Administrative Assistant's Update

November 2016

Focuses on the training and development needs of admin professionals and features topics such as hard skills (software competencies, writing, communication, filing) and soft skills (teamwork, time management, leadership).

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NOVEMBER 2016 P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O R C A N A D A ' S O F F I C E S U P P O R T S T A F F Administrative Assistant's UPDATE UPDATE PM #40065782 INSIDE The new tech landscape . . . . 2 Whatever the nature of your organization, it competes in a digital world Social media and your exec . . 3 Engaging your clientele can give your organization an edge Admin credentials evolve . . . 5 Changes refl ect elevation to more strategic responsibilities Project management . . . . . . . 6 Details, details: Four steps in the life cycle of a project By Jennifer Lewington First the bad news: administrative assistants are among the most at risk from advances in technology, accord- ing to a report from Ryerson Univer- sity published earlier this year. The authors of The Talented Mr. Robot: The Impact of Automation on Canada's Workforce estimate that 96 per cent of admins are vulnerable in future to replacement by various forms of artifi - cial intelligence and robots. Now the good news: colleges, universities and professional organi- zations are raising the bar to equip admin professionals with sophisticat- ed skills for the workplace of today – and tomorrow. "The market is getting educated and requires higher level of academic qualifi cations for all types of jobs, including execu- tive assistant positions," says Sylvia Ranson, chair of the School of Business and Hospitality at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. In fall 2017 (pending anticipated Ontario government approval) Conestoga plans to offer a one-year administrative management graduate certifi cate for those seeking a career as a top executive assistant with organizational, analytic and people skills to support a leadership team. The program includes segments on fi nancial and managerial accounting, project management and leadership, with candidates required to have a college diploma or university degree. "What is happening in the market is that positions have morphed into high-level administrative positions," says Ranson. "The trend is defi nitely to the higher end: admins are required to do more of the management." A similar theme underpins a new post-graduate certifi cate in business administration, offered for the fi rst time in September 2016 through the School of Continuing Studies at York University. Six of eight courses are recognized towards earning the Quali- fi ed Administrative Assistant (QAA) designation of- fered through the Association of Administra- tive Assistants. The new pro- Going paperless Small steps can get you going on a paperless path. Ditching the paper cup at the coffee shop, using a mobile board- ing pass, printing on both sides of a sheet of paper, asking for virtual pay stubs and holding paperless meetings are tips offered in a blog from Convene, a meeting app developed by Azeus, an IT service provider. Convene is designed to man- age meetings without all attendees having to be in the same room. It keeps meeting papers, notes and follow-up actions in one accessible place. www.azeusconvene.com New admin programs raise the learning bar Continued on page 4 recognized towards earning the Quali- fi ed Administrative Assistant (QAA) designation of- fered through the Association of Administra- tive Assistants. The new pro- Continued on page 4 Sylvia Ranson

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