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. As a result, we’re able 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 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
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
We recognize that the journey to becoming a CPA is tough, but we’re here for you with the support you need.
- On your start date, you’ll be assigned a dedicated CPA mentor who will guide you and provide you with support for the duration of your program
- All of our CPA students are given access to Densmore’s CPA PEP training resources and the Densmore’s CFE Prep course
- You can be confident you’ll get a top-notch training experience through our pre-approved CPA program
- You’ll also have access to additional internal and external training courses to support your career development
- Financial support through our pre-approved program and CPA modules
- Paid CPA PEP fees
- Paid Densmore fees
- Paid CPA registration fees
- Paid annual membership dues
- 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
- Each CFE writer is paired with a DMCL CPA mentor for the duration of their leave
- We provide an extensive in-house CFE training program that includes prep courses, boot camps, writing workshops and practice exams. The program is led by DMCL staff who have previously marked or written the CFE exam. The program provides practice exam feedback and top tips from previous CFE markers
- All writers are sent to Densmore’s onsite CFE Prep course
“DMCL really made sure I was fully supported in the CPA program, which is crucial when there are so many things you need to be on top of! They gave me everything I needed to succeed and pass, including a CPA mentor, reminders for signing up for modules and Densmore to help with my CFE prep. It genuinely feels like DMCL is invested in me succeeding, with ample support and communication throughout the program.”
“DMCL provided me with invaluable support throughout my CPA journey. Work flexibility around module exam dates helped to ensure I felt adequately prepared, and DMCL’s comprehensive CFE preparation program involving Densmore, internal sessions and mentor reviews all provided significant resources and learning opportunities as I prepared for—and confidently wrote—the final exam.”
“The experience I earned through DMCL’s CPA program played a critical role in preparing me for my CFE and gave me the tools to successfully complete all CPA modules. I developed key hard skills, such as audit and assurance and financial reporting framework concepts, but also important soft skills, like time management and problem-solving, all while my DMCL mentor and CPA program cohort motivated me to do well in my weekly assignments and final exams.”
“Studying for the CFE is a stressful time, but the training sessions and peer support I received through DMCL’s CPA Program gave me the confidence I needed to feel more than ready. I would absolutely recommend any prospective CPAs go through this program!”
“Although we have to make numerous compromises in life, I believe a CPA student’s professional development should never be one of them—and thankfully with DMCL’s CPA Program, it never will be. Through the CPA program, I gained the foundational skills that have supported me for the last 15 years at DMCL, on my journey from CPA student to audit partner. I couldn’t recommend this program enough!”
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 (2023/24 recruitment timeline coming soon).
Outside of Spring and Fall Recruit, be sure to check our career opportunities as we also hire throughout the year.
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.
| Event name | Date | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| SFU Accounting Student Association – Mix and Mingle | Apr 3, 2023 | |
| UBC DAP Student Club – CPA Career Fair | Apr 4, 2023 | |
| Langara Accounting Club – Networking Event | Apr 5, 2023 | |
| DMCL @ UBC – Campus Visit | Apr 11, 2023 | |
| CPABC Career Week – DMCL Info Session | Apr 25, 2023 | |
| CPABC Career Week – Career Expo | May 5, 2023 |
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.
Visit our Contact Us page to see our office listings.
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, students are surrounded by team members that follow an open-door policy and are easy to approach. As a part of our growing team, you can expect continuous support in your path to becoming a CPA.
During the year, DMCL is actively involved in community initiatives such as supporting the Salvation Army, Food Bank or participating in a Shoreline Clean-up. Each year, our staff also look forward to tax parties, CFE write/results day and social Fridays (usually with an optional beer or glass of wine!). Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic hosting mental health and wellness initiatives such as online Yoga, Mindfulness Seminars have been super important in lieu of in-person events.
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.
DMCL participates in a variety of different events throughout the year. This year, we’ll be hosting an open house and providing school information sessions. We’re also actively participating in career fairs, student club events at local schools and CPA hosted events.
Cover letters are a great way to stand out and to provide us with insight about your interests and aspirations. If you’ve written a cover letter as part of your application, please address it to Ananda Lavingia, HR Advisor.
Every day is different. It is a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with exposure to our varied clients and industries. For the first couple of months, the expectation is that students embark on an exciting journey to learn and understand DMCL’s systems, clients and navigate the ways of the firm. Mentorship, training and on-the-job learning is provided by managers and colleagues; you are always learning. We make sure our students get exposure to all sections in preparing a file and developing their knowledge with the aim that they learn how to prepare all sections of the file independently.