Free Webcasts to Keep You Up To Date

Just because you work in a specific industry, say government, financial reporting, or non profit, does not mean you shouldn't keep up to date on what's going on in the wider world of accounting. I am currently taking a break from a full time accounting career to raise my child, but I still find it vitally important that I keep abreast of some major changes to the profession, such as evolving technology, the convergence of U.S. GAAP and IFRS, and a host of new regulations that are being passed by Congress having a significant impact on public companies in the US. Webcasts are a great resource for keeping current, and there are some free ones that I find particularly useful. You can also earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits for attending the following webcasts.

• The CPA Technology Advisor offers regular webcasts on new software products, web resources, and technological solutions for accounting professionals. The topics are primarily geared toward those in public practice, but many of the topics are also relevant to any type of business looking to maximize technological efficiency. The webcasts are usually conducted by consultants, and can be viewed at http://www.cpatechnologyadvisor.com/webcasts/.
• KPMG has some informative resources known as the KPMG Institutes. These forums are a collection of industry-specific resources, and tend to be highly technical. Depending on your interest, you could choose to follow the IFRS Institute, the Energy Institute, the CFO Institute, or a whole host of other groups. Each Institute generally offers webcasts on a monthly basis. The quality of the content is very high, and many of these webcasts have between 1,000 and 2,000 attendees. You can follow any of these Institutes at http://www.kpmginstitutes.com/.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers also offers PwC Open University, with free webcasts on various topics that can provide you with CPE credits. Recent topics include IFRS and US GAAP convergence and international tax briefs. For more information, visit http://www.pwc.com/us/en/open-university.

Whether you need continuing professional education credits toward your CPA license, or just want to stay informed of current professional developments, webcasts are a great way to get the information you need.