Tech-Savvy New Accountants in Short Supply: Accounting Firms

The largest U.S. accounting firms are struggling to find recent accounting graduates with the data and technology skills the firms need to meet the changing expectations of their clients.

The skills gap adds to the challenge the industry faces in preparing accountants to embrace a future of blockchain audits and artificial intelligence tools that is predicted to increasingly take over traditional accounting work.

“Data and analytics is really changing the way that we’re providing services,” said James Powell, national partner-in-charge of campus recruiting and university relations for KPMG LLP. That means the skills of its tax and assurance staff ...