About SMP Learning Roadmap

The ISCA Small-and-Medium-sized Practices Learning Roadmap (ISCA SMP LRM) is designed to help audit professionals in SMPs, with different levels of experience, better understand the different skills they require to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in a proper manner. At the same time, the ISCA SMP LRM seeks to fulfill the professional development training needs of audit professionals in SMPs to equip them with the right skill sets by recommending relevant learning opportunities.

Developed by the Institute’s Professional Development department, the ISCA SMP LRM is part of ISCA’s continuing efforts to promote lifelong learning and support SMPs to stay relevant in a constantly changing business and professional environment. The ISCA SMP LRM is designed for professionals working in the external audit function.

Using the Assurance track in the Skills Framework for Accountancy as a point of reference, the ISCA SMP LRM comprises a series of competencies which prescribe the skill sets, and hence the related learning needs, required by the various levels of audit professionals in SMPs, based on their experiences. These skills and competencies can be broadly categorised into two main groups - Technical and Generic - as shown in the table below:

Technical Skills & Competencies

Audit

Corporate Reporting

Professional Values and Ethics

Governance and Risk Management

Business Law and Regulations

Information Technology

Taxation

Business Relations & Transformation

Generic Skills & Competencies

Communication

Creative Thinking

Developing People

Interpersonal Skills

Leadership

Lifelong Learning

Problem Solving

Resource Management

Transdisciplinary Thinking

WHO IS IT FOR?

The following groups of personnel will find the ISCA SMP LRM useful:

1) Public Accountants (i.e. Partners, Directors) / HR professionals - to assist them in charting the training programmes of their audit staff to fulfill their professional development needs.

Under SSQC 1, Quality Control for Firms that Perform Audits and Reviews of Financial Statements, and Other Assurance and Related Services Engagements, the continuing competence of a firm’s personnel depends to a significant extent on an appropriate level of continuing professional development so that the personnel maintain their knowledge and capabilities. Effective policies and procedures emphasise the need for continuing training for all levels of firm personnel, and provide the necessary training resources and assistance to enable personnel to develop and maintain the required competence and capabilities.

2) Audit staff - to identify the necessary skills and competencies required for the external audit job function and assess the relevant learning opportunities to meet those needs.

PROFICIENCY LEVEL

The ISCA SMP LRM defines the skills and training needed for four proficiency levels - Foundational, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert. The diagram below explains the differences between the four levels, in terms of key responsibilities and number of years of experience.

proficiency-level