Technical Competency
When I first began writing my PERT reports as a CPA candidate, I found the process overwhelming. Information was scattered across multiple CPA websites, and it was easy to feel lost trying to figure out how to meet the technical competency requirements. Don’t worry – you are not alone!
One tool that helped me stay on track was the Self-Assessment Tool. It gave me a clearer picture of my progress and helped me identify which areas I needed to focus on to meet the reporting standards.
Understanding the Technical Competency Requirements
As you explore the Self-Assessment Tool, you’ll notice it breaks down the CPA technical competencies into six sub-areas:
- Financial Reporting
- Audit and Assurance
- Finance
- Taxation
- Strategy and Governance
- Management Accounting
To meet the CPA program’s requirements, you need to achieve specific levels of proficiency across these areas, categorized as Core, Depth, and Breadth:
- Core: You must demonstrate at least Level 1 proficiency in three sub-areas within Financial Reporting and/or Management Accounting.
- Depth: You must choose one discrete competency area (e.g., Financial Reporting) and achieve:
- At least Level 1 in all sub-areas within that area, and
- At least two sub-areas at Level 2 proficiency.
- Breadth: You must demonstrate:
- At least Level 1 proficiency in eight sub-areas, and
- At least Level 2 proficiency in four of those sub-areas.
A Common Challenge for Industry Candidates
If you’re like me and working in industry — not in a pre-approved program (PEP)— you might find that certain areas like Audit, Assurance, Finance, or Strategy and Governance aren’t part of your day-to-day responsibilities. This is especially true if you just started off your career as a junior accountant or accounting assistant straight out of school. In roles like these, your exposure is typically limited to Financial Reporting and Managerial Accounting tasks.
When I started as a junior accountant, my focus was simply to document and reflect what I actually did. This meant reporting Level 0 or Level 1 proficiency in Financial Reporting and Management Accounting at first. And that’s okay. Everyone starts somewhere. The key is to track your progress honestly, and this is important because CPA reviewers are not just looking at where you are now, but how you’ve developed over time. Use tools like the Self-Assessment to plan how you’ll build toward the required levels over time.
Set Clear Goals Based on Your Job Role
To stay on track, you need to understand what level of proficiency is required for each competency sub-area and set clear goals accordingly. For example, when I worked as a junior accountant at a manufacturing company, my role was heavily focused on cost analysis. Because of that, I chose Management Accounting as my Depth , aiming to achieve Level 1 proficiency in all sub-areas and at least Level 2 proficiency in two or three of them.
By doing so, I also automatically met the Core requirement, which are Level 1 proficiency in at least three sub-areas within either Financial Reporting or Management Accounting.
At that point, my next step was to meet the Breadth requirement by gaining enough Level 1 proficiency in other competency areas, particularly Financial Reporting. Personally, I found Financial Reporting to be the most accessible area to build Level 1 competencies in, compared to Audit, Taxation, Finance, and Governance — all of which were less relevant to my job responsibilities at the time.
Wrapping Up: My PERT Strategy
| Technical Competencies | Proficiency Level |
| Accounting policies and transactions (FR2) | Level 1 |
| Financial report preparation (FR3) | Level 1 |
| Financial statement analysis (FR4) | Level 2 |
| Internal audit projects or external assurance engagements (AA3) | Level 1 |
| Management reporting needs and systems (MA1) | Level 2 |
| Planning, budgeting and forecasting (MA2) | Level 2 |
| Cost / revenue / profitability management (MA3) | Level 1 |
| Organizational / individual performance measurement (MA4) | Level 2 |
This path allowed me to meet the Core, Depth, and Breadth requirements while staying aligned with the nature of my role in industry.
Keep in mind, your goals and focus areas may evolve as your career progresses — and that’s completely normal. What’s important is to stay intentional, assess your progress regularly, and adapt your strategy as new opportunities arise. I hope this gives you a clearer direction and confidence as you work through your own CPA journey.
