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CPA Program

Our comprehensive Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) training and mentorship program provides our CPA students with the resources and support they need to succeed. With over 90% of our CPA candidates passing the Common Final Exam (CFE), we’re confident that the choice to article with DMCL is one you won’t regret.

The CPA certification program consists of education, a period of meeting relevant experience requirements and the CFE. When you begin the CPA Program at DMCL, you’ll be paired with a CPA mentor to support you throughout your designation. Next, you’ll be given comprehensive training to cover all aspects of your development.

At the same time, you’ll begin your relevant work experience. As a mid-sized accounting firm, we fall into the sweet spot of being big enough to have a diverse clientele and service offering, while being small enough that our team members aren’t siloed within one specialty.

We’re proud of our ability to provide our students with relevant experience in multiple industries and file types, creating more opportunities for you to learn and grow while discovering your specific interests.

Once your education and relevant experience are complete, you’ll move on to the last stage of our CPA program that provides rigorous preparation with ample support and mentorship leading up to the CFE.

There’s a saying, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ When you choose to pursue your CPA designation at DMCL, you can be confident that you’ll be surrounded by a supportive team each step of the way.

CPA Modules

The CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) requires candidates to complete six modules: two core modules, two elective modules and two capstone modules.

CPA Paths

In order to complete your relevant experience requirements, you’ll need to choose a CPA path. DMCL offers two paths pre-approved by the CPA certification program: External Audit—where you’ll work in one of our public company audit teams; and Assurance, Compilation, Tax (ACT)—where you’ll be placed in one of our private enterprise teams. For students unsure about which path they’d like to pursue, we also offer a hybrid opportunity where you can gain experience in both audit and private enterprise.

The third CPA path we support is the Experience Verification Route (EVR). This is a self-directed route where candidates must determine how they’ll demonstrate the required relevant competencies.

External Audit
  • A suitable path for students interested in public company audit.
  • Candidates must complete at least 1,250 chargeable assurance hours, of which a minimum of 625 must be in the audit of historical financial statements.
  • At the end of the 30 months, candidates qualify for licensure in audit upon certification.
  • This is the most common path chosen at DMCL as we’re one of the most recognized firms in Canada providing public company audits.
Assurance, Compilation, Tax (ACT)
  • A suitable path for students who are interested in private enterprise or taxation.
  • Candidates must complete 425 assurance hours to meet the depth and breadth requirements for CPA certification at the end of the 30 months.
  • Candidates under ACT will not be qualified for licensure in audit or review on certification. Qualification for audit or review license would require bridging.
Experience Verification Route (EVR)
  • A suitable path for students who may have experience from a previous employer (i.e., private practice) or are looking for an alternative to traditional CPA paths.
  • This is a self-directed route where candidates must determine how they’ll demonstrate the required relevant competencies.
  • Audit and review hours are not required.
  • Candidates under EVR will not be qualified for licensure in audit or review on certification. Qualification for audit or review licenses would require bridging. If this is desired, DMCL’s pre-approved external audit path is recommended.
Supporting Your Success

We recognize that the journey to becoming a CPA is tough, but we’re here for you with the support you need.

Mentorship & Training
  • On your start date, you’ll be assigned a dedicated CPA mentor, who’ll take you through a comprehensive training and onboarding program, as well as guide and support you for the duration of your time in the program.
  • You’ll also be assigned a Performance Manager, separate from your mentor, who’ll regularly meet with you to discuss your performance and career aspirations at DMCL
  • As with all of our CPA students, you’ll be given access to Densmore’s CPA PEP training resources and the Densmore CFE Prep course
  • You’ll also have access to additional internal and external training courses to support your career and skills development along the way
Fees
  • Our CPA program provides plenty of financial support through our pre-approved program and CPA modules, as well as covering your:
    • CPA PEP fees
    • Densmore fees
    • CPA registration fees
    • Annual membership dues
    • Paid Professional Development courses
Time Off
  • Our students are given the day off to write each of their CPA module exams
  • Our students are given a two-month CFE leave to prepare for their exams
CFE Prep
  • As a CFE writer, you’ll be paired with a DMCL CPA mentor for the duration of your exam leave
  • We’ll provide you with an extensive in-house CFE training program led by DMCL staff who’ve previously marked or written the CFE, which includes:
    • Prep courses;
    • Boot camps;
    • Writing workshops; and,
    • Practice exams (with feedback)
  • In addition, you’ll be sent to Densmore’s onsite CFE Prep course to ensure you’re feeling confident and ready to ace your exam
Testimonials
Recruitment Timeline

The CPA student recruitment season is a fast-paced and exciting time to get to know us—and for us to get to know you. Amongst all the activities, keep track of these important deadlines.

Visit our career opportunities page to apply for DMCL Articling Student roles for 2023-24. Be sure to check back throughout the year, as we also hire outside of our Spring and Fall Recruit timelines.

Applications Open
July 31, 2023
Application Deadline
September 5, 2023
Interview Period
September 11-18, 2023
Offer Acceptance Deadline
September 29, 2023
Our Recruitment Process
1Application
CPA candidates will submit their application (resume, cover letter, transcript and—if you wish—a video).
2Screening
If selected, you’ll be contacted for a phone screen that will take place with a member of our HR team.
3Interview
If you showed potential during your phone screen, you’ll be invited to an interview. Our interviews are approximately 30 minutes and will be conducted by HR and a manager or partner from one of our audit or private enterprise teams. We’ll ask you behavioural and situational questions to gain a better understanding of your experience, and then we’ll give you an opportunity to highlight your accomplishments and interests, along with any expectations you have for the role.
4Second Interview
Fall Recruit Interview Process only
If you left a good impression during your interview, it’s likely you’ll be invited (along with other candidates) to a second interview in a less formal, social setting. You’ll find this interview to be similar to a networking cocktail party hosted at a restaurant. This gives you the opportunity to speak with more DMCL managers and partners, and it gives us an opportunity to get to know you better in a casual setting.
Where you can find us
Event name Date More Info
FAQs

Scroll through our frequently asked questions and answers below to learn more about applying with us, what to expect during the selection process and how we support your CPA journey.

Where does DMCL have offices?

Visit our Contact Us page to see our office listings, including addresses and contact information.

How would you describe the culture at DMCL?

DMCL fosters a culture of learning, growth and fun. At our firm, relationships are highly valued and most importantly our staff—Partners, Managers and Accountants—all take an interest in your career progression and provide you with valuable feedback.

Mentorship is huge at DMCL, both formal and informal. Students are surrounded by team members that embrace an open-door policy and are easy to approach. As a part of our growing team, you can expect continuous support and a sense of belonging that will be invaluable along your journey to becoming a CPA.

Does DMCL participate in any community engagement or social initiatives?

At the heart of DMCL is a group of people who live, work and play in our communities. Recognizing this, the firm knows it’s important to take care of the places that we call home. That’s why we sponsor and are actively involved in community initiatives and organizations, such as fundraising events for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and participating in local shoreline clean-ups.

We also host mental health and wellness events for staff, such as mindfulness seminars with mental health experts who explore topics such as balance, gratitude and focus, and demonstrate tools to practice resilience in our daily lives.

Each year, our staff look forward to tax season wrap parties, CFE write/results day, summer family day events and Friday socials (usually with an optional beer or glass of wine and plenty of snacks).

What are you looking for in an articling student (ideal candidate)?

DMCL looks for well-rounded candidates. We value self-motivated individuals with great interpersonal skills who bring a diverse range of experience, perhaps in customer service or in retail as well as participating in their community. Overall, an individual who demonstrates a willingness to learn, displays a positive attitude, and is not afraid to ask questions will always catch our attention. Previous accounting-related experience is an advantage but isn’t essential. We want you to help you progress through the CPA program, so an individual who demonstrates that they can juggle work with their studies is well placed for success. Technical skills will be taught but it’s the soft skills you bring that ultimately help you become successful.

What are some events DMCL hosts for CPA program students?

We host, participate and attend a variety of student recruitment events throughout the year. Currently, we offer coffee chats, where students can talk with DMCL representatives (Managers, Accountants and CPA Students), as well as office tours, which provide opportunities to learn more about the firm and see what a day in the life of a DMCL professional is like. We’re also actively participating in career fairs, student club events at local schools and CPABC hosted events.

Who should I address my cover letter to?

Cover letters are a great way to stand out and to provide us with insight about your experience, interests and aspirations. If you’ve written a cover letter as part of your application, please address it to Ananda Lavingia, HR Manager or Jake Matkovic, HR Assistant.

What’s a typical day like for an articling student?

Every day is different. Life at DMCL is fast-paced and dynamic, and you’ll get exposure to a broad scope of clients and industries. For the first couple of months, the expectation is that you embark on an exciting journey to learn and understand DMCL’s systems, clients and culture. Mentorship, training and on-the-job learning is provided by Managers and colleagues; you’ll be constantly picking up new skills and gaining knowledge on different processes. We ensure you experience every stage of preparing a file to further develop your knowledge, with the aim of teaching you the ins and outs of how to prepare all sections of the file independently.

Most importantly, you’re expected and encouraged to ask questions and make connections with your team members—they’re here to help and this is the best way to learn!

Ready to take the next step?