IRBA Newsletter Issue 50

Issue 50 | April - June 2020 14 EDUCATION & TRANSFORMATION ADPRELOADED–THELATESTONTHEPROGRAMME REVIEW The primary objective of the Audit Development Programme (ADP), when it was launched in 2015, was to provide a platform that would enable registered candidate auditors (RCAs) to develop their professional competence at a registered auditor (RA) firm. The programme has successfully achieved this objective. The ADP is a period of specialisation undertaken by professional accountants who want to become RAs. It provides a context wherein the consolidated capabilities developed in the training programme can be refined in a more complex learning environment while performing roles that are more senior to those undertaken during the training programme. RCAs are given the opportunity to specialise as RAs by gaining exposure to a broad range of competencies required for RAs in practice to develop and enhance their: • Professional competence and judgment; • Ethical values; and • Lifelong learning skills and attitudes. By the end of the ADP, RCAs are expected to have acquired and demonstrated competence to a level that is expected of an RA. While it has been an exciting and challenging journey to facilitate the ADP, witnessing all the RCAs who have successfully completed the programme has also been satisfying. The strength of the ADP is that it requires collaborative efforts between firms and the IRBA. This collaboration can be witnessed through the ADP monitoring process, which is aimed at assessing whether the environment in which the RCAs are being trained is suitable to produce competent RAs. The IRBA seeks to work with firms and ensure that RCAs are providedwith sufficient opportunities, within a quality environment, to develop their audit competence to a point where they can provide professional services to their clients, employees and the public at large. In 2019, the Education and Transformation team commenced with an ADP review project to identify areas for improvement and then ultimately recommend solutions. After the initial self-assessment, the team conducted extensive consultations with ADP stakeholders to obtain feedback on all the components of the programme in its current form. The stakeholders – including RCAs, oversight RAs (ORAs) and the Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) panel members – were asked to submit surveys and attend focus groups and workshops throughout the initiation phase. Wesuccessfullycompleted the researchandnotedboth thestrengths and improvement areas within the ADP. We then decided to create an action plan to ensure that the improvement areas are adequately addressed, and to also respond positively to our stakeholders. All this resulted in what we have termed the ADP Reloaded. It should be noted, though, that this is not a new programme, but rather the same ADP that has now been strengthened even further through various exciting initiatives, as depicted in the graphic below. A project plan is in place to effectively implement these initiatives. We are very pleased with the ADP Reloaded because it will ensure that RCAs and ORAs have an improved experience, and that will strengthen the programme even more. Look out for more communications regarding ADP Reloaded as we embark on this fulfilling journey of responding to the needs of our stakeholders. Contact us on adpadmin@irba.co.za for further information. Nadine Kater Director Education and Transformation Telephone: (087) 940-8800 E-mail: edutrain@irba.co.za