The impact of talent developmet programs sponsored by accounting and auditing firms on the soft skills development of students

Abstract

The Youth Newspaper recently reported a new resolution on enterprise development for the period of 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, which has been assigned to the Ministry of Planning and Investment to lead the construction. Vietnam aims to have 1.3 - 1.5 million enterprises. This translates to an increasing demand for accounting recruitment. Alongside, the surge of the 4.0 technological revolution also somewhat affects accounting recruitment. Digital technology is becoming more prevalent and adopted by many enterprises, altering the way financial and accounting practices are conducted. This presents both opportunities and challenges for accounting students. Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of accounting graduates, but companies still struggle to recruit personnel. Students who aspire to develop their accounting careers need to actively enhance their skills, ensure compliance with knowledge requirements, international certifications, and most importantly, supplement themselves with necessary soft skills. Soft skills are truly crucial, and for students in various fields and especially for accounting students, to develop themselves, they need to refine not only their professional knowledge but also their soft skills through part-time jobs or programs and competitions. To understand how these programs impact the development of accounting students' soft skills, the authors conducted an experimental study, surveying accounting students in Vietnam's universities using a Likert scale of 5 levels regarding the soft skills that students believe they can learn through these programs. The reliability and accuracy of the scale were assessed and validated using SPSS 20.0 software. The skill factors mentioned in the results include: foreign languages, computer skills, leadership, ethics, problem-solving, communication, time management, and teamwork. Despite some limitations, based on the research results, the authors expect this topic to make positive academic and practical contributions, especially for students planning to participate in talent competitions. Additionally, the authors also researched and proposed practical solutions, ensuring feasibility, with the hope that students will have a better basis for deciding to participate in talent development programs sponsored by accounting firms for the development of their soft skills.