The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) formed the advisory group in July 2023, in response to a resolution passed during the organization’s May Council Meeting. The resolution endorsed the development of a “continuous research-driven national pipeline strategy” focused on attracting more students to the profession.
The group’s primary goal is to develop a national pipeline strategy that ultimately:
Nothing is off the table. The NPAG is exploring external market trends, demographic shifts, and profession-specific factors – from an overall decline in college enrollment and rising education costs to preparing for the CPA Exam and starting salaries for accountants.
NPAG members began meeting in July 2023. The first phase of discussion, study, and data analysis and collection is underway. A progress report was shared at the AICPA’s Fall Council Meeting in October 2023, and a draft pipeline strategy plan will be available to the public in spring 2024.
A third-party consulting firm, ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, is facilitating the NPAG’s overall agenda, while the AICPA is coordinating operations, meeting logistics, and communicating progress to key stakeholders. A separate, external firm is managing the national survey’s data collection and analysis.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the national pipeline survey, which closed May 3, 2024. Stay tuned for new initiatives aimed at strengthening the accounting pipeline.