Which Qualification is Essential for an Administrative Professional to Continue to Succeed
he role of administrative professionals is integral to the success of any team in the office, as they are considered the backbone of the administration system. Having an administrative assistant certification can help add value to your portfolio by utilizing your skills and knowledge to the fullest. According to the 2020 Canadian census, there are more than 1.8 million office and administrative professionals working in Canada. They perform diverse duties and are employed in both the public and the private sectors.
It matters which certified administrative professional course you pick to enhance your skillset and become job-ready. To elevate your career to the next level and find meaningful employment as an administrative assistant, it is recommended that you enroll in one of the accredited administrative assistant programs from a certified college.
According to Job Bank Canada, administrative assistants earn between $16.00/hour and $33.50/hour in Canada on average. As you become experienced, your earnings are likely to increase.
Importance of Administrative Professionals
To celebrate the importance of administrative professionals, the Wednesday of the last full week in April is marked as 'National Administrative Professionals Day,' which is also called Secretaries Day or Admin Day. It falls on April 27 this year. The day is dedicated to the professionals who are responsible to keep the office going seamlessly each day. These administrative professionals include secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals. They are key to maintaining an office proficiently and keeping processes organized.
Why is National Administrative Professionals Day Celebrated?
Administrative professionals day was first observed in 1952 by the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Charles Sawyer, the then U.S. Secretary of Commerce, declared June as National Secretaries Week and June 4 as National Secretaries Day. Gradually the name was changed to Administrative Professionals Day in the year 2000 and all the activities were moved to April. The name was changed to Administrative Professionals Day to include a comprehensive list of job roles and responsibilities undertaken by the administrative staff in today's modern world.
It started off as a day to appreciate the efforts of the administrative staff during and after World War II and has been celebrated in some countries such as the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, and Brazil. The underlying purpose of the day remains the same i.e. to recognize the work done by the administrative professionals and realize their importance in running office chores efficiently.
Skills and Responsibilities of Administrative Professionals
Some essential skills that these professionals must possess are:
- Multi-tasking
- Time management
- Office organization
- Administrative skills
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Excellent communication
- Collaboration
- Flexibility to handle work pressure
The responsibilities of administrative professionals include arranging meetings, fixing appointments, creating official documents like letters, organizing work trips, coordinating with external and internal stakeholders, and scheduling things. They also gather information, research, and compile data. They must have an eye for detail as their role is central to running an organization efficiently.
You can avail immense job opportunities as a certified administrative assistant in a wide variety of fields including healthcare, business, education, government, legal, research organizations, and many more. The minimum requirement for the role of an administrative professional is a high school degree but these days the majority of the jobs ask for higher education.
All you need to begin your administrative career is to choose the right program that can lead you to your dream job.
We have shortlisted the top five programs that can help you become a successful administrative professional.
- Dental Office Administration Diploma
- Medical Office Assistant and Unit Clerk Diploma
- Pharmacy Assistant Diploma
- Administrative Assistant Diploma
- Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma
Let's take a detailed look at each one of these and what opportunities they bring to the table upon successful completion of the program.
Dental Office Administration Diploma
It is a trending program and quite useful for those who want to kick-start their career as a dental receptionist or a dental office assistant. It comes in handy when you want to learn the industry-specific skills to scale up your career and begin afresh as a dental office administrator.
ABM College's Dental Office Administration Diploma Program is one such program that is exclusively designed to equip you with the practical skills and knowledge that you need to become a successful Dental Office Administrator. The immersive training provided on healthcare communication, medical language, and dental reception procedures prepares you to perform your duties efficiently right from the start.
The mandatory practicum gives you a chance to earn hands-on experience in a dental administration setting for 160 hours. You gain confidence by learning in detail about customer service, support services in the office, and administrative procedures that you need to take care of as a dental office assistant.
Scope of jobs:
- Dental Office Administrator
- Dental Education and Research Assistant
- Dental Office Assistant
- Intra-oral Assistants
- Community Dental Health Assistants
- Treatment Coordinators
Medical Office Assistant and Unit Clerk Diploma
This program is high in demand for individuals who want to start a rewarding career in the healthcare sector. It requires specific training and tactics to perform the duties of a medical office assistant. They include sound knowledge of medical office administrative techniques, medical terminology, clinical and administrative procedures, medical transcription, billing, scheduling, maintaining medical records, MS Office Suite, and telephone etiquette.
You can gain all the above-mentioned skills during the course of a certification program. The Medical Office Assistant and Unit Clerk Diploma Program at ABM College can be your gateway to a successful medical office assistant career. Through the four-week practicum training, you learn how to operate in a clinical setting and master the approach to excel in that field.
Scope of jobs:
- Hospital Unit Clerk
- Medical Clinic Office Assistant
- Medical Receptionist
- Laboratory Clerk
- Physician's Assistant
Pharmacy Assistant Diploma
Pharmacy assistants handle multiple responsibilities in a pharmacy, ranging from filing prescriptions, responding to calls, managing inventory, creating and maintaining records, and delivering excellent customer service.
You can begin your career as a pharmacy assistant by enrolling in an accredited pharmacy assistant course. ABM College's Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program is an extensive program aimed at effectively preparing individuals to succeed in this rewarding and exciting career opportunity.
You gain industry-relevant knowledge and practical training of various clerical and technical aspects of the pharmacy profession including pharmacology, principles of pharmacy practice, drug terminology, software, pharmacy mathematics, record keeping, inventory maintenance, and pharmacy equipment. You also learn about compounding and how to prepare prescriptions.
The exposure that the students get during the program helps them become a perfect fit for various healthcare facilities and retail pharmacy environments.
Scope of jobs:
- Pharmacy Assistant
- Hospital Pharmacy Assistant
- Clinic Pharmacy Assistant
- Compounding Pharmacy Assistant
- Pharmacy Distribution Clerk
Administrative Assistant Diploma
Being an administrative assistant, you need to manage the office desk, handle client queries, file papers, present information in an organized manner, maintain books, know how to work on the latest software used for admin processes, and have the ability to collaborate and multi-task. These are some of the duties of an administrative assistant. They act as central support to all the staff members for smooth functioning of the processes and efficient processes. Administrative assistants help keep the office organized, keep the communication going seamlessly, and provide excellent customer service.
The Administrative Assistant Diploma Program at ABM College helps you gain competence in delivering the required duties immaculately. It prepares you to enter any office setting and excel as administrative support. Individuals get extensive training in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook. Graduates gain an edge through a fine blend of key technical abilities, bookkeeping, and human resource skills with essential professional talents.
Scope of jobs:
- Administrative Assistant
- Administrative Support
- Clerical Assistant
- Information Clerk
- Office Personnel
- Secretary / Personal Assistant
- Filing & Data Entry Assistant
Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma
The role of accounting and payroll assistants is varied as they lend administrative support to accountants by tackling tasks of filing, organizing mail, managing appointments, answering phone calls, responding to emails, and taking care of bookkeeping processes.
By enrolling in ABM College's Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma Program, you can acquire high in-demand skills to keep pace with the changing employment trends and enhance your chances to land your dream job in the accounting sector. The professional program teaches you accounting and bookkeeping fundamentals, accounting jargon, and software such as Sage Quickbooks and Microsoft Office. You can apply for accounting assistant jobs in almost any field once you graduate successfully from this program.
The best part is that you gain knowledge about Canadian payroll and tax processes, and you get trained in handling both corporate financial statements and cash flow statements. The practical study in accounting and bookkeeping fundamentals during practicum equips you with full knowledge of the industry tools that you'd need to fulfill your job requirements.
Scope of jobs:
- Payroll clerk
- Accounts payable or receivable clerk
- Bookkeeper
- Accounting assistant
- Accounting administrator
Final Thoughts
The market has been growing and presenting ample opportunities for administrative professionals over the past few years. Whether you are seeking a career change or skilling up to scale new heights in your present occupation, it's always a good idea to do a thorough search of which program suits you best.
ABM's college readiness quiz can help you make an informed decision about pursuing your post-secondary education.
Want to start a rewarding career as an administrative professional?
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Source: https://www.abmcollege.com/blog/5-best-courses-to-become-an-administrative-professional