Transforming Professional Accountants’ Skills and Capabilities for a Sustainable Future.

Abstract

Professional accountants (PAs) find themselves working in a trans-disciplinary world, not a monodisciplinary one: a world of continuous flux, where technical and human factors constantly interact in a complex and unique ways. It is a world where unpredictability and change are always in the air and PAs skills, competencies, and capabilities are most tested when the unexpected happens, and unanticipated opportunity arises; when things suddenly go awry or they are faced with a ‘wicked problem’ or dilemma which turns to question or even rock the talent, skills and capabilities of the professional accountant. This paper, using documentary evidence and interactions with key employers as a methodology, discusses the growing interest in making sure that PAs equip themselves with the capabilities and competencies required not only to be work ready for today, but also ‘work ready plus’ for tomorrow.