What is office administration? Put simply, it includes the duties and tasks that are needed to facilitate the proper functioning of an office.
This can involve bookkeeping, greeting clients, handling calls, calendar management, making reservations and managing the time of professional teams effectively, along with more general office duties like ordering furniture, stationery, working with IT to troubleshoot/arrange the delivery or replacement of equipment and organising team events.
In short, office admins are the lifeblood of the company – they’re the people who keep everything ticking over and working as smoothly as possible. No wonder, then, that office admin staff are consistently in high demand! However, many companies face the challenge of a lack of viable staff or candidates with skills shortages/gaps in their knowledge when recruiting for this role.
So how can you stand out from the crowd when applying for an office admin job?
By taking one of our administration short courses, you can set yourself up for a long and fulfilling career in office admin and management. But before that, it’s important to understand exactly what job you can get with office administration, and what doors it can open up for your future career. So let’s get into it!
Administration courses – choosing one that’s right for you
In a recent snapshot of the twenty most in-demand job categories in Australia, administrative assistants ranked fifth. In New Zealand, business analysis skills are ranked as being in even higher demand – coming in second.
Business administration encompasses a broad number of services sectors – legal, finance, insurance, medical, and construction to name a few. However, any business of a certain size, that has several employees and customers or clients, will require basic admin duties to stay organised and run properly.
Admin courses themselves can either be general or specialised, yet the benefits of having a specialised qualification are that you will be brought up to speed with the technical language and vocabulary much quicker, and you will have more comprehensively mastered the fundamental skills needed to be effective in this role. All in all, this will give you a much-needed head start if you’re moving into a new industry.
But just what administration courses online are right for you? We’re going to take a closer look at the categories on offer to help you decide right now!
Specialised administration courses online
Small trade, administration & bookkeeping
Australia’s trade industry is thriving and constantly looking out for talented recruits. If working as business support to a small trade sounds appealing to you, our Small Trade, Administration and Bookkeeping course could be the ideal introduction for you.
If you’re new to construction jargon, this course provides the strong foundation you need to get up to speed with everyday terminology in this sector. The course also touches on the basics of learning the books for the carpentry, electrical and plumbing trades. Modules in building renovation, office practices and bookkeeping foundations will likewise help establish a solid skill base you can carry into your job search and new career with confidence.
Employment prospects with this course are broad – you could end up working for a large construction company, or perhaps you’d like to manage the books for a partner or friend who needs to hire some help. Whatever route you choose, you get to pick what works best for you!
A course in legal administration is a perfect choice for anyone looking to get their foot in the door of this extremely competitive sector! By taking this course, you’ll have the chance to take a peek into the day-to-day working life of solicitors and barristers. Whether you’re interested in working as an admin assistant long-term, or working your way up within a legal practice – this course ticks all the boxes.
Legal admins work alongside paralegals and lawyers and have a varied and fast-paced role within a law firm or in the in-house legal departments of large corporations. Day-to-day, legal admins are responsible for preparing and filing correspondence, managing invoices, bookkeeping, and scheduling appointments and meetings.
Vitally, this course will provide you with an understanding of crucial legal terminology and systems, meaning you will have an advantage when beginning your job search in this field.
Construction business administration & bookkeeping
Does working in business support for a large or small construction company appeal to you? The good news is that both need good admin and bookkeeping support. By studying for a certificate in Construction Business Administration and Bookkeeping, you can learn all about building and construction processes, while identifying how to manage the bookkeeping and tax side of the business.
In addition to making sure materials are delivered to the worksite, administrators ensure those materials received match the construction plans and quality requirements. They relay the paperwork needed for construction professionals to complete their job on-site, whilst other duties can include responding to information requests, and monitoring and tracking construction progress or any changes to projected timelines.
Understanding construction specifications and language will once again help greatly when beginning a role in this environment. This course is essential in equipping you with all the insider-know-how and skills, so you’ll be able to hit the ground running as an admin in this sector.
Medical receptionists greet patients in a wide mix of professional healthcare settings, and their role is typically to respond to in-person, telephone and email requests of patients. This role requires excellent communication skills, as it involves dealing with members of the public whilst also collecting and distributing information internally within a team.
Healthcare is a huge and vital industry in Australia, with the pandemic highlighting the important role healthcare and healthcare professionals play in our society. Whether you’re looking for an admin role based close to home in a general practice or clinic, or within a large healthcare centre or surgery, an online certificate course in Medical Reception is an ideal first step toward securing a job in this industry.
Through completing a short course in medical reception, you’ll not only become familiar with the day-to-day demands of this role but also the medical terminology you need to know to succeed and thrive in this sector. Developed by industry professionals, our course helps you to get to grips with medical lingo associated with the body’s own systems – aiding your understanding and ability to correctly and quickly relay information to patients or your team members.
This course also supports your mastery of fundamental office administrative practices, such as phone, writing, computer, office organisation, health and safety, and interpersonal skills, all of which will put you ahead of the competition when you come to apply for a medical receptionist role.
As you can see, learning to specialise in an area of office administration can help set you up for a long and fulfilling career. Not sure which sector you’re most interested in? You can always try one of our courses to get a taster before committing to work in that specific industry. And if you decide that discipline isn’t for you – we’re confident that there’s another course that will be!
A lot of the skills taught as part of admin courses are highly transferable to many industries and jobs throughout your lifetime. With self-paced study, online access to courses 24/7 and tutors available 6 days per week to answer your questions, you’re supported to work through your course at a time and pace that fits your lifestyle.
If you’re undecided which course to choose, why not speak to one of our course consultants or request a brochure today? We’d be more than happy to help you dot the i’s and cross those t’s.
