What school did you go to and how do you become an account once you finish your undergraduate?

Thanks

Did you know that CGA Ontario has Accredited Programs with colleges and universities across the province? This means if you're a BBA, B.Com, B.Acc student, you could be on the fast-track to a CGA designation.

Visit http://bitly.com/CGA_HOW to learn more. Ask any questions you might have about the CGA program here and join the conversation.

Are you still Eligible for CGA designation even if you have not done graduation in accounting but have done Msc In International accounting and Finance???

Could you share your thoughts about the unification of designations into Canada CPA? Is this merger on the way in near future? If this merger could happen in the next few years, what would happen to the current/future students who are on the track for each designation since each designation requires different qualifications.

Thanks in advance.

How is the job market like for accountants? What is the full process in becoming an accountant? Will the prestige of my university affect my ability to get jobs later on? I am unsure whether I want to study engineering or business.

Thanks for the question. Careers in accounting and finance are among some of the highest employment rates across industries despite the economy. Most people think of accountants as people that do your taxes or work in audit for firms. Accountants work in every industry and business from operations to finance roles. For example, many of our CGAs hold positions as Chief Operating Officer (COO) not just the typical Chief Financial Officer (CFO) role because businesses always need team members with a strong understanding of operations and how the numbers impact the business as a whole. Here's some industry info from a recruiter we work with, Robert Half Canada: http://www.roberthalf.ca/per

The process to becoming an accountant is really up to you and you have several options. First, completing a degree or diploma program in business is natural option (B.Com, BBA, B.Acc). If you know you're very interested in an accounting career then majoring in accounting or finance will help you after grad. In accounting, employers are looking for a designation and this is your next step.

In Canada, you have 3 options for regulated accounting designations: Certified General Accountant (CGA), Chartered Accountant (CA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
In all, you'll need to complete an educational and work experience requirement to get the designation. Here is a clear example from us at CGA Ontario: http://bitly.com/CGA_HOW

Anyone can work in accounting and finance but if you want to open up doors to career advancement in your field you'll need a designation. Take a look at common job boards like Workopolis and you'll see employers request it. Check out our job board for future students to get an idea of where CGAs work: http://bitly.com/DOMORE_JOBS

As for your question about university, the name of your school has limited advantage in the job market and is a common misconception. We work directly with employers, recruiters and HR professionals and they look for the additional experiences you gain at school more then the name. Here are some examples: co-op, volunteer experience and student association work.

Choose a university and program that best fits you and your interests. Visit all the campuses and attend info sessions at your high school. You're going to get a great education at any university in Canada. Make sure you're comfortable with the environment and have the opportunities around you to best succeed when choosing.

Hope that helps!

I am thinking of marketing finance or accounting.
Would a dual degree have an advantage in the business world in either of these fields? At brock there is an international co-op dual degree program where you are required to study for 1.5 years in Germany. what is you opinion on this in a business perspective.

Which program do you reccomend that will offer the highest credits for the CGA program? Does it matter which school you are going to? I hear Brock is considered one of the best school for accounting, but I know at the moment its not quite well known. Do employers look for well known universities when hiring?

Thanks for the question! CGA Ontario has what are called 'accredited programs' with universities and colleges. These programs give you the maximum number of transfer credits for the CGA program after grad. Qualified grads of Accredited Programs will have only four course credits (or less) required to complete in the CGA program. Here is a full list of schools and programs: http://bit.ly/nJeops.

Brock University is a great school and they have an excellent accounting program. Their Bachelor of Accounting and Master of Accountancy programs are accredited with is as well. http://www.cga-ontario.org/Brock

Employers and HR professionals look at the entire scope of your resume and do not have bias for what school you attended. You're going to get a great education at any post-secondary school in Ontario. If you want to stand out look at co-op, volunteer opportunity and working for your student associations. These are things that will help you land your first job, not the name of your university. Best of luck!

What exactly do CGA's do and which of the two programs listed bellow will be best for me to attain my CGA designation.

Brock BBA (Non-Co-op) OR Guelph Commerce