AATWA is only the beginning, Get Chartered, ICAN President Counsels Inductees

“Accounting Technicians certificate is just the beginning of a promising career in accounting. You should aspire and be determined to qualify as Chartered Accountants within the next few years.”

These were the words of ICAN President Dame Onome Joy Adewuyi FCA to the 385 new members inducted into the membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians West Africa (AATWA) last week. The latest induction brings the membership of AATWA to 25,754.

Adewuyi told the inductees, to, in addition to their AATWA certificate “build their capacity in other complementary areas such as data analysis, knowledge and application of big data and information technology services.”
She also urged them to “look beyond technical skills and abilities and imbibe the softer skills of forthrightness, honesty, high ethical conduct and top-notch professional disposition”.

The President implored the new accounting technicians not to be dampened by the threat of technological disruptions which tends to suggest that several accounting jobs would be lost to automation as “more jobs would be created than the ones that would disappear”.

“It has also been stated that the services of accountants would still be required although the disruption has redefined the skills and competencies expected of Accounting Technicians in order to be fit for the emerging jobs”, she assured the accounting technicians.

The President asserted that the quality of training the inductees received while writing the qualifying examination had equipped them with the skills required to compete with other Accounting technicians anywhere in the world.

She pointed out that the novel Corona virus has amplified the need for the inductees to realize that the world is changing rapidly and that accounting technicians should prepare themselves properly for the new reality. “It is therefore necessary for all of you to have a global mindset as you start your exciting career in the accounting profession.

You should not just be dreamers but pursue your dreams diligently”, she added. Dame Adewuyi also admonished the inductees to internalize the Rules contained in the Association’s Code of Ethics, Constitution and By-Laws.