New Jersey CPAs pitch accounting careers to high school students

Over 60 members of the New Jersey Society of CPAs visited 65 high schools in the Garden State last fall to tell students about accounting careers and how to become a CPA.

The effort was part of the NJCPA Career Awareness Program, in which members visit their local high school or alma mater to talk about how businesses and individuals rely on CPAs for financial strategies and advice. Students and teachers also learn how data analytics and cutting-edge technology play important roles in accounting.   

"Returning to my high school as part of the NJCPA's Career Awareness Program was incredibly fulfilling," said Tara M. Baldwin, a manager at WilkinGuttenplan, who visited Hillsborough High School in Somerset County, in a statement last week. "It was when I was at the desks those students now sit in that I decided to pursue a career in accounting. Going back to share in my experiences as a professional was incredibly rewarding. The accounting profession has evolved so much over the past few years, it is exciting to share that with students — and hopefully play a small part in their decision to begin their journey to become a CPA."  

The Career Awareness program encourages talented students to seek funding via the NJCPA Scholarship Fund. The fund awards $1,500 scholarships to college-bound New Jersey high school seniors who intend to major in accounting or obtain a concentration in accounting. It also awards scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $6,500 to accounting students at colleges or universities in the state who are currently in their sophomore or junior year or in their senior year and entering an accounting-related graduate program. Last year, the fund gave out a total of over $220,000 in scholarships to 53 students.  

"While awareness is important at all levels, high school is a great time to reach students about the benefits and opportunities that exist within accounting," said NJCPA CEO and executive director Aiysha Johnson in a statement. "We are extremely grateful to have such dedicated members who continuously give back to their communities and their profession, and demonstrate the rewards of an accounting career. Encouraging and supporting the next generation of CPAs and ensuring that the profession is accessible to all students are key objectives of the NJCPA."