Dissatisfaction with professional accountant training: the role of learning styles

Purpose Prior research finds that early-career professional accountants (early PAs) are generally dissatisfied with the learning and training opportunities offered during their early employment years, which impacts their career progression. This paper aims to examine whether different learning styles between these early PAs and their qualified accounting employers and trainers diverge. Design/methodology/approach Using Kolb’s learning styles inventory and interviews, this study explores the learning styles of early PAs and their employers, examining changes in these learning styles over time. Findings This research shows the necessity for different learning styles to be integrated into early PA training and learning, as research participants’ learning styles tend to prefer active experimentation requiring practical examples and self-learning opportunities. In contrast, their senior, qualified accounting employers prefer conceptualisation-based learning styles. As early PAs’ career progression requires them to succeed in employer-supported training, some early PAs change their learning style preferences to progress, whereas others with incompatible learning styles either moved to different employers or reassessed their choice of profession. Practical implications To reduce career dissatisfaction, develop and retain competent accountants, early PAs must be supported to learn effectively. By reducing early PAs’ dissatisfaction early PA educators and employers will potentially increase the attractiveness of accounting as a profession. Originality/value Few studies interrogate how accounting professionals utilise learning and training post-graduation nor do they examine the learning styles of workplace trainers and learners. This exploratory study uniquely analyses the learning styles of both early PAs and their employers.