For candidates in the experience verification route (EVR) and those who might be interested in learning more about EVR, CPA Alberta’s Practical Experience team is pleased to provide a series of blog posts focused on EVR reporting. Practical Experience oversees the experience component of the CPA Certification Program and assesses each candidate’s EVR reports.
When reporting via EVR, it is important that candidates understand the endgame: where they need to get to in order to complete the practical experience requirements. All candidates must complete 30 months of qualifying experience while meeting the technical and enabling competency requirements. Core, depth, and breadth must be achieved within the technical competency area.
Below is more information about core, depth, and breadth to help EVR candidates map out their experience.
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Core: Core requires candidates to achieve at least three technical sub-competencies, including a minimum of level one proficiency within Financial Reporting and/or Management Accounting. This allows candidates to develop a minimum (core) level of proficiency in traditional accounting work.
Depth: Depth requires candidates to achieve all technical sub-competencies within one competency area (i.e. one slice of the pie). Two of these sub-competencies must be at level two proficiency and the other(s) can be at level one proficiency or higher. This enables candidates to gain a deeper level of experience in one area. Depth can be achieved in any of the competency areas.
Breadth: Breadth requires candidates to achieve eight sub-competencies overall, with a minimum of four at level two proficiency. The others can be at level one proficiency or higher. This ensures candidates have the breadth of knowledge required to be a well-rounded CPA. Note that the sub-competencies used to satisfy core and depth do count towards breadth.
We encourage candidates to critically review their role and identify where they think they can achieve these requirements; we also recommend using the guiding questions for assistance.
If candidates are unsure of their development, they should discuss it with their mentor at their next meeting! Practical Experience will also provide candidates with feedback on their progress once they have submitted their first CPA Review. For more information, please visit our website.
Keep in mind that we don’t expect anyone to gain proficiency in all areas, so candidates should focus on the areas that will allow them to achieve core, depth, and breadth.
We hope this post provided a better understanding of the technical competency practical experience requirements. Stay tuned: Next up will be a post on how EVR candidates should best structure their experience report responses, along with the level of detail required.
