3 Exciting Trends in Accounting with Insight from Jonathan Wild

In the evolving landscape of accounting, the 2023 AICPA Trends report sheds an encouraging light on the future of accounting graduates.

• A remarkable 91% of firms anticipate hiring the same number or more new accounting graduates, and the demand for skilled accountants is stronger than ever.
• Optimism doesn’t stop there—60% of firms surveyed expect to maintain or increase the number of CPAs on staff.

There is a clear and robust demand for accounting professionals, offering a world of opportunities for our students.

As instructors, the report's findings offer us a golden opportunity to inspire and motivate our students. We already see encouraging enrollment expectations, with 75% of bachelor’s programs and 78% of master’s programs expecting accounting enrollment next year to be the same or higher than two years ago.

This is our opportunity to translate that optimism to our students to further motivate their pursuit of accounting and the myriad of fulfilling career paths. We find that applying one or more of the following classroom practices helps our students succeed and inspires them to look at accounting pathways.

1. Incorporate YouTube-style videos to review and learn the crucial Accounting Cycle. These videos make the learning process engaging and relatable. The Accounting Cycle Review simplifies difficult concepts, making them more accessible and less intimidating for students.
2. Add Integrated Excel into our courses to empower students with career-ready tools, ensuring they acquire practical skills that will set them apart in the job market.
3. Utilize Tableau Dashboard Activities to excite students with the possibilities of data visualizations and interpretations. By bringing numbers to life, we show the storytelling potential of accounting, transforming data into compelling narratives that drive business decisions.
4. Employ auto-graded Accounting Analysis assignments that involve real-world analysis, highlighting the relevance and insight of accounting. Updated yearly, Accounting Analysis assignments remain current and directly linked to the evolving business landscape.

By adopting these innovative teaching methods, we do more than just educate; we inspire! We must light a path for our students, showing them the vast opportunities that await them in accounting careers.