Voice of the CEO: Reflections on the Talent Pipeline

With back-to-school season in full swing, I have been reflecting on how internal audit identifies and recruits talent and the next wave of internal auditors who will shape the future of our profession. At The IIA, building a strong and sustainable talent pipeline has always been a top priority. The long-term success and continued relevance of this profession depends upon our ability to nurture the next generation of practitioners while ensuring internal audit remains a sought-after career path for ambitious, strategic-minded students.

Recent research by the Internal Audit Foundation on the student talent pipeline and the future workforce has revealed several important trends shaping students’ perceptions and career decisions. These insights provide essential guidance as we consider how to attract top talent into the internal audit pipeline to help lead the profession into the future.

What Do Emerging Professionals Want in a Career?

The research unveiled several clear priorities for students and emerging professionals when choosing a career path. When looking at the data in aggregate across all regions, the top three factors reported were a high salary, opportunities for career advancement, and work-life balance — none of which are particularly surprising. When it comes to choosing an area of study, the top deciding factor for respondents was job opportunities in the field (70%), followed closely by salary and career potential (67%), passion for the subject (53%), and job security (42%).

These findings underscore a strong need to educate students and prospective practitioners about the breadth of opportunities in internal audit — highlighting the opportunity to work across publicly traded companies, purpose-driven not-for-profits, and public sector and government work, for example. Alongside increased salary transparency, we must also emphasize the profession’s stability and long-term value to organizations, noting the growing importance of internal audit work in the context of today’s rapidly evolving and increasingly complex risk landscape.

What Do Emerging Professionals Think About Internal Audit?

When asked why they may not be interested in a career in internal audit, the top reason cited was a lack of understanding of what internal auditors do (49%). Another 31% pointed to limited networking opportunities with professionals in the field. Importantly, 29% perceived the work to be ‘boring,’ reflecting an unfortunate and critical misconception about the nature of the profession.

This perception stands at odds with the lived experiences of internal auditors today. According to our research, practitioners say the most exciting aspects of internal auditing are being able to add value to organizations (75%), improving risk management (57%), solving problems (55%), and serving as a trusted advisor (55%).

What does this mean for the profession? These findings emphasize the importance of more clearly communicating to students and prospective practitioners what internal audit is and what a career in the field truly entails. We must prioritize creating ample networking opportunities to give emerging professionals the chance to connect with practitioners and hear first-hand about the exciting opportunities the profession affords.  

As part of this approach, highlighting the strategic and risk-based nature of internal audit is essential to cultivating interest in the profession. This includes demonstrating the opportunities to solve problems, act as a trusted advisor, and work alongside boards and senior management to influence organizational success.

The IIA’s Mission to Bolster the Talent Pipeline

The IIA continues to actively address the challenges and opportunities identified in our pipeline research through a range of programs designed to raise awareness, expand access, and strengthen the profession’s appeal to students and young professionals. In fact, IIA Foundation research from earlier this year found that staff and budgets are returning to near pre-COVID levels, meaning now is the time to double down on recruitment and pre-professional education.

Given many students finalize their career direction during their university years, career guidance and support at this stage is critical. The IIA Foundation’s Internal Audit Academic Alliance recognizes colleges and universities that offer dedicated internal audit coursework — now totalling more than 155 schools across 37 countries — while the Model Internal Audit Curriculum offers a comprehensive framework and coursework for universities looking to launch internal audit courses, minors, or full degree programs. 

The IIA has been investing heavily in strengthening mentorship and networking initiatives to prepare the next generation of internal audit professionals. This includes introducing free student memberships, developing a volunteer toolkit launching in early 2026 to help professionals connect with students at local universities, and the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program, which pairs mentors and mentees, based on their interests.

A new dynamic website, launching next year, will provide a centralized place for information about a career in internal audit for students and career-changers. In line with the pipeline findings, this portal will highlight the real-world impact of internal audit and the abundant opportunities for career growth through curated research, podcasts, videos, and more.

We also look forward to our next Global Student Conference, taking place in Orlando in April 2026. This event is a unique opportunity for students, young professionals, educators, and practitioners to connect, share insights, and reflect on the state of the pipeline — and how we can continue nurturing the next generation of internal audit leaders.

We have an ambitious undertaking ahead of us as we continue to bolster our talent pipeline and advance our educational and recruitment strategies. I’m energized by the challenge, and I invite practitioners worldwide to consider how they can contribute to this mission — by strengthening educational initiatives, raising awareness, and enhancing the perception of our profession — as we lead boldly into the future.