ACCA innovation The

The power of professional skills

ACCA continues to innovate with the introduction of professional skills marks in Strategic Professional Options exams. ACCA’ s Alan Hatfield tells us more

You’re studying hard. You’re on track with your exams. Your technical skills are strong. So, what else can you do to maximise your employability? This is where professional skills come in.

Having a better understanding of the professional skills needed in the workplace will ensure you’re better prepared for a wide variety of roles and enhance your employability.

That’s why from September, ACCA students will be required to demonstrate their professional skills knowledge in the Strategic Professional Options exams for the first time.

ACCA will be introducing professional skills marks into these exams to better prepare you for the role of finance professionals, asking you to demonstrate the critical professional skills required of a professional accountant now and in the future. These changes further enhance ACCA’s commitment to equipping students with the modern-day skills required to succeed in business, following on from the introduction of our Strategic Business Leader (SBL) exam and the Ethics and Professional Skills module (EPSM).

Ann Lamb, ACCA director – Professional Qualifications, explains: “It’s really important to us that we ensure our students have the most up-to-date skills, abilities and qualities that employers are looking for in future finance professionals. That’s why we continually evolve the ACCA Qualification and why from September 2022 we’ll be introducing professional skills marks into the Strategic Professional Options exams.

“With these changes, students will now be able to demonstrate to employers that they have the essential professional skills required to flourish in a working environment alongside having the technical mastery of their chosen specialism.”

What are the specific changes? The changes from September 2022 are in ACCA’s Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA), Advanced Financial Management (AFM), Advanced Performance Management (APM) only. These Options exams will all have 20 marks awarded for professional skills demonstrated throughout the exam.

Advanced Taxation (ATX) will change from June 2023 because of differing examining years.

What professional skills are ACCA assessing? Four key professional skills will be assessed, which are: 1. Communication. 2. Commercial acumen. 3. Analysis and evaluation. 4. Scepticism and judgement. These professional skills are based on those currently assessed in Strategic Business Leader, but have been tailored to reflect the specialist technical content being assessed in the Options exams. You can find out more at the ACCA website.

Support for students If you’re a student planning to sit AAA, AFM or APM in September, we have a selection of fantastic learning resources – from syllabus and study guides to specimen exams and more – to help support you with this exciting change and achieve success.

And, finally, here are some top tips from our experts: • Working through the Ethics and Professional skills module is an excellent way to start developing your professional skills. Make sure you do this before attempting any of the

Strategic Professional exams. • Question practice with feedback on your answers is vital. Build your confidence in your ability to apply the skills by incorporating this from the start of your studies. • Alan Hatfield, ACCA Executive director – content, quality and innovation at ACCA

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