This course is one of our most popular courses and is designed for those who wish to have a full and rewarding career as a Personal Assistance/Secretary at Management level.

This course is suitable for those with very little prior knowledge as all topics are taught from the beginning.

The qualifications gained in this course will provide you with maximum job opportunities and promotional prospects.

There are 3 main sections to this course:

• Computer/IT Skills
• Secretarial – including Shorthand
• Administration

This course is an 18 month course plus holiday periods.

Included in the course is our unique Career and Job Support Service which includes helping to design a professional CV, developing your interview techniques, looking at your options based on where you live and the types of businesses you would like to work in, supporting you as you apply for jobs and attend interviews.

All of the qualifications you will be studying towards are nationally recognised qualifications with one of the leading exam boards – OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and the RSA).  OCR qualifications are well recognised in businesses and in addition to vocational qualifications they also provide GCSEs, A Levels, and Teaching qualifications.

Upon successful completion you will be awarded 3 Diplomas:

OCR Advanced Level 3 Diploma in IT
OCR Advanced Level 3 Diploma in Text Processing
OCR Advanced Level 3 Diploma in Administration

You can study this course by distance learning, which means you can study at home or work and complete your lessons at times to suit yourself to fit in around other commitments.

You will receive your lessons via email from your course tutor(s) who will send you the relevant courseware for that lesson plus some exercises/assignments to complete.

You will be able to return your completed work to your course tutor via email, who will then mark this and provide feedback and additional tutoring if required.

Gradually you will build your knowledge and skills and work your way through your course, preparing for exams and completing assessment portfolios as you progress.  You will complete your assessments and sit your exams at various stages throughout the course.

We are very keen to develop your confidence as you progress through the course, and it is important that we develop a close working relationship with you to ensure the course is both enjoyable and effective.

All courseware provided is written and designed specifically for our courses and is the copyright of Lewis College.

Topics you will cover on this course

Computer/IT Skills

In this section of the course you will cover the key Microsoft Office applications covering Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.  You will also develop your IT solution skills by creating and designing a computerised project suitable for an office based procedure.

Outlook

This program is not assessed, but it is useful for you to know about its features as you will find this helpful to organise your work whilst completing the course.  You will learn how to use the different email features, create folders within Outlook for file management, and use the to do list and notes section as well as the digital diary features.

Word

You will learn how to use the basic Word features eg setting margins, copying/moving and pasting text, headers and footers, indenting, formatting, as well as creating forms, complex tables, hyperlinks, bookmarks and comments, importing files from other applications into Word documents, creating table of contents and indexes, macros, style palettes, templates, using desktop publishing features, tracking changes as well as design a complex multi page document in both draft format and final publishing standard.

PowerPoint

You will learn how to create a multi slide presentation using a range of different slide types eg tables, bulleted items, organisation charts, graphs and charts, create hyperlinks to other presentations and documents, set up master slides and templates, animated GIFs, importing audio and video clips, create transition and animation facilities, apply timings and rehearse slide presentations.  You will also learn how to create macros, speakers notes, save presentations in different formats eg for viewing on the WWW, in a non-application format, print handouts, slides and speakers notes.

Access

You will first of all learn how to create simple databases, then relational databases, including input masks, error messages, and data validation rules.  You will then develop your knowledge in creating queries to cover a range of simple queries to complex queries including logical operators, range operators, combining different database tables.  You will also learn how to create forms, formatting the style and producing printed forms.  Finally you will learn how to produce a range of reports using data from more than one table, grouped reports, formatting reports, add labels and summaries.

Excel

You will cover how to create simple spreadsheets, develop your skills in formatting the display, link spreadsheets, add comments, protect cells and sheets, hide cells and sheets, create more complex spreadsheets, use a wide range of formulas and functions including named range, multi-stage calculations, nested functions, array formulas, use auditing tools, apply conditional formatting, use concatenate text strings and cell references.  You will learn how to create macros, pivot tables, and use data validation.  You will also produce a range of different graphs/charts from different data sources including pivot tables, and produce a range of different reports.

IT Solutions

This unit will develop your skills in being able to develop an IT solution to a manual procedure in a typical office, including identifying the aims of the solution, the needs and preferences of the solution and resources available, the constraints, skills required and end user needs.  You will also identify the benefits and drawbacks and justify your choices for the solution. 

You will then produce a detailed planning report before creating the actual solution in your chosen software.  You will also produce support documentation for users and maintainers of the solution.

Finally you will develop your ability to test and review your solution and evaluate the solution and the success of the project.

A typical solution scenario would be to design a database to record information for a college, showing details of students attending, the course they are studying, exam results etc using Access as the key program or perhaps designing a spreadsheet solution to record stock control for a firm supplying stationery using Excel.

Qualifications

You will complete 5 separate assessment portfolios which will be submitted to OCR as you complete them.

You will be awarded an individual certificate for each module and upon successful completion of all 5 modules, you will be awarded the OCR Diploma for IT Users (CLAiT Advanced).

Secretarial Skills

This section of the course is designed to develop your key secretarial skills to enable you to produce a range of professional documents used in business today.

These include:

Preparing a range of business documents eg letters, notices, minutes of meetings, reports, leaflets, advertisements, technical documents, display documents etc.

Audio Transcription – preparing a range of business documents from audio dictation

Editing multi page documents using a range of editing functions eg setting margins, moving text, copying text, emphasising text, using different font styles, indenting, setting headers and footers, sorting text, using superscript and subscript characters, inserting footnotes, tracking changes and column display.

Tables including creating tables, modifying borders, sorting rows of data, splitting and merging cells, vertical text, aligning decimal point, sorting rows of data and moving columns.

Mail Merge including creating data files and main document templates, merging documents and matching criteria, developing repetitive data entry techniques.

Desk top publishing features including inserting pictures, creating diagrams, using word art, borders, inserting dividers, text wrapping options, creating a range of different types of documents using a variety of dtp features.

Shorthand (Teeline) covering theory knowledge, speed development, and transcription skills.  Students are encouraged to use this skill in their daily working and home life as soon as possible in order to develop confidence in using their shorthand.

Qualifications

You will sit 8 separate exams as follows:

• Speed Keying
• Text Production
• Word Processing
• Audio Transcription
• Document Presentation (2 exams)
• Mail Merge
• Shorthand

Upon successful completion of the above exams, you will be awarded the OCR Advanced Diploma Level 3 in Text Processing

Administration

This section of the course is designed to develop your skills in composing a range of different business documents, work part of a team and deal with clients/customers professionally.  You will also learn how different businesses are structured, responsibilities of different departments, how to be better organised and how to improve methodology in the workplace.
Your ability to analyse and evaluate will also be enhanced to enable you to cope with a supervisory role when required.

Composition of Business Documents

You will learn how to compose a range of business documents including letters, reports, instructions, job descriptions, guidance notes, notices and leaflets, minutes of meetings and agendas. 

You will also develop your skills in evaluating, extracting and adapting complex information.

Dealing with Customers and working as part of a Team

You will develop your skills in working with colleagues, assisting in planning, setting objectives, carrying out complex tasks, monitoring progress, planning and prioritising, working safely, meeting deadlines, reviewing the effectiveness of the team’s performance, making constructive suggestions, agreeing working arrangements with others, using initiative to solve problems where appropriate.

Interact effectively with customers/clients, identifying their needs, using initiative in building effective working relationships involving pro-active approach, checking customers’ requirements have been met and identifying any follow up action that may be required.

Business Structures, Health and Safety, and Employment

You will learn about the different types of businesses and how business organisations develop. You will also evaluate mission statements and corporate objectives, evaluating the impact of external factors, reviewing and analysing the structure of business organisations, identifying and evaluating effective working practices.

Reviewing and evaluating the factors that affect workplace conditions, being alert to potential hazards, factors affecting job satisfaction, motivation and morale.  Developing knowledge on legal requirements concerning health and safety as well as Contracts of Employment.

Office Procedures/Methodology

You will develop your ability to identify and describe activities which require office procedures and how they are effectively maintained, carrying out a review of office based procedures and evaluating the effectiveness of the procedures.

You will develop your skills in suggesting improvements and designing new procedures, including costs and resource management, ways of implementing the revised procedure, training and development requirements and possible difficulties with new procedures.

Organising Effective Business Meetings

You will develop your skills in preparing for business meetings, organising the venue, refreshments and equipment required, notifying attendees and providing necessary documentation, attending the meeting and providing support, recording the minutes of the meeting and preparing draft minutes, dealing with post meeting duties and evaluating the success of the meeting.

Researching and Planning for Complex Events

You will develop your skills in arranging accommodation, venue, travelling requirements, equipment, prepare itineraries, social events, delegate packs, maintaining budget constraints, and developing contingency plans.

Qualifications

You will sit a set OCR exam for 3 of the modules which are held in March, June and December each year on a set date.  These exams are usually handwritten although for Unit 1 you may use a computer for some of the documents.

For 3 of the modules, you will use work based activities to produce your evidence.  This will include reports and reviews and support documentation you have created and witness statements will need to be completed by your line manager (these are provided by OCR) to confirm your competence in dealing with specific duties.

You will gain individual certificates for each module and upon successful completion of IT Solutions taken from the CLAiT Advanced Diploma, you will be awarded the OCR Advanced Diploma in Administration.

Careers and Job Support

This section of the course is for those of you who would find it beneficial to have some guidance and support in developing a professional CV as well as developing interview techniques, either at the end of the course or part way through.

You will prepare a draft CV to include the qualifications gained on this course and submit this to our careers adviser who can provide help and guidance in developing this to a professional standard, ensuring it is suitable for the types of jobs and businesses you wish to work in.

You will also prepare draft answers to standard interviews, enabling you to prepare a “script” in readiness for any interviews, and again submit this to our careers adviser who can see how you are portraying yourself at the interview stage.

Additional support can also be provided in connection with individual job applications and career plans.

Equipment you will need for this course

You will need to be able to access the Internet – either at home or work to receive your lessons via email.

You will also need a computer – a tower or laptop, plus a printer to enable you to print off the courseware (if preferred) and practice papers.

You will need either Office 2003 or Office 2007 including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook.

You will also need a folder with plastic pockets if you would wish to print off your courseware to create a hardcopy of the manual for each program.

Finally for shorthand you will need a fine nib biro eg Bic biro and a shorthand notebook.

Text books will be provided and are included in the course fees.