Brock U has the Secret to Your Accounting Success

Degrees aren’t enough in today’s job market, but Brock’s ASA will give you the extra edge you need.

By Lauren Tucker, ASA student representative

By the time fourth year rolls around, there is one thing that is very apparent to the soon-to-be university graduate: degrees just don’t cut it anymore. There once was a time when having a degree in hand would get you the job, but those days are long gone. Students nowadays split their time between part-time jobs, school studies and, of course, that volunteering experience that looks oh-so-great on a resume. Now that’s all great and dandy, but how does that set you apart from the rest of the applicants applying to that same job? I bet each and every one of them has a list as long as your arm filled with things they’ve done to add weight to their degree, and I bet that they’re just as — if not more — desperate for that job.

[pullquote]What if I said that there was a way for you to gain experience in your field, to meet up with leaders in your industry, and that it accredits your resume?[/pullquote]

I want to introduce you to an absolutely amazing group of individuals who are not only adding a valuable edge to their resumes, but also having fun while they do it. In fact, executive members of the Accounting Students’ Association (ASA) boast an unmatched 100 per cent placement rate for student co-op jobs. In the past year the group has been responsible for two internal case competitions, Break the Case sponsored by Certified General Accountants (CGA) and Brock Knows Business sponsored by Certified Management Accountants (CMA), where members of the ASA and students of Brock University’s Goodman School of Business alike can enhance and apply their communication, presentation and problem solving skills in real world situations.

As with anything, the ASA’s success in recent years can be attributed to not only a tireless executive team, but to great leadership, specifically from Deepak Kalia, the club’s president. Since Kalia’s rise to the position in January 2012, the ASA has had the largest general member base, the largest amount of sponsors and the largest amount of sponsorship money since its inception in August 2007. Additionally, through the leadership that Kalia has shown in the past year, the ASA has rebuilt memberships with CGA, CMA and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ontario (ICAO), including the sponsorship of their two internal case competitions and events throughout the year. Kalia has not only shown his merit through these many achievements but also in the Brock community by revamping a free accounting tutoring service for first year students and through the creation of an online presence. Currently the ASA boasts more than 500 subscriptions on their Facebook page and traffic to the group’s website has increased 450 per cent.

Did I mention that over the past year their events have not only sold out, but have done so within hours? Overall, this is a club where the relationship building that is taught in the marketing classrooms of Brock is used in a real-world setting to the advantage of those very same Brock students. Many of the events that “go viral,” as the ASA say, are geared towards helping those same students secure a place in the accounting industry upon their graduation. Over the past year, there have been 13 successful events run by the ASA and How to Get a Job in Accounting, both internal case competitions and the annual Learn to Golf event sold out almost instantly, meaning that students are not only paying attention but they’re excited to get involved.

As Daniela Malek, vice president of external affairs, stated: “It’s great getting recognition from industry professionals who empower and sponsor our student-run club”. As of late, the club has earned recognition from BDO Canada, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, CMA, CGA, and PwC, many culminating in sponsorships for the students. “Professionalism is important to us as an organization, but still we have some fun,” Malek says. “You can see this in our case competitions with the group work and presentations. Students learn how to both maintain their professional edge as well as develop their charisma by doing some public speaking.” Not only can students develop their skills with this outstanding group but, as the ASA Facebook page states, one of the main goal’s of the club is to give accounting students a way to communicate with professionals in the industry and a way to connect with their peers at Brock while gaining experience in the field — exactly what is done during their many events.

Now if that still doesn’t have you convinced to check out this incredible group of students, I’ve got one last incentive: there are prizes. Whether it’s ASA swag, cash prizes or, most valuable of all, the chance to build a relationship with a leader in the field over dinner, the ASA is not only giving you a hand up into the career you’ve always wanted, they’re also rewarding you for taking the help. There are many clubs on campus, but few that shine as bright as the ASA. Forgive the pun, but however you look at it this club is truly “Takin’ care of business.”