Dr. Clare Walsh 
There is a noticeable shift happening in corporate finance, accounting, and audit. The days of relying solely on traditional spreadsheets are giving way to data pipelines, predictive analytics, and enterprise AI.
For Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and finance leaders, this evolution presents a dual challenge: you need to rapidly build advanced technical skills, but you also need to meet your rigorous annual Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements.
Historically, finding high-quality, hands-on technical training that also satisfied compliance boards was incredibly difficult. Today, we are changing that.
The IoA is thrilled to announce that through our enterprise learning partnership with DataCamp, our members now have clear, accessible pathways to earn NASBA CPE credits while mastering the most in-demand AI and data skills in the world.
Why AI and Data Analytics Matter for CPAs
Accounting and finance professionals sit on the world’s most valuable asset, data. The professionals who thrive in the coming decade won’t just report on historic numbers; they will build the models that predict future outcomes.
Whether it is automating manual reporting workflows with simple CoPilot solutions, building dynamic corporate dashboards in Power BI, or navigating the governance risks of Large Language Models (LLMs), technical literacy is the ultimate career advantage.
Through this initiative, you don't have to choose between keeping your license compliant and keeping your skills competitive. You can do both at the same time.
How it Works: Your Two Pathways to CPE Compliance
We have structured our learning platform to support your compliance requirements through two distinct pathways, depending on the depth of the topic you are studying.
1. The Direct Route: Pre-Approved Registry Courses
DataCamp is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as an official sponsor of continuing professional education for over 100 courses.
When you log into the IoA Dashboard, you will see a list of CPE Eligible courses, from no-code, low code, up to Snowflake integrations for your data pipeline. It’s your step-by-step way into the changes in the data and digital world.
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The Process: Complete the course, pass the final automated assessment with a score of 70% or higher, and the platform will instantly generate a formal CPE certificate featuring DataCamp's official NASBA Sponsor ID. And it’s all included in the price of your membership, no extra fees, no paperwork*.
2. The Manual Route: Manual Self-Submission for Advanced AI
Technology moves significantly faster than formal regulatory registries. Because of this, our most advanced tracks, covering topics like generative AI strategy, machine learning engineering, and deep data science, may not yet carry a pre-approved registry badge.
However, you don't have to miss out on credits for these courses. Most state accountancy boards allow a portion of your annual hours to be fulfilled via non-registry self-submission, provided the curriculum directly enhances your professional competence.
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The Process: If you take an advanced AI course, the IoA will produce a custom certificate with a description of the course, hours needed and the content covered for Manual Submission. This will help you seamlessly submit these CPD hours manually to your local state board portal.
How to Get Started Today
If you are an active member with the IoA, these pathways are already live and fully included in your existing access.
Don't spend another year sitting through generic compliance lectures just to check a box. Use your required CPE hours to build the technical expertise that will define the next phase of your career.
*Please always check that the course is also accepted with your local governing authority as CPE requirements are set at a regional level.