{"id":13476,"date":"2011-06-14t01:43:09","date_gmt":"2011-06-14t05:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=13476"},"modified":"2024-08-14t11:29:34","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14t15:29:34","slug":"guest-post-how-accounting-skills-can-change-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2011\/06\/14\/guest-post-how-accounting-skills-can-change-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"guest post: how accounting can change lives"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
thomas graham iv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

meet lisa, blaise and regine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

by thomas p. graham iv<\/em><\/p>\n

graham is the executive director of the bookkeeping center<\/a>, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides accounting training to the low-income and unemployed in new york city.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

accounting skills training is good for anyone simply because no one is exempt from dealing with finances, personal or otherwise.\u00a0 every adult has to manage his or her finances and every business, no matter the industry, needs competent individuals to handle its books.<\/p>\n

in fact, learning these important skills can also change a person\u2019s life for the better. i know this to be true because i see the transformative impact of this knowledge every day.<\/p>\n

our mission is to empower talented individuals to find meaningful employment by providing affordable specialized financial training, job readiness assistance, and work experience.\u00a0 we do this through our key program, discoverbookkeeping, which presents an opportunity for many individuals to access a better quality of life.<\/p>\n

one such story is that of \u201clisa\u201d who used her knowledge of basic accounting principles to remain connected to her greatest passion, the arts. when lisa came to us, she was unemployed.\u00a0 her background was in classical music and she wanted to stay connected to the arts; but, she realized that she needed a \u2018recession-proof\u2019 job.\u00a0 lisa found tbkc through the new york state department of labor\u2019s list of courses and, after speaking with our director of programs, decided that discoverbookkeeping was the solution to her needs.\u00a0 this training allowed lisa to completely redefine her life.\u00a0 today, she is performing bookkeeping work for a large arts organization.\u00a0 she also has a few of her own bookkeeping clients and is using this skill set to maintain a balanced and productive life.<\/p>\n

whereas lisa was new to this skill set, some individuals come to us because they need help improving their existing knowledge base of accounting. for instance, blaise came to us with a solid background in accounting from his native country of cameroon.\u00a0 when seeking employment in america, he had difficulty discussing accounting principles with interviewers.\u00a0 by successfully completing our program, blaise was equipped with accurate terminology, real-world case studies, and hands-on experience in computerized accounting software. since completing our program, blaise has continued to develop his professional bookkeeping experience and is currently auditing inventory for a large retail store.\u00a0 blaise created a future that was perhaps not otherwise possible without the proper training in the principles of accounting.\u00a0 blaise is now on his way to obtaining an accounting degree and becoming a cpa.<\/p>\n

blaise is among the 44% of recent immigrants that we serve, but for some immigrants the problem they face is access to affordable, skills-based training solutions.\u00a0 regine, a native of burkina faso, had dreams of working in the nonprofit, education sector.\u00a0 despite having a master\u2019s degree in literature and languages from her native land, regine had trouble finding work in america.\u00a0 as she supported herself with various entry-level positions, including time as a purchasing clerk, she realized that she needed something else to access her dreams.\u00a0 she lacked formal training but could not afford traditional forms of education. regine decided to enroll in our program. here she discovered a passion for bookkeeping and accounting. she pursued this interest, later taking additional courses at lehman college, and found meaningful work in the nonprofit sector for the united nations in new york.<\/p>\n

the short-term impact we have had on the lives of these individuals is remarkable. however, the ultimate result of our work has a long-term affect for both these individuals and the community they live in. first, an accounting skill set can lead to self-sustaining wages, which can also lead to a family-supporting wage level as the individual builds experience. second, we address key issues that affect our community, such as unemployment and access to opportunities for underserved populations.<\/p>\n

tbkc is also helping to solve the middle-skill jobs gap in new york state. middle-skill jobs require more than a high school diploma but not a four-year degree and there is a shortage of these workers in our community.<\/p>\n

\u201cnew york has been experiencing a structural shortage of middle-skill workers. \u00a0in 2009, about 46 percent of all jobs were classified as middle-skill, but only 39 percent of new york workers had the education and training required to fill those positions\u2026this means that thousands of well-paid and rewarding jobs were going unfilled in the state, in industries that are and will be essential to new york\u2019s economic portfolio.\u201d \u2013 skills2compete-new york campaign, new york\u2019s forgotten middle-skill jobs, march 2011<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

furthermore, these worker shortages \u201ccould put the state at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive regional, national, and global context.\u201d \u2013 skills2compete-new york campaign, answering the middle-skills challenge, march 2011<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

our work is an integral part of a greater workforce solution for this region. \u00a0we believe strongly in improving the local workforce by training middle-skill workers.\u00a0 furthermore, we believe that providing this opportunity to disadvantaged communities will ultimately improve the vitality of the new york city economy.<\/p>\n

tbkc is doing its part to create positive change for individuals, the local workforce, and the city\u2019s economic recovery; and, it all begins with basic training in the principles of accounting. we imagine that you value your accounting skills and we hope that you understand that this knowledge can improve the lives of disadvantaged individuals everywhere.<\/p>\n