A MANAGEMENT practitioner urged colleges and universities to coordinate with accounting firms and develop a “robust” on-the-job training program for their students.

Medel Nera, partner of SyCip Gorres Velayo (SGV) & Co., said that an accounting internship program should be “responsive” to the needs of the students and “beneficial” to both the academe and the industry.

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He pointed out that the entry of interns into firms happen in March and April, which are considered the busiest months of the year for professional services companies like SGV & Co.

“(Due to) this, we could not give a lot of attention to the students as much as we want to. Also, we don’t want to show the students the hardest part of our work because we don’t want to frighten them,” said Nera, also vice-president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

During last week’s MAP-Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Management Educators Workshop (MEW), he told more than 100 workshop participants to come up with an internship program that is scheduled during the “slack” season of companies so that interns will be mentored well.

Dr. Edgardo Detoya, University of San Jose-Recoletos College of Commerce dean, said it is easier to deploy inters to small accounting firms as big companies tend to be “over protective” of clients’ information.

Nera said that while the issue is “surmountable,” company clients are “not quite receptive” to the idea that interns will be working on their data.

The SGV official also poin-ted out that the academe should ensure that students, who eventually go into internship, have good command of the English language.

“Accounting firms are built to train and enhance the technical aspect of employee development, but (mastery of) English, which takes a while to learn, should start earlier (in his education),” he said.

Educators, who expressed interest in deploying their interns to big accounting firms in Manila and other areas, raised the issue of lack of funds. Nera said financial support can be arranged with professional services companies.

Mario Antonio Lopez, vice-chair for MEW and AIM professor, suggested that educators coordinate with the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants on how to formalize the internship system that will both address the period of internship and funding needs.

Nera lamented, however, that some interns—after learning from SGV & Co.—prefer to migrate or join the competition.

Nera was one of the speakers during the business conference for management practitioners and educators, organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.