outlook-fall-2011

RYERSON UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTING SOCIETY

11.20

.20

11

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

03 2011-2012 RUAS Team

04 Message from the President

05 School of Accounting and Finance

at Ted Rogers School of Management

FEATURE ARTICLES

06 KPMG Ace the Case

08 Ernst & Young

09 A Look into Deloitte - A Ryerson

Alumni‘s Experience

12 Soberman: What Champions Are

Made Of

12 PWC Tower : Our Future is Here

14 CMA

15 CMA Profile

15 ICAO

18 CGA

21 Advice to First-Year Students

2 Ryerson University Accounting Society

Community

Contributors

Submit your accounting related articles to us, and

they can appear in the next addition of Profession-

al Outlook or online.

Professional Outlook Team

Design: Kevin Ng

Editor: Krystle Alfarero

Jarryd McKie

Contributors: Fatima Seedat

Daria Sydor

Samir Gutierrez

Judi Zienchuk

RUAS Executives & Associates

2011-2012 BOARD MEMBERS

Pre

sid

en

t - F

ati

ma

Se

ed

at

Vic

e P

resid

en

t - K

rystl

e A

lfa

rero

Dir

ecto

r o

f F

ina

nce

- A

lex

Lu

u

Dir

ecto

r o

f O

pe

rati

on

s -

Cu

on

g P

ha

m

Ryerson University Accounting Society 3

Director of Events Accounting

Coordinator Achieve

Co-Chair Achieve

Co-Chair Director of

Marketing Director of IT

Nancy Sandhu Roberto Curcio Vy Ngo Samantha

Loboda Jarryd McKie Kevin Ng

1 Amanda Sebastiano Achieve

2 Kyle Shea Achieve

3 Ksenia Prokopienko Achieve

4 Manoj Oommen Achieve

5 Nolan McGinlay Achieve

6 Hillorie Le Achieve

7 Pavindip Sidhu Events

8 Mohamed Mohamedali Achieve

Associates

1 2

4

5

8


WELCOME BACK to the Ted Rogers School of Management fellow alumni and

students! My name is Fatima Seedat and I am the President of RUAS for this year!

Every year, RUAS makes it a goal to bridge the gap between university and industry

and this year is no different – I can‘t wait to share what RUAS has accomplished thus

far and what we hope to accomplish by the end of this academic year!

The RUAS team has been working diligently since the summer - we have added nu-

merous events this year to help accounting students network with industry profes-

sionals better – our CA firms Volunteer Days is one example. In August, RUAS part-

nered with Soberman to offer an exciting day of networking and volunteering with the

Daily Bread Food Bank! More Volunteer Days are yet to come with the rest of the CA

Firms! Our very first event of the year, the INDUSTRY SYMPOSIUM held in October

was a huge success with over 80 students and representatives from CMA Ontario,

CGA Ontario and the Chartered Institute of Canadian Business Valuators (a new part-

nership formed this year). The event consisted of ―How to Network‖ workshops,

where students learned the Dos and Don‘ts of networking! Students also had the

chance to network and meet with representatives working as CMA‘s, CGA‘s and Chartered Business Valuators

(CBV‘s). RUAS also partnered with the Career Centre this year to host the CA NIGHT on September 14, 2011. The

event was a huge success and we received great feedback from all of the recruiters about all the wonderful stu-

dents they met!

We also welcome you to our Alumni Gala today! This is our sixth year hosting this event and every year it just

seems to get bigger and better! This year, we made it a goal on RUAS to help the community – we feel contributing

and helping others develops you personally and professionally. Our theme, ―Ryerson and The Community‖ was

chosen to help students see the benefits of giving back to your local community and help others with something

you are truly passionate about! Our Volunteer Days and choosing a charity like Movember for our Alumni Gala,

aligns with our vision and values.

Our ACHIEVE Conference & Competition went national last year and due to the success of the event, we already

have interest from so many universities! The RUAS ACHIEVE team has been working hard since the summer to

ensure the conference is even bigger and better this year! Another new event we are hosting this year is our

REACH THE TOP Executive Night – this event will feature top level executives from the big four accounting firms,

Soberman, CMA Ontario, CGA Ontario and the ICAO. We hope to inspire students with this event by providing them

with corporate breakout sessions with these executives where they will learn how to REACH THE TOP!

With the School of Accounting and Finance starting in September 2012, the new Business Careers Program

emerging, and new networking opportunities offered by RUAS, the Ted Rogers School of Management is heading

to new heights! We are very proud of our students and everyone who has worked hard to make our university

what it is today. Thank you to all of our sponsors for always supporting and believing in us – CMA, PwC, CGA,

KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, ICAO, Soberman, Ryerson Commerce Society, Ryerson Student‘s Union, our Ac-

counting Faculty, the Dean‘s Office, the President‘s office and PFACs! I also thank the whole RUAS team for their

hard work, dedication and commitment – without each of their individual skills, none of the above would be possi-

ble! RUAS will continue to work hard and ensure we are the voice of the accounting students here at the Ted Rog-

ers School of Management!

Fatima Seedat

President 2011-2012

Message from the President


Message from the Accounting Chair

Welcome to the RUAS Alumni Gala. This year marks a transformational time for the accounting program at

the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, its students and alumni because we are adding value

to our program and its graduates through the merging of the finance department and our department into a joint

School of Accounting and Finance. Our degree, the values of our long-standing accounting program, its faculty,

students and alumni will remain, but our community, coincidentally the theme of this year‘s gala, will grow and be

enhanced with the addition of our finance counterparts.

Ryerson University‘s new School of Accounting and Finance at the Ted Rogers School of Management will launch in

September 2012 and is Toronto‘s only BComm program blending broad-based management with real-world ac-

counting and finance skills. Combining the individual accounting and finance degrees under one school offers stu-

dents a head start in their professional careers and will produce leaders in the financial industry who can immedi-

ately contribute their expertise in their chosen area of study while also offering a solid foundation in the other – a

high-demand value for organizations.

Recognized as a leader in practical and relevant management education, the Ted Rogers School of Management at

Ryerson University has chosen to take an innovative approach to delivering their accounting and finance programs

because professional associations such as CMA, CGA and ICAO as well as industry are looking for new graduates

who have skill sets in both accounting and finance.

Ryerson‘s School of Accounting and Finance is only the second school in Canada of its kind and the only one located

in the heart of Canada‘s financial district. The joining together of the respected Ryerson accounting and finance pro-

grams will result in a more rigorous curriculum, the addition of more faculty who have a focus in accounting and fi-

nance along with a combination of academic and industry experience, an increased focus on ethical management,

potentially smaller class sizes, increased use of industry-related technology and more career placement opportuni-

ties.

Applications from high school students entering their first year of university study in the fall of 2012 will be accepted

this winter for the School of Accounting and Finance for future majors in either accounting or finance. However, cur-

rent students in the accounting and finance streams at the Ted Rogers School of Management will benefit from the

enhanced reputation of the Accounting and Finance programs and the new school because they will have access to

new faculty, guest speakers and networking events.

Alumni will also gain value and are welcome to become more involved with the new School of Accounting and Fi-

nance and our broadened community. In addition to reputation enhancement of both professional areas of study at

Ryerson – accounting and finance -- alumni will continue to have access to other alumni, students and events in

their specific area of specialization, but also be able to participate in a broader community of alumni who have wid-

er access to both areas of study and value your contributions and insights of the profession.

Accreditation of the new School by Canadian and International accounting and finance associations is expected in

the long-term. Currently, the School of Accounting and Finance at the Ted Rogers School of Management is accredit-

ed by industry-specific associations including Certified General Accountants and is working towards Certified Man-

agement Accountants.

This new chapter in our history could not be possible without the support of RUAS and our other student groups as

well as our dedicated alumni who continue to give back and enlighten our community. Please accept my thanks for

your support and I look forward to growing and strengthening our community.

Daria Sydor

Accounting Chair

Case program to learn how to plan, write, present and debrief a case! This amazing program consists of three stages of competition: Local, National, and Global. The winning teams from each local Ace the Case Workshop will progress through to the Ace the Case National Finals, with the eventual winners representing Canada in the international competition against students from around the world. The 2012 winning team will represent Canada at the KPMG International Case Competition in Hong Kong in April!

Local

Locally, Ace the Case is a 2-

day workshop that is hosted in

each of KPMG‘s four national

offices: Vancouver, Calgary,

Toronto and Montreal. Stu-

dents will have the opportunity

to meet and network with par-

ticipants from various universi-

ties as well as KPMG profes-

sionals in their local office.

During day one, students primarily cover case-

writing skills, including the basic approach, outlining,

ranking of issues, quantitative analysis, and many oth-

ers. By the second day, students focus on the presen-

tation aspect of case writing and properly presenting

results as a group. This is where it gets exciting!

Groups will tackle a case head on and prepare to pre-

sent solutions to a set of KPMG judges in the hopes of

winning the chance to represent their local office at

the Ace the Case National Finals.

The local workshop will provide an invaluable oppor-

tunity to learn and practice skills that will help you to

reach your full potential as a young professional. ―I

learned to apply my critical thinking skills to analyze

situations and identify the key issues presented in a

case.‖ says Calgary local competition participant, Jas-

preet Pandher, a 2nd year student at the University of

Calgary. ―I use this knowledge every day at school to

solve problems and during the case competitions that I

have participated in since Ace the Case.‖

National

Winning local teams compete via video conference in

March for their chance to represent Canada at the

KPMG International Case Competition (KICC).

"Winning my local Ace the Case competition and hav-

ing the opportunity to com-

pete at the national level

was easily one of the great-

est experiences of my uni-

versity career,‖ says

Balpreet Singh, a 3rd year

accounting student at the

Schulich School of Busi-

ness.

Balpreet describes his ex-

perience at the national lev-

el as ―a phenomenal learn-

ing experience. It was the

relationships I made with my

peers, fellow competitors

and judges at Ace the Case that made the experience

so great. The challenging yet supportive environment

that was fostered, combined with the strong relation-

ships I made, are two of the main reasons that I chose

to intern with KPMG this upcoming summer!‖

Balpreet Singh

Schulich School of Business 2012 KPMG Summer Intern – GTA

Jaspreet Pandher University of Calgary 2012 KPMG Summer Intern - Calgary


Global

The KPMG International Case Competition (KICC) is an

annual event that brings together winning teams from

KPMG's member firm‘s national case competitions to

compete on a global scale. In a rapidly globalizing busi-

ness environment, the KICC is a unique way of expos-

ing students to global business early on. It challenges

students to think outside of their country borders by

introducing them to real life issues faced by interna-

tional companies.

In 2011, the GVA team advanced to represent Canada

at the KICC in Istanbul, Turkey to compete against stu-

dents from 19 countries. ―KICC

provided with me a unique opportunity to learn how

different cultures handle a variety of difficult business

decisions,‖ said 2011 Canadian Team member Wil-

liam Trudeau. ―I was exposed to

several cases from which I

learned unique approaches

based on how each country prior-

itizes issues differently. I walked

away with a true international

lens and an understanding of the

importance in having a global

perspective in business commu-

nication.‖

This year, an adventure to Hong

Kong in April for the 2012 Inter-

national Case Competition awaits

our winning National team!

William Trudeau

Simon Fraser University 2011 KPMG Summer Intern – GVA

To see highlights from Ace the Case and to learn more about student experiences, check out our video on our YouTube Channel!

Are you ready to reach your full potential? Watch for advertisements at your University or Career Centre. For more information on how to apply for this unforgetta-

ble experience, visit our website at www.kpmg.ca/acethecase.


Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young LLP is

one of Canada‘s lead-

ing professional -

services firms, provid-

ing assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services to

clients ranging from emerging growth companies to

global powerhouses. We are 152,000 people who are

committed to making a difference in capital markets

around the world through the quality of services we

provide and through our commitment to our communi-

ties.

What clearly sets us apart from the competition

is the strength of our culture. We hear this from our

clients, our people, our recruits and our alumni. Our

leaders understand the connection between a strong

culture and success in the market.

Over this past year, during this time of great chal-

lenge and change in Canada, Ernst & Young has

worked hard to offer our advice and insight to help cli-

ents adapt to the evolving changes. We‘ve guided

many clients through restructurings, mergers and ac-

quisitions, helped some simply survive, and helped

others who were in a position to thrive and take ad-

vantage of the difficult times.

In our own business, we have carefully managed

our costs, but more importantly, we have made key

investments in the services our clients need now — in

this particular time in the economy — and that we be-

lieve will grow in the future. These include areas such

as performance improvement, risk management, cli-

mate change and globalization.

Through the recession we never gave up on the

importance of developing our people. We haven‘t cut

learning; we‘ve expanded it. For example, we continue

to enhance EYU — our people development framework

— with its pillars of learning, coaching and helping our

people get the experiences they need to enhance their

careers. Our commitment to flexibility is every bit as

strong today as it was before the economic crisis. Our

corporate responsibility efforts are unabated. And our

drive towards a truly inclusive culture continues to gain

momentum. We invest in all of this because we know

when the economic crisis is finally behind us, we will

be stronger. The recession has cemented our belief

that being a top employer is the most important factor

in our success as a business.

Read more at www.ey.com/ca and learn more

about the numerous programs, policies and initiatives

we‘ve developed to show our people they matter to us,

and to help them achieve their potential.

A Look into Deloitte - A Ryerson Alumni’s Experience

By: Samir Gutierrez

Starting work at a new company is always excit-

ing, especially with the great opportunities that can be

found in the accounting firms. I have found there are

three major components to a satisfying work experi-

ence; the work, the people and the fun. Each new

Deloitte employee‘s experience is different, so here is

a look at what my experience has been with the firm so

far.

The Work: After I graduated from Ryerson‘s

Accounting program, I started working for Deloitte in

the fall of 2011 as part the Audit practice in the Manu-

facturing industry. The client work at first seems chal-

lenging, yet it is always interesting and a great source

of learning. Of course, most of the

audit work is completely new to an accounting stu-

dent that has never been on a client engagement.

However, there is always a team of professionals that

are able to support you and who are more than willing

to help you by answering questions or explaining a new

process. Going out to client sites is a great experience

since you are always meeting new people and dealing

with new challenges. My favourite aspect of client work

is the local and international travel that we get to do as

part of our engagements. Early next year I am already

scheduled to travel to San Francisco, Denver, British

Columbia, Nevada and even Central America. These

are great travel opportunities and I am excited to be

involved with these teams.

A Look into Deloitte - A Ryerson Alumni’s Experience (cont.)

The People: The best part of working for Deloitte

is working with the most intelligent, funny and interest-

ing people you can find. Everyone is friendly and ap-

proachable and always willing to assist you in your pro-

fessional development within the firm. I have met

some great friends while working at the firm and I am

still surprised by some of the hidden talents and hob-

bies of accountants. Have you ever heard of account-

ants skydiving, winning high stakes Vegas poker tour-

naments or being a singer in a rock band? These ac-

countants do exist and work at Deloitte!

The Fun: My experience at Deloitte has been a

rich and rewarding experience that has surpassed

even my own expectations. I started as a Summer Stu-

dent in 2009 and came back again in 2010. Those two

summers were full of fun and excitement! Summer at

Deloitte is always a good time: from Wonderland trips,

to going out for drinks with your co-workers, to Deloitte

BBQ days, there is never a shortage of entertainment

at the firm. As a sports fan, I joined the Deloitte base-

ball team and got a chance to take on our clients in

competitive and fun games throughout the summer.

And of course baseball always ends with wings and

drinks to celebrate a great game.

The Firm: My biggest surprise at Deloitte so far has

been the easy balance between the amount of fun and

excitement you can experience, yet still work in the

challenging and rewarding professional services indus-

try. If you are looking to obtain your Chartered Account-

ant designation and want to work with the highest cali-

ber professionals, all while still have a great time, you

definitely need to take a close look at Deloitte!


PwC Tower - Our Future is Here!


It‘s true, PwC Canada‘s downtown Toronto offic-

es have moved to their new location, the PwC Tower at

18 York Street, a brand new state of art 26 storey tow-

er situated at York and Bremner. The new building is a

testament to PwC‘s focus on its employees. The build-

ing represents a vision to create a unique PwC work

space that meets the diverse and long term needs of

the firm – both for the people and the business.

"Our new home in Toronto's expanding south

core financial district fits with the firm's commitment to

our people, our clients and the environment‖ said Da-

vid Forster, PwC's GTA Managing Partner. ―PwC Tower

brings all our downtown people together, supporting

our ability to provide the best service to our clients

while creating a collaborative, productive and enjoya-

ble workspace that offers access to public transporta-

tion and green design features."

PwC‘s commitment to making sustainable choic-

es and creating a warm, welcoming and efficient work-

ing environment for staff has helped to drive the de-

sign of PwC Tower.

PwC Tower has been constructed to meet the

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

Gold Standard in both building design and office space

categories. The LEED Gold Standard reflects the total

score of PwC Tower against standards set by the Cana-

dian Green Building Council. A number of ‗green‘ initia-

tives and designs have helped PwC Tower to achieve

this standard: Adaptive re-use of existing office furni-

ture. Up to 75% of existing furniture is being re-used.

A green office environment:

Day lighting (an open concept office maximizing the

use natural light over traditional electric lighting)

Automatic dimming/turning off of lights and HVAC

after hours

Use of rapidly renewable and locally sourced materi-

als for office interiors

Energy star appliances and equipment throughout

the office, for example – Solar blinds that adjust ac-

cordingly to the amount of sunlight entering the

building

Reducing water usage through rain water collecting

and efficient delivery

30% less energy use through high-efficiency heating,

under floor air supply, intelligent lighting and En-

wave‘s Deep Lake Water Cooling system

First Toronto tower with green roof and urban forest

integrated in its design

140 secure indoor bicycle storage spots with show-

er/locker rooms

PwC Tower - Our Future is Here! (cont.)

Can you guess what the people who hold the following positions all have in common?

Certified Management Accountants

They all work for Professional Services firms AND they are all Certified Management Accountants!

As a CMA, you have the option to work in any type of organization, including top

accounting & professional services firms, banking & financial institutions, manu-

facturers, retailers and much more! FAST FACT: Of the thousands of employers

who hire CMAs, the ―Big Four‖ firms continually make the list of ―Top 30 CMA Em-

ployers‖ (based on number of CMAs employed).

A brand new Industry Survey of CMAs now shows that ―Financial Services, Insurance and Real Estate‖ (20%) is now

the most popular sector for CMAs, followed by Manufacturing (14%) and Government (14%). As a CMA, you can work

anywhere, in any sector, for any organization, of any size. As a CMA, the choice is up to you to ―Create Possibilities‖

and have a rewarding, flexible career on your terms – and you can work in many areas within an organization, not

just accounting!

FAST FACTS: Average CMA Salary is $119,400 - 65% of CMAs earn over $90k, placing them in the top 5% of global

income earners - Candidates in the 2 year, part-time CMA Strategic Leadership Program earn an average salary of

$63,000.

The Top 30 CMA Employers are now: CIBC, BMO, RBC, TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank, Rogers, Bell, IBM, RIM, Kraft,

Nestle, Maple Leaf Foods, Manulife, Sun Life, Sears, Loblaw, Canadian Tire, Deloitte, KPMG, PWC, E&Y, IBM, CRA,

Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Ontario Power Generation, Transport Canada, Health Canada & Accenture.


Accenture Director of Finance

Accenture Mgr, Mgmt Consulting

BDO Consultant BDO Manager- Valuations

BDO Senior Accountant BDO Senior Manager - Audit BDO Tax Specialist BDO Accounting Supervisor

BDO Partner

BDO Staff Accountant Capgemini Director

Capgemini Mgr, Technology Ser-

Capgemini Account Controller Deloitte Senior Consultant Deloitte Sr Mgr, Enterprise Risk

Deloitte Associate Partner Deloitte Managing Partner, Tax

Deloitte Partner Deloitte Sr Mgr Ops & Finance

Deloitte Vice President

Ernst & Young Director, National Finance

Ernst & Young Executive Director

Ernst & Young IT Risk & Assurance Senior

Ernst & Young Management Consultant Ernst & Young Mgr. V&B Modeling

Ernst & Young Partner

Ernst & Young Senior Manager

Ernst & Young Sr. Mgr, Tax Services

Ernst & Young Sr. Staff Accountant

Ernst & Young VP, Corp. Restructuring

Fraser Milner Chief Operating Officer

FMC LLP Director of Finance

Grant Thornton Senior Vice President

Grant Thornton Partner

Grant Thornton Controller

Grant Thornton Tax Manager

Grant Thornton Project Chief

H&A Forensic

Accounting Forensic Accountant

Hatch Business Director

Hatch Dir., Project Financial Services

KPMG Assoc. Partner - Taxation

KPMG COO, Advisory & Markets

KPMG Finance Controller –

Growth & Markets

KPMG Partner KPMG Senior Manager

KPMG Mgt Senior Manager

Miller Thomson LLP CFO

Miller Thomson LLP Financial Analyst MNP LLP Partner

PWC LLP Associate Partner

PWC LLP Consulting Manager

- Finance Effectiveness

PWC LLP Dir., Learning & Development PWC LLP Partner

PWC LLP Senior Associate - Consulting

PWC LLP VP, Advisory Services

Meet Chris Ringland, CMA

Senior Manager Financial Planning and

Analysis, Capital One Bank

Chris Ringland, CMA is a senior finance professional with years of

proven leadership experience in strategic financial planning & analy-

sis and process improvement. As a Senior Manager at Capital One,

Chris constantly interacts with senior executives to develop, align,

and execute detailed financial strategies to meet and exceed perfor-

mance targets.

Prior to joining Capital One, Chris held the role of National Revenue

Manager for Labatt Breweries of Canada where he led a team that

planned, controlled and managed over $2 billion of net revenue. It

was in this role that Chris became recognized as a global leader in

financial planning and analysis for a multibillion-dollar business.

Chris has a Bachelor of Commerce which focused on Finance and

Statistical Analysis. He earned his CMA designation in 2009.

Chris‘s CMA studies have helped him to understand and practice a

holistic approach to financial management. ―Getting beyond the num-

bers is critical for any professional to add value to a business…and

developing this ability is a true focus of the CMA professional pro-

gram‖.

Want to learn more and find out where you stand in the path to be-

come a CMA, visit www.cmaontario.org/transcript and submit your

transcripts (printed from RAMSS) for a FREE evaluation.

CMA Profile


Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario

About the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario:

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario is the qualifying and regulatory body of Ontario‘s 35,000 Char-

tered Accountants and 5,000 CA students. Since 1879, the Institute has protected the public interest through the

CA profession‘s internationally recognized standards of qualification and the enforcement of its rules of profession-

al conduct. Ontario CAs contribute greatly to international and domestic investor confidence in the soundness of

the Ontario and Canadian economies. The Institute‘s website is: www.icao.on.ca and the student website is

www.guidetorulingtheworld.ca.

http://www.cmaontario.org/transcript

http://www.icao.on.ca/

http://www.guidetorulingtheworld.ca/

Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (cont.)

Did you know…?

The CA designation is like an international work passport! CAs can – and do – easily find work around the

world. This is because the CA designation‘s international recognition for consistency and high quality

makes it portable. CAs are the only Canadian accounting professionals who have reciprocity agreements

with all of the leading accounting organizations. Currently, more than 2,700 Ontario Chartered Accountants

are working abroad.

ROB Top 1000 Companies with a CA as CEO have consistently outperformed companies headed by non-CAs!

Companies with a CA as president or CEO performed better on several key indicators, including five-year

average Return on Equity; five-year average Return on Capital; and one-year average Return on Assets.

Small wonder, then, that 62% of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Top 1000 Companies (ROB) has

a CA in at least one of their top six positions (Chair, CEO, president, CFO, COO and/or corporate secretary).

3. Companies perform better when the Chief Financial Officer is a CA! Annual analysis of the top companies listed

in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Top 1000 Companies shows those companies with CAs in the CFO posi-

tion have the best return on capital and assets.

RBC, Manulife, Telus, Loblaw, Union Gas, Score Media and Research in Motion are just a few of the CA Training

Offices! The CA Profession now provides training opportunities in both traditional public accounting firms

and non-traditional employers in industry and government. For a full listing of CA Training Offices, check out

the ICAO website or www.catoadvantage.ca.

Many successful Canadians are CAs! Prominent business and community leaders such as Janice Fukakusa,

Chief Administrative Office and Chief Financial Officer - RBC, and Colleen Johnston, Chief Financial Officer –

TD, Michael J. Nobrega, President & CEO of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS),

Jennifer Newman, VP – Investment Finance Operations – Ontario Teachers‘ Pension Plan, Nadir Mohamed,

President & CEO, – Rogers Communications Inc and many others, all have their CA designation.

To find out more please visit our student website at www.guidetorulingtheworld.ca or www.icao.on.ca.


http://www.guidetorulingtheworld.ca/

http://www.icao.on.ca/

CGA: The DO MORE designation

When considering a future in finance or accounting, it

is important to equip yourself with the necessary skills

and knowledge to succeed. No one will question your

competencies or abilities with a strong designation

behind your name; the CGA designation is recognized

as the designation of finance and accounting excel-

lence.

There are many reasons why all sorts of people are

enthusiastic about their careers as CGAs – and why it

is a great choice for you. Here are six reasons why the

CGA designation is an excellent choice for you and

your future in accounting and finance.

We earn while we learn.

The CGA program of professional studies includes a

work place experience component that puts your edu-

cation to work while you are a student. As a student

you will earn a salary, build your resume and acquire

valuable work experience.

The benefits of your employment experience go be-

yond the income. As CGA Katherine Chan says,

―Applying on the job what you are learning in your

studies improves both your work and your marks.‖

We have high earning potential.

Plenty of people want a career that will bring them a

good income and CGAs enjoy this benefit. A recent

survey has shown that CGAs‘ earnings are in the top

5% of all Canadian earners, with average incomes well

over twice the average Canadian salary. Employers

value and respect the CGA designation and always

recognize it financially.

We are licensed public accountants.

Since 2010, CGA Ontario is authorized to license qual-

ified members to practise public accounting. CGAs

and students in the CGA program now have a clear

path to a career in public accounting.

We achieve comfortable work-life balance.

CGAs have the luxury of having great jobs and satisfy-

ing personal lives. When you hold a designation that

employers value, you can arrange your schedule to fit

your life – not the other way around.

As a CGA, there are plenty of opportunities to make

time for what drives you. As a student in the CGA pro-

gram of professional studies, you have the opportunity

to set a study schedule that accommodates your life-

style.

We have international opportunities.

Think of the CGA designation as your passport to glob-

al experiences. CGAs are in demand around the world.

Currently, you can find CGAs working in over 80 coun-

tries.

We are everywhere.

CGAs understand the real-world implications of the

figures on a balance sheet. CGAs see the opportuni-

ties and capabilities beyond the numbers. Their in-

sight makes CGAs valued members on any team in all

sorts of organizations. CGAs work in large auditing

firms, in sports, entertainment, and the arts, and the

private and public sphere. CGAs are entrepreneurs

and CFOs. CGAs are everywhere financial and ac-

counting expertise is needed – and that is everywhere.

By providing invaluable advice on efficiency, productiv-

ity, financial risk management and more, CGAs identi-

fy opportunities and yield sustainable growth. For

more information about the designation visit cga-

domore.org.

Certified General Accountants


Advice to First-Year Students

By Judi Zienchuk

First off, I have to say that as

far as first year students go,

you are already on the right

track by choosing Ryerson‘s

Ted Rogers School of Manage-

ment. We are the biggest (and

in my opinion, the best) under-

graduate management school

in Canada. So since you have

already gotten this far, I‘ll

move into the logistics of actu-

al the schoolwork. Yes, univer-

sity classes are different than

what you might be used to in

high school – and yes, some

first year classes do have hun-

dreds of students in them.

You‘ll learn that this isn‘t al-

ways a bad thing, especially

when you‘re in class sitting in

the almost-too-comfortable

theatre seats of the AMC build-

ing right across the street from

campus.

Now, if the most comfortable

seats in the world wouldn‘t

keep from worrying about be-

coming nothing more than a

number in these big classes,

you have nothing to worry

about. All professors have of-

fice hours where you can talk

to them about any questions

you have, get career advice, or

even just joke about how

they‘re too short to sit at the

booths at Starbucks. Bottom

line, they‘re very approacha-

ble.

Realistically, it‘s impossible to

talk about university without

mentioning the ever-important

social aspect. The best piece

of advice I can give is that eve-

ryone else is just as nervous

as you about university. You‘re

not the only one who is going

to be over-analyzing where to

sit on the first day. If you want

to help cure some of these jit-

ters, I highly recommend going

to your frosh week. It‘s a fan-

tastic way to meet some of the

other people in your program

in a fun, social setting before

hitting the books together.

Plus, it gives you the chance to

find out about some of the on-

campus groups. I know you‘ve

probably heard this about a

thousand times, but getting

involved is the best way to

meet people at university. This

can include joining a commit-

tee that sparks your interest,

or just going to a student-

group pub night. From the

Model United Nations, to the

Veg*an Club, Ryerson has

something for everyone.

The real trick for first year is

now balancing school with

your social life. When mid-

terms come around, the

schoolwork can start to pile

up. This doesn‘t have to end

with you going into quarantine

to get all your work done.

Study parties with your friends

can be really helpful – and fun.

Getting a different perspective

and being able to bounce ide-

as off someone else can really

improve the quality of your as-

signments. Setting up a deal to

go to the Ram and the Rye (the

campus pub), or seeing that

new movie after the study ses-

sion can be great incentives to

get work done. A word of warn-

ing on this though: not all

friends are study friends.

There are some people who

you will not be capable of stud-

ying around, even if they are

the most hilarious person

you‘ve ever met. Save hanging

out with them for after your

midterm and instead, get to-

gether with one or two people

who actually want to get their

work done.

Altogether, first year is an

amazing time, but you will defi-

nitely only take out as much as

you put in. So be proactive

with your teachers and get in-

volved with the school commu-

nity – and you will have the

time of your life.

Advice to First – Year Students


outlook-fall-2011

Documents

year students

president of ruas

academic year

ruas team

school of accounting

students network

accounting related articles

cma ontario