The career that opens doors

The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is a great way to open the door to a rewarding career. Here, five young Bermudians share their stories about their CPA journey accounting meant Rebecca had to work hard to catch up with her peers.

“I had to take prerequisite classes for the Canadian CPA programme and then the CPA courses later on,” she says.

“There were countless evenings and weekends spent at the office studying. But, looking back, putting in the work was completely worth it.”

She began her career at PwC Bermuda but has since moved to Athene, where she works as an accountant.

“At Athene the culture is very inclusive,” she says.

“We have many opportunities to interact with colleagues in different departments through social and volunteer opportunities. Also, being an accountant at Athene provides stimulating and interesting opportunities, such as working on the technical accounting behind our recent merger.”

Many students on the Canadian CPA programme have already completed a four-year undergraduate degree in accounting.

Demi Wright, however, opted to gain her educational requirements through a master’s programme at York University, Toronto, instead.

This route may have been quicker – within eight months she had all the requirements to sit the final CPA exam – but it was much more intense.

Rebecca Gibbons didn’t think she would pursue a career in accounting.

She changed her mind when she went to a job fair while studying at Acadia University, where she was impressed by the Bermudian representatives of the “big four” accounting firms.

“I had already chosen a major in finance over accounting, so I didn’t think a career path in accounting was for me,” says Rebecca, 26.

“But hearing each firm speak about the different opportunities available really changed my mind. I made sure to email each company the next day to thank them for their time, which led to multiple interviews and ultimately my first full time job at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).”

Having a major in finance rather than

“It required a lot of time and commitment to my studies,” Demi says. “You really have to find the love for the subject and enjoy studying overall.”

Demi had previously obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration at York, where classes included business law, statistics, marketing, business management, accounting, economics, and finance.

“I found this to be really helpful as it allowed me to learn about many different aspects of business administration before selecting my specialisation” she says.

Now 26, Demi is enjoying life at EY Bermuda – the firm which gave her a scholarship back in 2016.

“EY played an integral part in pursuing and achieving my postsecondary and post-graduate educational goals,” she says.

“The financial assistance allowed me to gain both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, which in return allowed me to jump start my journey towards becoming a CPA.”

In addition to financial support, she was offered full-time employment upon completion of her studies.

“It was a major relief to know I had a job awaiting me once I completed my degree, which in return allowed me to fully focus on my education,” she says.

“During my time as a full-time employee at EY, they continued to offer support while pursuing my CPA designation.”

Some people choose accounting because they’re good at maths, others because of the career options in Bermuda – but for Andrew Brookes it seems to be in the blood.

“I’m actually a fourth-generation accountant” Andrew says. “My father and grandfather inspired me to be an accountant growing up.”

Andrew, 25, says his own pathway opened up when he got a high school award from PwC.

“That’s what kicked off my interest in accounting firms and accounting as a serious career,” he says.

“Accounting is a career path that is always relevant and gives a really good base understanding for business and financial markets.”

He attained a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Trinity

Western University, near Vancouver, and also did maths courses at university and a specialisation in accounting.

Studying for the CPA exams was not an easy ride, but Andrew insists: “If you spend ample time studying, the exams are very achievable.”

Having previously worked for EY, Andrew is now at Prosperity Life, a life reinsurance start-up in Bermuda.

“Accounting firms have a different culture than insurance and reinsurance companies,” he says.

“Big four firms focus on working hard, learning as much as you can and equipping you to understand the industry. Insurance and reinsurance companies are typically much more hands off and expect you to apply your understanding of accounting rules and regulations.

“Both cultures have distinct positives.”

Qualifying as an accountant is hard work – but the learning process doesn’t end there.

Mica Johnson completed a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance at the University of the West Indies in her home country Barbados.

Having also acquired the professional designation, she works for Grant Thornton Bermuda, but says: “The life of an accountant requires ongoing study.

“The initial step is the professional designation which takes approximately two to three years to complete.

“From there it is an ongoing process every year to refresh your knowledge and remain up-to-date on changes in standards and introduction of new standards to meet market needs.”

Accounting was a natural career choice for Mica, 30.

“I enjoyed mathematics in school and initially I wanted to be an actuary,” she says.

“However, when I was considering programmes to enter university, I found that I preferred the subject offerings under the accounting programmes more than the actuary programmes.”

Grant Thornton Bermuda has provided excellent support, resources, and access to coaching to help with her studying and general progress.

“My office has a very supporting culture and was willing to assist me management at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Neil decided to specialise in accounting. He went on to complete a master’s degree in accounting at the same university.

Overall, Neil studied accounting for a total of five years to earn his CPA, as well as racking up 30 months relevant accounting experience.

He works for PwC, which was the perfect place to launch his career.

“You are learning a lot of stuff,” he says.

“It has a good culture in terms of training to improve your knowledge base and is always trying to encourage employees to keep expanding their knowledge and grow your own career path.

“A lot of the higher ups try to check you and navigate your career path.” when I needed and checked with me regularly to see how I was progressing in my studies,” she says.

The CPA also gives Neil a wide range of future options, such as continuing to work for a big company as an accountant, or consulting and advising businesses.

“There’s a lot of different pathways you can take as a CPA,” he says.

The CPA of Bermuda helps make the study programme simple. Plus, there are many opportunities for scholarships and work experience while you earn.

Visit www.cpabermuda.bm or call 292-7479 for more information.

“They asked if I felt prepared and offered me time off from work, even during peak season, to ensure I had all the tools I needed to be successful in my exam.”

Neil Kothari was destined to get a job involving business and maths.

“A lot of my family members have their own businesses,” says Neil, 24.

“Whenever I went to family gatherings, I always ended up talking to them about it – what they were focused on day-to-day and what successes they had. So I always wanted to work in business.

“I’ve also always been into numbers, and maths has been one of my stronger suits.”

While studying for a bachelor’s degree in accounting and financial