Nisha Doshi, CPA
It Is Never Too Late To Follow Your Dreams
November 15, 2021
At CPA Saskatchewan, we often hear the question, “Is it possible to attain the CPA designation after being out of university for several years?” Nisha Doshi, CPA says, “Absolutely!”
Nisha earned her CPA designation in 2021, and she is now the Manager, Tax Reporting with Concentra Bank (Concentra). She began the CPA Certification Program in 2017, 6 years after completing a Masters degree in Accounting in India. Nisha began working in banking as a commercial lender after immigrating to Canada in 2012. After a few years, she started to consider options for advancing her career. She realized that a Canadian CPA designation would help her achieve her career goals, so she pushed herself to do it although it meant balancing a full-time job, part-time CPA studies, and family obligations.
“Earning my CPA designation was one of the happiest moments of my life. CPA fulfilled my passion for continuous learning as well as career growth by opening many doors in the accounting and finance world. It was 100% worth it.”
Nisha points out that to pursue further education, people need the right support: support from their employer, support from CPA, and support from their family. Therefore, she advises those who are in the workforce to communicate their intentions to pursue the CPA designation and their career goals to their employer. Nisha also asked many questions of the CPA Saskatchewan staff prior to entering the CPA program and throughout her journey. She found that the CPA team was patient and supportive.
Nisha credits her success in the CPA program to her careful scheduling and her commitment to that schedule. She created a study plan that took into account both her own and her family’s needs, and then set strict boundaries and stuck to her schedule. She refused to give up her family time to study; instead, she found and used other pockets of time such as during her breaks at work and while her son was sleeping. Nisha added that structure was of outmost importance to her to help her balance all parts of her life.
“Setting and sticking to a schedule will not only help you, but it will help your family as well.”
Since earning her designation, Nisha has focussed on furthering her career goals. This year, she was promoted from a Senior Analyst, Tax Reporting role to a Manger, Tax Reporting role with Concentra. She was also recently elected to the Board of Directors of CPA Saskatchewan. Nisha commented that before earning her CPA designation, she would not have been eligible for these opportunities. Next, Nisha plans to pursue the In-Depth Tax course through CPA Canada and she would also like to pursue instructor opportunities at a post-secondary level. Above all, she plans to be a positive role model and set a great example for her four-year-old son.
Nisha encourages anyone with an interest in accounting or finance to pursue the CPA designation.
“It may be hard to earn, but it will give you more confidence and more opportunities for career advancement. . . Work hard. You won’t regret it!”