Getting abroad and meeting members ...

Getting abroad and meeting members is the same of the best parts of being president. When Richard Ree FCA, and I visited Trail, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and Kamloops in early October, we experienced a certain truly enjoyable, as well as enlightening, meetings.

I certainly appreciate the time members took to organize and participate in these terminations I believe it's crucial that members have the opportunity to bring the matters that affair them to our attention, and to come by our feedback on the efforts the Institute is making upon their behalf.

The discussions centr forward the following four ends wager by Council:

* upholding the integrity of the CA designation;

* providing enough well-trained students;

* supporting members in their search to be providers of choice; and

* ensuring that buyer of our services recognize the skills and services of CAs.

Richard and I described the actions the Institute is taking, and plans to take, to support each of these finiss In turn, we solicited remarks on Council's ends and the Institute activities designed to support them. We received near very constructive and positive feedback, and discovered general support for one as well as the other the ends and the activities. The greatest make anxious of the members with whom we spoke was the attractiveness of the profession-in particular, recruiting and affording CA bookish mans The issue of second-- highest pertain to was supporting and promoting the CA profession and its members.

Feedback forward Attracting Students

With heed to students, members stated they had difficulty attracting those observers with the necessary educational qualifications to take down the CA profession. They said that graduates from the traditional universities of the lower mainland rarely wanted to work in interior communities. Moreover, the require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergone of bringing students into the firms below the new program was seen to be prohibitive, if the interactive sessions were not to be presented regionally.

Most believed the fresh university colleges were a vehicle for educating close examiners to the appropriate standard, if it were not that added that the CA profession did not have a hale presence on campus, particularly compared to its competitors. We assured them that establishing a sound presence on university college campuses is a priority for the Institute, further added that we require the effort and participation of local members to support our recruiting endeavours. I've asked Institute staff to involve members in their recruiting activities, and I challenge members to take the lead in building relationships with their local university associations to raise the profile of CAs. Working together should enable us to attract their best close examiners to our profession.

The issue of require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergone is one that needs to be addressed by the agency of the Institute and CASB, and will be pursu from the recently established Task Force in succession Recruiting and Training Issues, chaired by way of Second VP John Cowperthwaite, CA In the meantime, please obstacle me know if this is an issue for your firm.

Feedback forward Promoting the Profession

Discussions about the promotion of the CA profession and its members focused forward how we in BC can contribute. While the CICA is carrying on the outside national media advertising, the ICABC is increasing its media nearness through articles on relevant business and finance issues. We believe that the best way to dignify our profession is to declare people what we do and what we think about provincial economic and business issues. the same vehicle we use to come by this message out is the BC CheckUp. Another initiative involves complements in the Vancouver newspapers and the Victoria Times Colonist. Although these complements are primarily aimed at learner recruiting, they spotlight the diverse careers of many of our members.

Throughout the tour, we discussed whether similar programs could be established with local media vents for which the Institute would grant copy featuring local members and firms, and members would use their contacts to acquire the media buy-in. There strike one as beinged to be considerable interest in this as a possible initiative, perhaps sponsored according to the local CA chapters.

We'll be fully convinced to keep you posted forward these and other issues as the Tour continues. For more information, contact me at the email address listed below.

Working Together

At each place we visited, I was struck on the diversity and strength of our members, their pride in their designastion, and the interest they have in furthering and strengthening the profession itself. Their priorities for the profession prov to be consistent with those of Council. on the other hand although we share similar goals, it was also obvious to me that we seldom work together to achieve them. Rather, the Institute and its members repeatedly seem to be working in isolation. To bridge this divide, could local chapters take the lead in the promotion of CAs, the profession, and the attractiveness of the CA career to local pupils in their area? Could the Institute forward as their support? What do you think?

Please join us when we visit your region and give us your feedback. Until then, please email your views to me at president@ica.bc.ca.