Atousa Rahbari: Life as a CPA in Dubai

When Atousa Rahbari, MAcc/17, decided to do her eight-month accounting internship in Dubai, she had no idea she would end up calling Dubai home.

“When I finished my masters and started working, I saw all of my colleagues studying for their exam on the weekends and it was very difficult,” Atousa said. “Audit is demanding; you work long hours. If you were to go home tired and start studying it would be difficult. I’m happy I took time off to do my MAcc. It was quick, a year and a half, and then it was over. When it was finished, I was qualified. I’m happy I did it; I always recommend it.”

After completing an undergraduate degree in accounting at Ryerson University, Atousa knew she wanted to get her CPA designation. She had heard about CPA accredited university programs and after some research she came across the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program at Carleton Univeristy’s Sprott School of Business. Atousa decided it was the program for her because of the internship component and the support the program offered as she prepared for her CPA exam.

Atousa grew up in Iran but moved to Canada when she was 16. Part of the reason she was drawn to accounting was because she hoped to one day join her family’s accounting practice abroad. She was also entering university two years after the 2008 recession hit Canada, and she felt that accounting was a profession that was always in demand.

When she moved to Ottawa for Sprott’s MAcc program, she did not know anyone in the city. The MAcc program’s small class sizes and program structure quickly changed that. Atousa said all of the students became very close, attending classes together and hanging out on campus.

In her second year, she joined the MAcc Society as VP of marketing, where she was in charge of planning events. As her peers became stressed about exams and life after school, Atousa organized events to keep them connected.

“I was keeping people in touch and organizing activities and events to keep us together and destress. The major event I planned was the final party, which was the first year we were planning that, and it was really fun,” shared Atousa.

It was also during her second year that Atousa also decided to look for an internship outside of Canada. She thought it was a great opportunity to work abroad without committing to living there. She reached out to the KPMG Dubai office and secured an eight-month internship. After, they offered her a full-time position and changed her visa so that she could return once she graduated. She worked for KPMG Dubai for another year and now Atousa works for PwC Middle East as a senior auditor.

“That is how it started. It was challenging—the culture shock, and everything is very different, even now. You get used to North American culture and ways, and here it’s a whole different world. It was a huge adjustment. But there were so many opportunities, and it’s such an amazing experience,” Atousa expressed.

She said that the MAcc internship was important because it allowed her to see if working in Dubai was right for her. She suggested that anyone interested in working abroad who has an opportunity like an internship should take advantage of it. If working abroad doesn’t end up being the right fit, then you can return home at the end of the internship with that newfound knowledge.

Her other piece of advice to those interested in accounting is to gain some work experience before deciding on what route to take. “I love what I do, but I see colleagues who do not. I recommend working a bit, even if it’s an internship, before you choose to do your qualification,” shared Atousa.

“The world of accounting is so big a lot of us think we need to pursue the traditional route, but in accounting there is so much you can do. There are so many industries—work in the industry you will enjoy. Not everyone has to go through the traditional route. Think outside the box and explore other opportunities.”