The Department of Accounting organized a highly insightful seminar and training session titled 'Career Readiness with HeadStart: Top Skills that Employers Want' on 17th May 2025 at the Media Studio. The event aimed to equip students with critical insights into the skills most valued by today’s employers and how to build a competitive edge in the job market.

The session was conducted by a distinguished team from HeadStart, an ACCA Approved Learning Partner, Approved Employer, and a Licensed CBE Centre. HeadStart is well-regarded for its commitment to professional development in the field of accountancy and business.

The event featured two accomplished professionals as key speakers:

• Mr. Yusha Al Khondker FCCA, Lead Specialist, Internal Audit at Grameenphone Ltd. and Co-founder of HeadStart
• Mr. Md. Sohel Rana ACA, ACCA, FIFC, Principal & CEO of SOHEL RANA & CO., Chartered Accountants, and Founder of Executive Business Advisory & Consultants (EBAC)

Prof. Dr. Anwar Hossain, the Honorable Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA), honored the event with his gracious presence and officially commenced the session with his warm and encouraging remarks. Then the seminar began with a brief introduction to HeadStart and its mission to support aspiring professionals. Ms. Monisha Nishat Shama, Senior Associate - Business Development & Advisory at HeadStart, initiated the training by providing an overview of ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and elaborated on HeadStart’s role as an academic and career development partner in this journey.

Following the introduction, the key speakers engaged the audience with their professional stories and valuable guidance. They spoke about the evolving job market, emphasizing the significance of acquiring industry-relevant knowledge and soft skills. They highlighted how qualifications like ACCA can open up global career opportunities and urged students to start exploring these pathways while still in their academic phase. Mr. Rana also generously shared his own journeys with ACCA, illustrating how the degree played a transformative role in shaping his career and enabling him to lead in his field. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, allowing students to engage directly with the speakers and clarify their doubts about career planning and professional development.

The event served as a valuable opportunity for students to gain practical insights into the professional world and understand how earning a professional degree can provide a significant competitive advantage in today’s job market. The event's context addresses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on SDG-4 (Quality Education). This event was organized by Saeeda Tajrian, Lecturer, Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business Administration, AIUB. Overall, the program was supervised & directed by Dr. Kamrul Hasan, Professor and Head of Accounting department. At the conclusion of the seminar, Dr. Mohammad Faridul Alam, Director of the MBA and EMBA Program, and Dr. Rezbin Nahar, Director of the BBA Program, shared their insightful closing remarks and expressed sincere appreciation to the speakers and the team. They also presented certificates of appreciation to the key speakers and token gifts to the HeadStart team as a gesture of gratitude for their valuable contributions.

The Department of Accounting extends sincere thanks to the HeadStart team and all attendees for making the event a success. The seminar left students inspired and better informed about their future professional pursuits.