Community Engaged Learning

Accounting students will help with your accounting and bookkeeping tasks, spending approximately 20 hours in total over a period of 1 to 3 months, depending on the fit of student schedules to your accounting cycle.

How this works

Students will select a Community Partner (CP) in the first week of classes and meet with their CP to establish their scope of work (key tasks) and a work schedule. Community partners may host more than 1 student but a separate scope and work schedule must be prepared for each student. CPs are asked to identify work that is mandatory to complete on-site versus work that can be completed remotely. As well, CPs should identify any requirement for tasks to be completed within a specific time/day so that appropriate scheduling can be undertaken with the student(s).

• The resulting scope and work schedule is documented in a placement expectations agreement that reflects 20 hours of total work. The agreement is signed by the CP and student. The student provides a copy to the professor.
• The CP is responsible for notifying the student and professor of attendance or performance concerns as soon as they arise.
• At the end of the learning opportunity, the CP submits a feedback report that states the completed tasks, total hours of work, and general feedback/comments on the student’s performance.

What you get

Basic accounting and bookkeeping support.

Requirements to participate

• Provide work tasks in accordance with the program’s scope.
• Sign a placement expectations agreement.
• Provide knowledgeable support and supervision of the student (i.e. students will have questions!)
• Understand that the student’s skill set at the beginning of the placement will be rudimentary (e.g., they will be able to complete basic journal entries and create financial statements but they are not familiar with your business processes and/or your accounting software). Consequently, the CP is expected to provide training as some students might not have been exposed to those elements so far (e.g., year-end reports).
• Provide access to accounting systems so that the scope of work can be completed in a timely manner.
• Strive to be ready to start the student placement in the second/third week of January.