Skip to main content

Membership dues invoices for FY 2026–27 have now been issued. Log in to your portal account to pay online. Thank you for continuing your membership!

Our office will be closed on Monday February 16th in observation of Presidents Day.

Closing the Skills Gap: the Profession Ready Initiative

February 02, 2026

The accounting profession is sending a clear message on skills: workforce readiness at the early-career level has become a pivotal challenge as the business environment grows more complex and technology continues to reshape how CPAs work. 

To address the skills gap, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is launching an important effort to develop and strengthen young CPA talent: the Profession Ready Initiative.  

The Profession Ready Initiative is designed to identify the skills early-career CPAs need to succeed today, pinpoint where gaps exist, and offer practical solutions that can be applied by employers, educators, and professional bodies alike. 

The goals are ambitious and critical: to ensure that CPAs entering the profession are prepared to adapt to emerging technologies such as AI and thrive across diverse career paths in public accounting, business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. 

This work is spurred directly by requests from members of the profession and reinforced by findings from the AICPA’s Rise2040 project, which is underscoring workforce transformation as an essential priority for the profession’s long-term success.  

What the Profession Ready Initiative Will Deliver 

The Profession Ready Initiative will produce a comprehensive, research-based view of early-career CPA skills and competencies, with a focus on identifying common gaps and actionable solutions. The research will be regularly updated to reflect changing conditions and will serve as a foundational resource for firms, educators, and other stakeholders working to transform the CPA talent pool.

To help close the gaps that are identified, the AICPA will develop and curate resources for academic institutions and support employers of CPAs in offering targeted learning solutions to their staff.

This initiative is about understanding how the technology-driven paradigm shift in the CPA profession has influenced the skills and competencies required at the early career level and providing stakeholders with the resources they require to successfully develop the future CPA talent pool. This is not an effort focused on influencing requirements for CPA licensure.

What to Expect and How to Take Part 

The AICPA has formed an advisory group comprised of representatives from firms of all sizes, business and industry, state CPA societies, academia, and regulators who will help ensure a broad and balanced perspective. 

The AICPA has also engaged a third-party research firm to conduct a comprehensive review of job descriptions, firm training and competency models, academic curricula, and other resources, which will last through the first half of 2026. 

The initiative will also engage stakeholders across the profession through focus groups, interviews, and surveys.  

Your involvement is critical. Input from practicing CPAs, educators, learning experts and others across Montana is essential to understanding the real-world skills needed for success. The Profession Ready Initiative is for the profession, and it should reflect your experiences. 

The initiative’s first pulse survey focused on early-career skills and gaps is open from February 2-16, 2026. Visit www.aicpa-cima.com/professionready to participate.

Over the coming months, CPAs will have multiple additional opportunities to engage, including: 

  • Participation in surveys focused on early-career skills and gaps
  • Focus groups and interviews
  • Opportunities to review and comment on findings before they are finalized  

In late 2026, the AICPA and the research firm will analyze the inputs and data, and begin to validate and refine emerging themes and recommendations. That will be followed by an exposure draft for public comment in 2027, with results expected to be finalized and launched in late 2027. We strongly encourage all CPAs to take part and help shape outcomes that will support the next generation of professionals. 

Staying Informed 

Be on the lookout for regular updates throughout the process, including initial findings, participation opportunities, and key milestones. The AICPA welcomes ongoing dialogue as this work progresses. For the latest information, visit www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/profession-ready-initiative. To get in touch with the AICPA’s team, email ProfessionReady@aicpa-cima.com.

The Profession Ready Initiative represents a significant, CPA-led step toward strengthening the profession’s future. With your involvement, it will deliver insights and solutions that reflect the realities of practice and support meaningful, lasting change. 

available until 2/16/26