CA Sri Lanka conducts highly successful orientation seminar for trainees

Saturday, 24 March 2012 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Practical training plays a vital role in building the required skills and competencies of a Chartered Accountant. With this in mind the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka recently conducted an orientation seminar for Certificate level trainees to impart the importance of practical training which they undergo during their course of study. The Institute auditorium was packed with over 350 trainees who attended the seminar.

The Chief Guest at the event was Member of the Institute and the Chief Financial Officer of the Bank of Ceylon, Asoka Rupasinghe who made an inspiring and insightful presentation ’10 habits of a successful Chartered Accountant.’

CA Sri Lanka President Sujeewa Rajapakse addressing the gathering emphasised on the responsibility placed on the CA students to continue the Institute’s prestigious legacy going along the footsteps of their forefathers. “Our members are known to have an excellent technical knowledge supported by in-depth understanding of its applications. Practical training is the very differentiating factor that has gives our students the edge over their peers. It is a fact that our training is rigorous and exhaustive. As a person who has undergone similar training, I urge you to look at it more positively and consider this an opportunity to practice what you learn in the classroom. You should strive to make maximum of the mandatory training period by not only learning the technical intricacies but also acquainting yourself with the organisational set up and developing professionalism in you” he added.

Chartered Accountants are the standard bearers of the accounting profession where ethics are considered paramount. Rajapakse urged the budding Chartered Accountants to uphold the highest level of professional ethics such as integrity, objectivity, professional competency and due care, confidentiality and professional behaviour, imparted on them by the Institute.

“Your credibility as a person is a great asset and you must start accumulating that from now on,” he continued.

CA Sri Lanka has developed its practical training requirements in compliance with the competency based approach and standards of IFAC International Education Practice Statement and have been designed in light of the changing dynamics of the profession. Presently, the Institute has a network of nearly 700 training partners in both public practice (audit) and non- public practice (non-audit) sectors. The Institute recently introduced a facility to update training records through its website providing much convenience to the trainees. Closer dialogues are maintained with the trainees and training partners in order to address issues facing them and to provide necessary guidance.

During the seminar, Interblocks Ltd Financial Controller Travis Roche gave a detailed presentation on the importance of the developing the soft skills, while three young chartered accountants namely PricewaterhouseCoopers Manager Pramitha Ranshika; Technical Manager of the Institute Anushka Madurasighe; and Lanka Orix Leasing Co. PLC Finance Manager M Imraz Iqbal conducted an interactive session which detailed the importance of practical training sharing their experience as to how it helped them fast track their career ladder.