As the demand for financial professionals in the country’s offshore sector continues to grow, the introduction of a specialist accountancy review programme by the University College of the Cayman Islands is a boost to both the finance industry and local trainee accountants.
UCCI is collaborating with the Becker CPA Review, a programme designed to prepare students for the CPA examinations, stated a press release.
The Becker programme, which has helped more than 400,000 students around the world, is a study review course with the sole purpose of getting candidates through all four of the CPA exam elements.
Favoured by the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms as well as numerous major colleges and universities, by bringing this programme to Cayman, UCCI is offering an opportunity for more local students to embark on a career in accounting.
Mike Mannisto, president of the Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accountants is keen to promote the profession locally and sees this partnership as an important step in encouraging more people into accounting.
‘CISPA is very focused on our local youth and we are very proud to be partners in education with UCCI,’ he said.
‘Through our Member Development Committee, led by Charles Bolland, we have been spending quite a lot of time at UCCI talking to their students about the accounting profession and the various exciting opportunities available to them in addition to being involved in mentoring many of their students. ‘
Having access to the course locally will help would-be accountants in a number of ways. ‘Before, students would have to fly to the US and the combined cost of the course, travel and lodging expenses were prohibitive for many, especially if they could not get a sponsor,’ explained Kathleen Jackman, UCCI’s Business Development Manager.
‘Now, these significant costs are removed and since Becker is known for helping students pass at double the success rate of non-Becker students, the cost of re-taking exams will drop. This is a meaningful programme and we take great pride in bringing it here. It’s a monumental step for executive and professional training in Cayman.’
Programme instructors
Five accountancy professionals, all of whom have already benefited from the Becker initiative, will deliver the new programme.
Adam Ridley, a recent Becker alumni who passed all four parts of the exam during his first sitting, is now a fully qualified CPA, working as a financial controller for a large, privately owned insurance company in Grand Cayman. He has also gained professional experience in public accounting with KPMG and will be conducting the regulations module.
Nichelle Welcome will be holding the business module. A qualified CPA and MBA, she is now with Cable & Wireless. One of the five finalists for the 2007 Young Caymanian Leadership Award, she is a well-known public speaker and owes her CPA success to Becker.
Susan Levy began her career with a Big 4 audit firm where she passed the CPA exam in 2003, after completing the Becker CPA Review coursework. Currently employed with Cayman National Trust Co. Ltd.’s Fund Services Department, she also holds a master’s of accounting and will be taking students through the audit and assurance module.
Having gained his CPA designation after completing the Becker CPA Review, Mike Woerner has worked in the US, the UK and the Cayman Islands and holds a master’s degree in accounting. He will be helping students through the financial module.
Brian Morain who will also be tutoring on the financial module is another alumni of Becker CPA Review. Deputy Director of the Budget and Management Unit of the Cayman Islands Government, Mr. Morain holds the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants qualification and is studying to become a Chartered Financial Analyst.
FYI
For more details of the Becker Review Programme at UCCI contact Kathleen Jackman at [email protected] or phone 938-6993.
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