolkit to facilitate an environment for discussions and actions that will help advance LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace.

LGBTQ+ inclusion in action toolkit – How to Advance from Idle to Ally to Advocate

We would like to hear from you. To provide feedback, please email us at cpa-pipeline@aicpa-cima.com