About a year and a half after Saint Peter’s University and PwC announced a fresh new partnership to allow accounting grads to get their 150 units for CPA licensure through work experience, Rider University in Lawrence Township, New Jersey has announced their own twist on work-for-credit.
The Rider University CPA Apprenticeship Program, announced here on March 11, allows new graduates to earn the required 150 units for CPA licensure in New Jersey through coursework and real-world professional experience. Unlike the Saint Peter’s initiative, the Rider program hopes to partner with multiple firms.
“Our new program is a novel and powerful tool to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world accounting experiences,” says Dr. Evelyn A. McDowell, the chair of Rider’s Department of Accounting. “We’re proud to offer recent graduates a low-cost alternative to advancing their careers.”
To obtain 150 hours after graduation, Rider is offering as many as five online courses — worth six academic credits each and offered at $250 per credit — over seven weeks along with at least 34 hours a week “doing meaningful and substantial work as an accounting professional” at a participating accounting firm. So far WilkinGuttenplan (INSIDE Public Accounting #149, $33 million revenue) is the first and only firm to partner with Rider. “The cooperation and commitment of employers are integral to the program’s success, and we are extremely proud to collaborate with WilkinGuttenplan to support aspiring professionals,” said Dr. Ev.
A bit more from the announcement:
The program will begin accepting participants beginning in May, and the University is currently establishing partnerships with firms and companies. McDowell notes that participating in Rider’s CPA Apprenticeship Program can serve as a powerful recruitment tool as they seek both short-term and permanent talent.
Because it is open to partnering with a variety of firms, Rider’s program is the first of its kind in New Jersey. “By inviting multiple firms to participate, we are creating flexible opportunities inclusive to a wide range of individuals that will ultimately strengthen the pipeline of CPAs,” McDowell says.
More here. It appears the program is open only to Rider graduates.
Rider University launches CPA Apprenticeship Program [Rider University]
