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Pennsylvania auditor general explains audits, independence and career path to students
Summary
Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim Dufour outlined the office’s role in checking state spending, emphasized audit independence and described skills and training the office offers during an interview on Higher Education Access Corner.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim Dufour told students in an interview on the Higher Education Access Corner podcast that his office performs audits to ensure state funds are spent as intended and to provide transparency to taxpayers.
Dufour said audits review whether money distributed from the Department of the Treasury is used for its stated purpose — for example, that PennDOT builds roads or that schools construct buildings — and that auditors “assure that tax dollars that are being spent are used the way that they're supposed to be spent.”
The office’s role and its emphasis on independence were central to the conversation. Dufour said his auditors “follow federal auditing guidelines,” and that “the one word that is in every page of that 300 page document is independence.” He added his office will remove himself from any audit where a conflict exists and will learn the results only after they are public.
Dufour described the skills and training the office looks for and provides. He said auditors should be “critical thinkers and a problem solver,” and that knowledge of “processes, policy, and accounting” is important. At the same time, he said the office supports staff who lack certifications by providing education and training: “We will provide the training. We will provide the education. If you want to become a certified fraud examiner or a certified internal auditor, we're gonna help you with that. If you wanna become a certified public accountant, we're gonna help you with that as well.”
On career background, Dufour traced his path through government oversight roles, saying he began work at the state inspector general’s office, moved to the attorney general’s office investigating health-care fraud, worked at UPMC and served as a certified internal auditor for the federal government before becoming auditor general. He told listeners his interest grew from childhood conversations about government and taxes.
The interview also focused on advice for students and early-career jobseekers. Dufour recommended finding a passion, engaging in networking and seeking mentors. He said networking “gives you an opportunity to talk to people who have been in your situation” and that a mentor “doesn't necessarily have to be an old head… a mentor could be anybody.”
The host directed listeners to the auditor general’s website for more information: paauditor.gov.
No formal actions or decisions were taken during the interview; the segment was informational and aimed at career exploration.
