Making accounting sexy again
The profession needs a makeover to attract newcomers
IN TIKTOK PARLANCE, “accountant” is code for a sex worker. Now proper beancounters want to reclaim the title and make it appealing to prospective recruits, on the popular short-video app and elsewhere. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the profession’s main trade group in America, has a TikTok feed laden with career tips and young accountants (the real sort) living their best professional lives. It has 27,000 followers—and its work cut out.
America had 1.6m accountants and auditors last year, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. That is down from nearly 2m in 2019. Many veterans are retiring—five years ago three in four certified accountants were at or near retirement age, according to AICPA. Too few youngsters are interested in taking their place. Only 65,000 students completed an accounting degree in 2022, down from around 80,000 a year between 2012 and 2018.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Numbers guys and gals"
Business March 30th 2024
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