Written by Katherine Anne Almondia and Maessy Santiago, SBAA
The University of Baguio (UB) students under the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA0 program, in collaboration with the UB Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (UB-JPIA) chapter, successfully conducted a webinar featuring one of the university’s top-notchers in the Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (CPALE) to discuss the experiences that make an entry-level become an expert. This was attended by 40 students and one alumna who acted as the speaker.
The webinar, “From Entry-Level to Expert: The Accountancy Experiences That Matter Most,” took place on Google Meet last October 5, 2024, at 1 p.m. Ms. Stephanie A. Solomon, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) who is currently one of the Assistant Unit Managers in PRU Life UK shared her experiences from the beginning of her career up to her recent work that made her an expert.
Ms. Stephanie started the webinar by sharing her experiences after passing the CPALE as landing as top 5. She discussed her professional timeline, starting as an Assurance Associate at SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV), one of the biggest firms in the Philippines up to her present work position as an Assistant Unit Manager in PRU Life UK. She emphasized the advantages of topping the CPALE and gaining experience from top auditing companies to a CPA’s professional growth. Furthermore, she added that when one has the opportunity and are capable, one must consider taking a side hustle that can allow maximization of time and enhancement of skills.
The speaker not only discussed her nine years of invaluable professional experience but also mentioned tips on what to do during the first three years in the corporate world. She also emphasized that having a long-term vision and timeline, looking for mentors, reading self-help books, having early exposure to specialized industry accounting, and learning more about accounting systems are the things she would have done differently in her earlier years that now she has shared as tips to the participants. The integration of these in the webinar aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which is Decent Work and Economic Growth.
The webinar was concluded with a lively question and answer session, with Ms. Solomon providing the participants with valuable knowledge and practical advice, proving that dedication, continuous learning, and a willingness to embrace new challenges are the keys to becoming experts in one’s chosen field. The event encouraged aspiring accountants with a sense of community and shared purpose among UB’s future accounting leaders.
The writers Katherine Anne Almondia and Maessy Santiago are SBAA Accountancy students having their internship.
