AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, announced the expansion of their mentoring programme designed to develop future accounting and finance professionals. The programme now includes Africa, Canada, and Europe.
"The expanded programme means that the mentoring relationships can now be global," the release said. "Mentees will be paired with a mentor located anywhere in the UK, Europe, Africa, and Canada, and between them they will decide how frequently they want to connect either in person, through videoconferencing, or email."
The mentoring programme was first launched in the UK in 2022 to CIMA members and those who have completed the CGMA case-study exams. The extended programme, according to the release, will widen opportunities to learn from experienced professionals and develop the knowledge, networks, skills, and confidence they need to succeed.
Patrick Guest, ACMA, CGMA, finance manager and mentee at The LEGO Group, said in the news release that he found the programme "to be really beneficial, giving me an independent voice to bounce ideas off and talk through problems. This has helped me to be better prepared for difficult conversations and pressure situations and be clearer about my values in and out of work."
Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, chief executive–Management Accounting at AICPA & CIMA, said the initiative will help young professionals succeed by learning from the knowledge of experienced members.
"I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for all professionals to have the opportunity to seek advice from experienced mentors," Harding said in the release. "Our programme will mean that these career-enhancing opportunities are available to more of our members, and the mentoring relationships can now cross borders."
— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.