Employment, Professional Development and Careers Of Female Chartered Accountants: The Role Of Institute Of Chartered Accountants, Ghana

As part of ICAG’s effort to promote and deepen knowledge in Accounting Profession, a study was commissioned to examine ICAG’s contribution to female accountants’ professional development and career progression in Ghana. The study also sought to investigate their lived experiences as female accountants.  The study adopted a mixed methods approach was adopted to gather the opinions and perceptions of female accounting professionals and female prospective accountants on the role ICAG plays in enhancing their career progression, professional development and the support structure provided by ICAG in that regard. The sample of respondents reflected the diversity of the various categories of female professional accountants – experienced, young in the profession and prospective female accountants.  The results show that participants were generally positive about their experiences of CPDs offered by ICAG, for some of the females, the fee and time offering of the CPDs limited their participation. Additionally, AWAG plays a critical role in enhancing the career and professional development of the women through mentoring programmes, among others. The study also revealed that the support structures to enhance the career advancement and professional development of female accountants by ICAG is limited. Also, there is disconnect between ICAG and its prospective students on one hand AWAG and its prospective female students on the other hand. The lived experiences shared by the women validates earlier studies on the realities on women’s experiences in male dominated professions – glass ceiling, career breaks, missed promotion opportunities as a result of performing biological and social roles. The study recommends that ICAG needs to review their time offerings of CPDs to accommodate the diverse time schedules of its members. The visibility, promotion and support of AWAG by ICAG is imperative.  ICAG and AWAG should liaise to find strategic ways of engaging the female prospective accountants. In terms of the significance of the study, ICAG through the findings of this research will join the discussion of how professional associations can strategize and contribute to fuelling sustainable economies, changing societies to the benefit of all humanity. The results of this study can be used as a basis to formulate and/or revise policies on gender issues in ICAG. Finally, the findings will contribute to the literature on the role of professional bodies in enhancing the career progression of female professional accountants in sub Saharan Africa, specifically, Ghana.