“Almost 98.7 percent of tax preparers have a chance of being automated. 93.5 percent of accountants and auditors routine work will be handled by machines,” Past President Chartered Accountants Sri Lanka (CA), Lasantha Wicramasinghe said. Wicramasinghe was the chief guest at the Certificate Awarding Ceremony of the Corporate Level Soft Skills Programme organized by CA Sri Lanka at its auditorium.
The award ceremony was for additional modules developing the soft skills of candidates at the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Wicramasinghe said, “Despite being a local institute we must ensure that we produce chartered accountants on par with our global counterparts.”
Wicramasinghe said, “Most professional accounting organizations, as CA Sri Lanka, in developing countries, find it difficult to come up with cutting edge programmes of their own and that is why we need to have other mechanisms to help you update your skills.” Wicramasinghe cited CA’s international and online collaborations that in his opinion students should exploit to level the playing field.
Wicramasinghe added “You don’t know how difficult it is for us to negotiate. It takes years. We are cutting a very good deal with our counterparty in the USA. It will be for the benefit of all chartered accountants.”
Wicramasinghe said, “In today’s context if you know only number crunching but do not understand automation or computer applications there is a risk you may not be able to find a job.” CA has developed a forensic accounting course. Wicramasinghe hoped forensic accounting would become a degree program.
H. A. Karunarathne, deputy governor CBSL, said “46 percent of newly hired employees had failed within eighteen months. 89 percent of this was due to the lack of soft skills. Soft skills are important in the business world.”
Karunarathne added “Today we (Sri Lanka) have more than 6000 chartered accountants. Out of that, about 30 percent are serving overseas in 40 countries. That is because of their communication skills.”
Eranda Karunathilaka, a model student delivered a speech at the ceremony. He said “I am delivering this speech which was not in my profile before. We speak confidently in front of an audience because of you (course instructors), and we are one step ahead. What you see as a burden today may be a blessing tomorrow.” Karunathilaka felt that the difficulty of the course was justified.
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