From CA to CPA Australia to beyond – the importance of continuously upskilling oneself & how it pays off

• I am Anand Krishnan, a CA and a CPA in Australia. If at all it serves as an inspiration, I am not a first-attempt CA but a multi-attempt one.
• However, having the right mentors early on helped me make the right choices. I firmly believe that the only way to succeed is through upskilling oneself and networking – quite literally Network = Net worth.
• In 2019, after having worked for a few years, I knew it was time to pursue an international finance degree for professional development and of course to grow my international network.
• I did a lot of research and realized the MRA between ICAI and CPA Australia. That’s how I decided to pursue CPA Australia.
• In this article, I reflect on my career to date and the importance of professional development in helping me remain relevant in today’s competitive business world.

Back Story

During my schooling days, I would do well in academics and had a lot of interest in extra-curricular activities like sports, elocutions, and performing with percussion instruments. (Credit for this goes to my parents who never pressured my siblings and me to focus solely on academic studies, whilst ignoring other facets of life.)

Also growing up in a joint family with 30-plus family members living under one roof helped me in polishing my interpersonal skills and building my Emotional Quotient (EQ).

Why CA? Coming from a business family CA seemed to be an obvious choice. I understood that a CA degree could empower me with great flexibility in terms of choosing career options whether within the family business or with other corporates or in terms of setting up my own practice.