Chelagat Misiko Pens Article on CPA Exam Evolution
October 18, 2022
The CPA Evolution initiative is well underway and the new CPA Exam is expected to launch in January 2024. Chelagat Misiko, CPA, MBA shared an article she wrote on the exposure draft released by the AICPA delineating the new exam.
CPA Exam Evolution: Maintaining CPA Employability
Chelagat Misiko, CPA, MBA
ABSTRACT
Disruptive technologies, disruptive events, and, changing employability skills prompted the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to redesign the CPA exam to keep up with the times. The AICPA prepared an Exposure Draft that delineated the realignment of the exam with the CPA Evolution Licensure Model. The overarching goal was to maintain the relevance of the Uniform CPA Examination.
This paper draws on the Exposure Draft published by the AICPA, which outlines how the CPA exam has been revamped, as an improvement of the old CPA exam, that eliminates the status quo and considers the changing needs of the CPA employers. In addition, the paper reviews literature that discusses the Future of the Accounting Profession. Particularly, the literature discusses the types of skills that graduates as future accountants need to succeed in the professional world, including but not limited to tech-savvy skills and soft skills. The pertinent soft skills that CPA employers seek are adaptability and a lifelong approach to continuing professional development. This paper also reviews journal articles on ethical considerations in light of the fallout of CPA firms that did not adhere to the CPA Code of Conduct.