Ask any firm leader the most pressing issue facing the profession, and you’ll likely hear how they’re struggling to find the talent they need to grow. Not only are fewer students pursuing careers in accounting; those graduating with traditional degrees are entering the workforce underprepared for a profession shifting away from traditional bookkeeping and compliance, toward client advisory services (CAS).
As firms are prioritizing technical qualifications and strategic judgment to meet changing client demands, 56% say new hires are now taking more than six months to get up to speed.
To help bridge this vast knowledge gap, Intuit is launching the Accounting Futures Program as part of our new Career Pipeline Initiative. In the 2026–2027 academic year, this first-of-its-kind program will not only bring CAS curriculum and technical training into the classroom; it will connect industry practitioners directly with students, helping prepare them for innovative accounting careers with real-world insight and guidance. By serving as guest lecturers, mentors, and professional resources, Intuit Industry Advisors are building a bridge from higher education to the heart of the accounting profession.
Our aspiration is that this program will do more than fill roles. It will give forward-thinking practitioners the chance to play a meaningful part in shaping the future, while having a lasting impact on those who will be leading it.
Where preparation meets inspiration
As part of our investment in the future, Intuit is committed to equipping more than a million students with technology and advisory skills, bolstered by QuickBooks certifications, over the next five years. We’re ensuring incoming graduates are credential-ready, qualified hires prepared to step into the fastest-growing segment of accounting.
Where Accounting Futures provides the preparation, Industry Advisors provides the inspiration. Industry Advisors are trusted, influential accounting professionals volunteering their time and expertise to help students connect the dots between advisory education and advisory careers.
This could mean lecturing in a CAS classroom, running a Q&A session, or hosting student office hours. Maybe you’d like to help students craft their resumes and conduct mock interviews, or you can create your own idea of what being an Industry Advisor looks like. The more innovative and hands-on, the better.
For the first year, we’ve selected an intentional, tight-knit cohort of 29 Industry Advisors to build a solid foundation, but our community of leaders will expand further in coming years. Here’s a look at the inaugural cohort.
From individual opportunity to industry-wide impact
It’s hard to understate the impact of a program that spans students, teachers, firms, and the profession:
Students get the chance to build career confidence, while seeing how their training in QuickBooks and CAS will work in day-to-day workflows at a real firm. Educators finally get the support they need with industry access and resources that allow them to take their teaching beyond the textbook.
The talent gap narrows as graduating students are armed with the technical know-how, soft skills, and advisory acumen to thrive in modern firms.
The profession gets to flourish as students discover rewarding accounting careers that go far beyond tax and audit.
“School matters, but hands-on experience matters even more. When a candidate has QuickBooks certification and real CAS project work, they’re much more likely to stand out during our hiring process.” —Tailor Hartman, owner, Celerity Accounting
Delivering the impact that gives back
The Accounting Futures program is grounded in a simple belief: Every great career begins with a real person taking the time to guide someone, share expertise, and answer questions along the way. That impact not only helps young professionals develop into competent leaders; it stays with them for the rest of their lives.
"I remember exactly what it felt like to be the student without a clear picture of where this career could go. Now I get to be the person who paints the picture of what's possible for others. It's so rewarding!" —Brittany Brown, CEO, LedgerGurus
The best part is that impact gives back. Sharing the knowledge and experience you’ve built over a career can reconnect you to the people, purpose, and profession that made your career meaningful.
That’s why we’re building a network of advisors who see mentorship as more than a way to fill roles or reduce time to onboard. Advisors see it as a chance to give back, stay connected, and help shape what accounting becomes next. The future of the profession isn’t built with just technology and textbooks. It’s built with one relationship, one conversation, and one student at a time.
Interested in becoming an Industry Advisor? Be the first to know when recruitment opens next spring. Join the list.