Global challenge, but reform of unchanged 1990s Leaving Cert syllabus could play significant role in alleviating it here
Annual Dinner speaker Anne Heraty underscores importance of education system in safeguarding economic prosperity
20 January 2023 – An acute shortage of qualified accountants will worsen in 2023, as Irish businesses and firms struggle to access the talent they need to support the economy. This is one of the points that President of Chartered Accountants Ireland Pat O’Neill will make at the Institute’s Annual Dinner in Dublin on Friday night, in his address to over 650 members, guests, members of government and other elected representatives.Pat O’Neill will note the role of accountants in industry and practices in the economy, and the work the Institute is doing to highlight this to students and graduates to build a stronger pipeline of homegrown talent.
Commenting, O’Neill noted
“Anecdotally, the talent pipeline problem is clear right across the profession, from practices of all size to industry, resulting in attraction and retention challenges, not just in Ireland, but around the world, and we are working with global partners to tackle it. It is driven by a huge increase in competition for talent from non-accounting roles; but also a real gap in perception of what accountants actually do.
“In speaking to students, many pursued accounting at third level despite, not because of, their experience at second level. Anecdotal feedback has been that many are turned off because of rote learning, the lack of breadth of what is taught and the need to unlearn and relearn concepts on transition to third level.”
While the numbers opting for accounting at second level have grown in recent years, in the decade following the 2008 recession, the numbers taking accounting at third level slumped by over a quarter. The Leaving Certificate syllabus dates from the 1990s, and while major reform of the syllabus at-large has been announced, accounting as a subject has yet to be addressed.
O’Neill continued
“As part of the Department’s planned programme of reform, we have seen brand new subjects such as Climate Action and Sustainable Development, in recognition of a changed world. Accounting has remained set in stone, essentially unchanged in 30 years, so it is little wonder that students don’t associate the profession with cutting edge areas like data analytics or sustainability reporting, both of which are huge growth areas for us.”
Founder and former CEO of CPL Resources, Anne Heraty who will address attendees, commented before the event
“At a reasonably early stage in my career, I could see the emerging need for a specialised IT talent pool in the 1990s on this island. Ultimately it was the burgeoning tech industry, initially in Dublin, but later around the island, that advanced this change, and we now see an education system that recognises the value of skills like coding from an early age.
“In an ideal world, the second level syllabus will identify and meet the needs of a modern, international, and technologically advanced economy. It will produce school leavers who understand the applicability and potential of the subjects they learn at second level, in the real world. This will be a critical element in helping Ireland Inc to win the war for talent.”
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