Two ways to close the skills gap.
By Rebekah Olson, CPA
CEO, Maryland Association of CPAs
Many of us in the profession have felt a particular challenge for years: the lingering effects of the pandemic that have impacted the development of foundational professional and communication skills.
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This gap isn’t just about technical know-how – it’s about the ability to lead, communicate and thrive in a profession built on trust, relationships and adaptability.
We can’t afford to let gaps in professional and communication skills hold back the next generation of leaders. By investing in cohort-based learning and encouraging state society involvement, we strengthen our profession and create professionals better equipped to serve, lead and thrive.
Why This Matters Now
Traditionally, many firms took the lead in onboarding new professionals – not just into their organizations, but into the profession itself. But with today’s capacity crunch, evolving business models and competing priorities, not every organization has the time or resources to develop these broader skills in-house.
At the same time, the profession is expanding. We welcome talented individuals from non-traditional backgrounds who bring fresh perspectives but may not be familiar with the CPA-led but not CPA-only ecosystem that defines our work.
How the MACPA Is Responding
In conversations with members of the Maryland Association of CPAs, we’ve also seen this need emerge. To address it, we’re piloting two programs co-created with our members to help close the gap.
- Emerging Professional Membership: A year-long, cohort-style onboarding experience into the profession and the broader MACPA community. This program supports firms and organizations that recognize the need but may lack the bandwidth or resources to provide this level of onboarding internally.
- Emerging Professional Learning Cohorts: Shorter, focused programs that zero in on the competencies today’s new professionals need most – communication, leadership, adaptability and more.
Why State Society Involvement Matters
Even for firms that already have strong internal onboarding programs, there’s a unique value in connecting professionals to the broader community. Exposure to peers across industries and firms provides perspective. Engagement in state society initiatives offers opportunities to practice leadership, communication and collaboration in a setting that looks different from the workplace but ultimately strengthens it.
And for those entering the profession from non-traditional pathways, this connection to the wider profession can accelerate their understanding of our ecosystem. In fact, it might even inspire some to pursue the CPA license along the way.