Thursday June 5, 2014
I was unable to link the article in today's SA Express News in the business section, For Some Job in Hand Long Before Diploma. In a nutshell, the article describes the internship program at Trinity and UTSA. These schools have chosen to be in the hunt with UT Austin and College Station as a recruiting ground for
The Big Four Accounting Firms, PWC, EY, KPMG, DeLoitte
The business model of those firms is the same as it has always been. They recruit young singles from large college campuses. They hire at what sounds like an attractive salary. But they work the person 60 hours a week or more. Burnout comes after a couple of years, the recruit looks elsewher for some real work life quality, and the firm returns to campus to recruit again. Turnover can run over80% in five years.
That is not the path I see our graduates following. The typical TAMUSA student, if there is such a thing, is likely to be over 30 with a family. Most often a she, she is liely working in an accounting or finance related job now. This makes swithcing to an internship difficult if not unlikely.
As a result I have forged relationships with
San Antonio Institute of Internal Auditors IIA
San Antonio Institute of Management Accountants IMA
and numerous resional CPA firms
Since passage of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, membership in the IIA has doubled. This is a huge growth field. In May I became a Board Member of SA IIA. It averages 100 at each monthly meeting. All the name firms in town are there, USAA, Valero, Tesoro, HEB, Nustar, City of SA, you name it.
In addition as a faculty we have visited numerous corporations in town in cluding
Valero
HOLT CAT
HEB
Standard Aero
Lockheed
with others to follow. Just yesterday I was at Calumet arraninging for a fall visit.
SA IIA allows me to bring one or two student visitors to their meetings each month.Already three students have become members just to take advantage of the networking. Check out our presence at the annual CPE Continuing Professional Education Day at SA IIa.
In addition we have had numerous speakers from both industry and the CPA CIA CMA world on our campus.
TAMUSA has a different student body. I have adopted a different approach and vision as a result.
Welcome aboard. Let me know of your interest in attending an SA IIA meeting. Space is limited.
Professor Elam 
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