Where do you get your CPD?

Beyond Numbers, Sep 2003 by Folka, Deborah

Now that mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) is a reality for every BC CA, where do members who work outside of public practice get it? We asked a group of members how they stay up to date, and their answers are as individual as their fingerprints.

"Industry specific" is how Donna Bridgeman, CA, MBA, describes her PD.

Bridgeman, vice-president of investments for Growthworks, attends conferences periodically through organizations like the Canadian Venture Capital Association and the US Venture Capital Institute, and attends sessions presented by organizations like the Vancouver Enterprise Forum and the BC Technology Industries Association to keep up to date on issues in those communities. She also attends luncheon and breakfast programs, presents lectures on ethics in the Business Administration program at Simon Fraser University, and writes articles for various publications. Last year, she completed a program in negotiation through the Justice Institute of BC; this fall, she'll be presenting at the ICABC's PD Financing Symposium.

"All of this adds up to a great deal of professional development," says Bridgeman. "I don't anticipate having a problem getting the required number of hours, but it does vary from year to year-depending on the time I can take away from the office."

Like Bridgeman, Alan Drinkwater, CA, manager of operations accounting for Alderwoods Group Inc., isn't worried about getting the required CPD hours, but he admits, "It will likely be more difficult to remember to record and report it!"

Drinkwater gets his PD primarily through the Institute. "Mostly one or two-day courses," he says, "as well as some in-house courses we've done on public reporting and auditing issues. We've even done some webcasts from the AICPA."

Drinkwater is one of an increasing number of CAs taking PD courses in-house and/or online. Nola Western, CA, director of electoral finance for Elections BC in Victoria, is another example.

"Because the work we do as an independent office of the legislature is unique, our professional development has to be very relevant and specific," she explains.

Western, who'll be a presenter at the annual US conference on electoral finance this year, says Elections BC's emphasis on in-house training has led to several online training opportunities for staff and clients. "They've worked very well," she says. "They're flexible and quite enjoyable."

Allan Lim, CA, a senior securities analyst with the BC Securities Commission, also makes in-house courses a part of his PD.

"We have to keep up to date on complex reporting and auditing issues, so we have a lot of in-house training," Eim says, "as well as attending annual conferences like those put on by the Alberta Securities Commission and the CICA."

Lim also gets his PD by teaching an ICABC course on Management Discussion & Analysis-his area of specialty and a key area of study for CAs involved in public companies.

"There's an incredible rate of change for public companies now," he says, "so just to keep abreast of new developments, you have to do a lot of studying."

Rozy Jivraj, CA, manager of financial services for BC Hydro in Vancouver, says she relies on in-house courses because of a lack of relevant Institute offerings.

"I look through the catalogue when it comes out, but frankly there's not a lot in there for me," Jivraj says. "I assume with mandatory PD, there will be more for us in industry, but so far I'm still looking to the courses offered by my employer."

Editor: The Institutes PD department has created 53 new PD topics for its fall program. Of these 53 new titles, 21 are management related. Management-related courses now make up 32% of the total titles offered. All ICABC PD courses can be delivered in-house, and 50 titles are being offered online this fall.

In addition to in-house professional development, Jivraj has also taken courses through the Society of Management Accountants of BC and CareerTrack.

"Getting the hours won't be an issue this year, with all the learning I've had to do to keep up with the staggering amount of change at Hydro," she says. " But it could be in other years."

Jivraj is not the only member to express concern about getting her CPD hours. For many "out-of-towners," getting the right PD can be a challenge.

Don Nettleton, CA, the financial manager of the Okanagan Regional District Library in Kelowna, is one of them. There are only three regional district libraries in the province, and Nettleton says this rarefied state makes it hard for him to find relevant professional development.

"Most of what's out there is not specific to my place of employment or my job, which makes it difficult to get it funded or approved by my employer," he explains. "This is quite a common problem in small industry companies or in smaller, public sector, charitable or not-for-profit areas-particularly if they're in smaller centres where funding is tight."

According to Nettleton, the Institute's PD Passport has helped, but he still faces the issue and expense of travel. "I've taken some computer and management courses locally, but to get more strategic programs I've had to travel to the Lower Mainland.