Thanks for the question Xenova,

All three designations will provide you with a strong foundation in accounting and career opportunities. There are program requirements and similarities between the Associations.

A major difference with the CGA program is that it's delivered online and part-time which allows you to start working full-time right from college and university. The CGA program provides flexibility in your studies to pursue your career interests in accounting and finance.

The CGA program has flexible course options which allow you to take electives in industry specific accounting courses to prepare you for a career which fits your interests. CGAs work in government, IT, small-to-medium sized enterprise, and not-for-profit. If you're interested in a tax and audit career or owning your own business, CGA Ontario also has a direct public practice pathway where you can become a licensed public accountant!

A good starting point to learn about the CGA program is http://cga-domore.org. You can watch videos and hear from our students and CGAs in the field. We also have contests running with scholarship prizes. Take a look and let us know if you have any questions!

Definitely! A business program focused on finance and/or accounting will give you the best foundation to enter the CGA program. We do not require a specific kind of degree for entrance. A Bachelor of Commere, Business Admin, or Accounting are all good options.

If you're choosing a college or university and thinking about the CGA program when you graduate, enrolling in an 'Accredited Program' is your best option. Accredited Programs are college/university programs that are recognized by us and give you maximum number of transfer credits in the CGA program. Graduating from an Accredited Program will allow you to fast track to the CGA designation — only four course credits (or less) to complete. Here is a list of programs across Ontario: http://www.cga-ontario.o...ccredited_Programs.aspx
Here are the steps to the CGA designation: http://www.cga-domore.org/howtoget

Take a look and let us know if you have any question. Thanks.

Great question. If you are still in college or university applying for co-op or part-time positions is always a good start. Working for a student association in your program (ex.Finance Students Assoc, Business Student Association, etc) is a good way to gain experience and looks great on your resume.

If you've graduated you still have lots of options to start your career:
- Take advantage of your campus career centre. Aside from providing workshops on resume/cover letter and interview skills, they also have job boards and can help connect you with employers.
- Research new grad programs. Many employers have new grad training programs in finance and accounting available year-round. They provide entry-level positions with great on-the-job training to start your career and they can lead to advancement within the company. Here are a few examples: http://bit.ly/Sunlife, http://bit.ly/Loblaw , http://bit.ly/HZbn0Z. Again, your career centre will have info on opportunities like these.
- Visit online resources for new grads. Websites like http://talentegg.ca and http://www.jobpostings.ca are great resources for new grads starting careers. You can set up a profile and apply to finance and accounting jobs with top employers.

Lastly, visit our website http://www.cga-domore.org/whoishiring. Our job board provides entry-level accounting and finance positions for students like yourself looking to start a career and possibly pursue a designation.

Enroling in the CGA program and pursuing a designation right from university can provide immediate help in starting your career as well. Students in the CGA program have access to our internal job board where you'll have access to lots of employers and positions. The courses you take will immediately give you strong accounting skills to use in your 1st job and since it's part-time/online you can work full-time while taking courses. Pursuing a designation also shows employers you're commited to your career and will definitely help in your job hunt.

Take a look at the resources above and let us know if you have any questions.

[quote=commercebro]What is your view on the CA, CMA, and CGA merger into the CPA

http://cpacanada.ca/[/quote]

Thanks for the question and interest in the state of the profession. You can find all our past updates including response from our CEO on the merger talks at our website. We've got videos, discussion boards, blog posts and lots of info: http://www.unitedprofession.org.

one more question, if I register in CGA as CGA student this year, but I will study in university next year without taking any course from CGA, what kind of fees I should pay to CGA in this and next year.

For a full list of fees and enrolment dates check out: http://www.cga-ontario.org/Dates_Fees_Forms.
If you don't plan on taking courses in the CGA program until you're done university you should wait to officially enrol to avoid paying basic tuition fee for the year. You can submit application for transfer credit evaluation at any time and wait to enrol in the CGA program without cost.

When will you be done university? Which school/program are you attending?

Hey everyone! Recruitment season is around the corner for business students back on campus. Let us know if you have any questions about careers in accounting/finance and as a CGA. Good luck this year.