More than 100 new members have been conferred by Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland at a graduation ceremony in The Helix, Dublin City University on Saturday 8th December. Demonstrating the continued reliability of accountancy in terms of employment prospects; 98% of the newly qualified CPA’s are currently in employment, working variously in practice, industry and the public sector.

Speaking about the prospects for graduates in the current depressed labour market, Niall Byrne, President of the CPA said, “As financial legislation and regulation is ever evolving, graduates with an accountancy qualification can rest assured that there will be continued demand for their services. No sector is insulated from the current difficult economic climate, but accountancy is a profession that has continued to prosper in spite of all the difficulties. There are still many opportunities out there for qualified accountancy graduates both here in Ireland and abroad, where a CPA designation is widely recognised. There continues to be a demand for talent in shared services centres, multinationals, SMEs and financial services, so on graduation CPA’s can look forward to diverse and rewarding career paths” he said.

76% of the CPA Class of 2012 were female, which means the CPA Institute is poised to become the first accountancy body in Europe to reach gender parity.

You can see more photos from the day here.

The profile of CPA Ireland Chief Executive Eamonn Siggins is now available on the Institute of Directors in Ireland's website. In his profile, Eamonn discusses the benefits of integrated reporting over traditional corporate reporting. He highlights that this 'emerging alternative' takes the focus away from short-term profit and focuses on the day-to-day management of the business. This can, in turn, promote more sustainable business practices for the future. You can read Eamonn's full profile here.

Davis Gaiss from Blanchardstown (formerly Lithuania) was the proud recipient of a CPA Ireland Merit award for excelling in his classes at the Institute of Technology in Blanchardstown.

Davis received the award for “Highest Academic Results" in Financial Accounting in his Financial Accounting class in the BBS (Hons) Accounting and Finance degree.

Linda McWeeney, lecturer in Accounting and Finance with Blanchardstown IT commended Davis on his outstanding achievement. “I would like to congratulate Davis on achieving such remarkable results in his exams and this award is a wonderful recognition of his hard work as a student. I would also like to thank the CPA Institute for sponsoring this award as it is a great opportunity to reward students for their efforts throughout the year.”

The prize giving ceremony took place at the IT Blanchardstown Campus in Dublin on the 6th of November. Pictured is Linda McWeeney, lecturer in Accounting and Finance in ITB, Fiona Malone, Head of Department of Business in ITB, Davis Gaiss, prizewinner and Ciara Murphy , CPA Marketing Executive.

Ireland is home to some of the biggest multinational companies in the world, with many now the largest employers in this country. MNCs operate on an international level and have offices in major cities all around the world. They are usually host to the biggest offices, the top salaries and the greatest opportunities, which is why there has never been a better time to speak the same language as them: multilingual.

English is the predominant language of business, however it is not the only one. The August Morgan McKinley Employment Monitor highlighted that employers are looking for part qualified and qualified accountants with a second European language, so knowing a language such as French, German or Spanish could increase your employability dramatically. The most recent report for October showed that the majority of hiring continues to be among multilingual professionals in the accountancy sector. In the coming years, the value of knowing a language such as Mandarin Chinese, Russian or Arabic will put you at a distinct advantage to your peers, as the market becomes closer and trading partners stretch further across the world.

According to Ed Heffernan from Morgan McKinley, jobseekers need to direct their attention towards the MNCs in Ireland as they have a large number of roles and available positions. “Multinational companies have a higher demand and appetite for accountants than non-multinational companies. The variety of roles is staggering, from internal audit to commercial accounting to financial accounting and the 101 names you can give to those different disciplines, with the higher volume at the 0-3 years post qualified stage.”

He comments on how difficult it can be to move from an SME to a MNC for jobseekers, noting that without a second language, the transition can be further complicated.  “A significant proportion of multinational companies in Dublin will employ a shared service centre structure, so they’ll be doing the accounting and finance for EMEA. The reality is these teams will be receiving invoices in French and German. People from other offices are more comfortable if they can speak to a French or German speaker at the end of the phone and you may also have to speak to regulatory bodies in these countries.”

A  report by Forfás and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) highlighted the need to improve foreign language skills to meet employers’ needs in exporting companies and recommended boosting foreign languages, such as French, German and Mandarin Chinese, at university level. Una Halligan, chairperson of the EGFSN, said “At third level, findings are that there is a relative lack of Irish graduates with foreign-language proficiency and international market experience. Employers value such a period abroad, which increases the students’ employability and job prospects.”

The CPA designation is recognised worldwide and with international agreements with accountancy bodies around the world, CPAs can work and travel with ease. However it is worth noting the importance a second language can add to your experience and broaden your horizons in terms of the roles you can fulfil. Learning a second language has never been more accessible, with numerous classes now available across the country. There are also numerous options online and through books, CDs and DVDs.

In an increasingly smaller world and with rising competitiveness amongst job seekers, there has never been a better time to give your career and CV that extra edge. As Ed Heffernan points out, “If you are a CPA student who has fluency in French or a second European language, you are fundamentally more employable.”