CIMA and Career Edge partner to bridge the careers of internationally qualified accountants

TORONTO, May 24, 2013 /CNW/ - The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Career Edge Organization have announced a strategic Partnership that aims to facilitate and support internationally qualified CIMA members looking to gain Canadian work experience that is consistent with the skills and experience acquired in their home country.

Since 1996, Career Edge Organization has provided leadership in connecting multi-sector businesses with diverse, qualified talent through innovative paid internship programs: Career Edge for recent grads, Ability Edge for graduates with disabilities, and Career Bridge for internationally qualified professionals. Having partnered with nearly 1,000 organizations, Career Edge has successfully launched the careers of over 11,000 interns.

As a leading membership body that offers a globally recognized professional management accounting qualification, CIMA has partnered with the Career Bridge paid internship program to launch a pilot initiative, CIMA Edge, which connects Canadian employers with CIMA's members who are new to Canada.

The Career Bridge program allows program participants to apply for paid internship opportunities at leading private, public and non-profit sector employers. "Career Bridge has helped nearly 2,000 internationally qualified professionals successfully integrate into Canada's workforce since launching in 2003," says Naguib Gouda, President of Career Edge Organization. "Working in their field of expertise through a four to 12-month term, Career Bridge internships give skilled newcomers the Canadian work experience needed to support their professional and economic success in Canada."

For employers, the Career Bridge program provides a pipeline of highly skilled, experienced, and motivated internationally qualified professionals who are determined to invest and succeed in Canada.

CIMA, founded in 1919, is the world's leading and largest professional body of Management Accountants, with over 203,000 members and students operating in 173 countries, working at the heart of business. CIMA with 1,300 members and students in Canada has access to employers who have internship opportunities or have the capacity to create these opportunities. CIMA has also formed a joint venture with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) to establish the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation.

Leveraging Career Bridge's internship program infrastructure, CIMA offers its foreign-designated members an optimum path to employment in finance and business.

By supporting the integration of internationally qualified professionals and fulfilling the talent needs of Canadian employers, CIMA and Career Edge Organization's partnership has a positive impact, both socially and economically. In anticipation of the successful fruition of CIMA Edge, Amal Ratnayake, Chair of CIMA Canada stated, "I am very excited with the prospects of this partnership. CIMA's primary goal is to help both people and businesses succeed and this achieves both. Our members, new to Canada, can leverage Career Bridge's internship program infrastructure and be employed at their level of competence and thereby make maximum contribution to their employers."

About CIMA:
CIMA members and students work in industry, commerce, the public sector and not-for-profit organisations. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its qualification, professional experience requirements and continuing professional development to ensure it remains the employers' choice when recruiting financially-trained business leaders. CGMA is the global quality standard that further elevates the profession of management accounting. For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com and for information on CIMA in Canada www.cimacanada.org.

About Career Edge Organization:
Career Edge Organization is a self-sustaining social enterprise that connects multi-sector businesses with diverse, qualified talent through innovative paid internship programs for recent graduates, graduates with disabilities, and internationally qualified professionals. For more information about Career Edge, please visit www.careeredge.ca.

SOURCE: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Media Contact:

CIMA
36 Toronto Street, Suite 850
Toronto, ON
Tel: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.cimacanada.org

Career Edge Organization
Paula Calderon
144 Front Street West, Suite 310
Toronto, ON
Tel: [phone] x. 500
Email: [email protected]