Closer scrutiny of corporate conduct and legal requirements brought about by the SarbanesOxley Act have seen demand for accounting graduates spike in recent years - and many believe the trend will continue. According to a report by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), more than 64,000 graduates left school with either bachelor's or master's degrees in accounting in 2006-07, which is a record high, redorbit.com reports. At the same time, the study found, there have been "substantial" increases in hiring, especially by the public accounting firms that are often the first step on the career ladder for new grads. The AICPA figures show recruitment for accountants in 2006-07 was 83% higher than the previous three years. Furthermore, 67% of firms said they expected this level of recruitment to continue growing. AICPA director of academic and career development Danny Reigle said: "The years in the aftermath of SarbanesOxley have spotlighted the critical role the accounting profession plays in our capital market system." The requirements for entering a career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) vary by state but a degree-level education is essential, as is professional qualifications and work experience. Once qualified, CPAs can work in a variety of areas including accounting, auditing, personal finance planning and business valuation.  |