NPAG Accounting Talent Strategy Report: Recommendation #1 – Make the Academic Experience More Engaging
The National Pipeline Advisory Group (NPAG) has released its Accounting Talent Strategy Report, sharing the results of months of research and feedback on how to improve the accounting talent pipeline. This series of six articles presents a brief overview of the recommendations outlined in the report.
In its research, NPAG received feedback from college students that accounting coursework needs to continue to evolve in order to attract more business students to the major and ultimately follow through with pursuing an accounting career. Based on this feedback, NPAG’s first major recommendation is to make the academic experience more engaging.
Updating Principles of Accounting Courses
In its student survey, NPAG found that 41% of students decided on their major during their first two years of college. In order to draw more business students to the accounting major in this timeframe, NPAG advises that schools update the delivery and content of principles of accounting courses. The intent should be to make the courses more relatable to a wider variety of students while maintaining the rigor necessary for accounting.
In the report, NPAG outlines its recommendations to better equip principles of accounting instructors at two- and four-year schools. The recommendations align with those of the principles courses working group convened as a result of a September 2023 pipeline symposium held by the American Accounting Association and NABA Inc.
The recommendations of NPAG in alignment with the American Accounting Association and NABA include:
- Ensuring instructors assigned to teach principles courses are highly engaging
- Integrating gamification and other technology to fuel participation and demonstrate the importance of technology in accounting
- Introducing students to accounting professionals in a variety of industries so they can better understand the range of opportunities available
- Providing support from mentors working in the profession, connecting the subject matter to the real world
In addition to providing more support for principles of accounting instructors, NPAG also recommends a review of the course materials.
NPAG recommends that coursework changes include:
- Delaying teaching of debits and credits until later in the course
- Showing how those in the profession can make a meaningful contribution to their organization and society
- Communicating the variety of opportunities available, focusing on the entrepreneurial impact of accounting as the "language of business”
- Demonstrating how accounting connects to entrepreneurship via technology-driven simulations
- At the campus level, discussing the possibility of changing course names to be more compelling
NPAG notes that the variety of classroom sizes and settings of principles courses requires a redesign of materials that can be easily scaled and adapted.
Enhancing Support for Students
NPAG’s second recommendation focuses on increasing support for students who have progressed to intermediate accounting but may be at risk of withdrawing. The report identifies several ways schools can enhance their support for these students to help them successfully complete an accounting degree.
NPAG’s recommended interventions include:
- Diagnostics and assessments to identify at-risk students early
- Custom support for teachers' assistants
- Matching up at-risk students with more senior students or mentors in the profession
Providing Real-World Connections
NPAG’s third recommendation to help evolve the academic experience and increase interest in the accounting major is for schools to facilitate real-world connections with mentors and others working in the profession.
In the report, NPAG notes that although many colleges do offer mentoring programs, a national initiative would provide expansion and a more efficient way to match professionals who would like to volunteer at specific schools.
Other suggested strategies include:
- Getting alumni involved
- Assigning a faculty "accounting champion" and/or a campus "CPA ambassador"
More Information
For a summary of NPAG’s recommendations on this topic, download the Accounting Educator Checklist. To read the full Accounting Talent Strategy Report, visit https://www.accountingpipeline.org.