Qualifications

[sobriquetnic]

Hi all

I became a PA 18 months ago, to the Deputy MD of the company where I have worked for the last 12 years (I previously worked in the IT department).

I apologise if this question has been answered many times before, but I was just wondering what sort of formal qualifications everyone had and how they went about getting them?  

I took a course in Teeline Shorthand a couple of years ago out of personal interest but didn't take the exam and now am back to teaching myself (slowly but surely!).   I also obtained RSA and Pitmans certificates in Typewriting at school but these were only the elementary stages.  However, typing has never been an issue due to constant practice!

I have managed to do well in my current job as I know the business and the boss!  I really would like some formal qualifications though.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Nicola.

[gee4]

At school (many moons ago) along with my academic subjects I took typing, no not word-processing, and passed RSA Stage I.  I went to college and did a bi-lingual secretarial course after that and completed RSA Stage II typing.  Others in my class had never typed before so we were all at different levels.  I also learned Teeline shorthand which I passed at 60wpm in Spanish and French and I achieved 80wpm in English.  

When I started working I decided to go back to night class and the first year I completed RSA Stage III typing and the following year I completed and passed English shorthand at 100wpm.

Having said all that I have never used my shorthand in any great capacity but found it helped me get interviews as well as some jobs.  It was the fact that I had the qualification that impressed employers.  Over the years I was self taught on a PC using Microsoft Works and then Word 97, etc, etc and new upgrades whenever the company bought them.

Around 1999 I was using Office Professional and consequently have taken jobs in companies that are using XP - most IT and technology companies will be on the latest software packages.

In Sept 02, I decided to enrol for the MOUS course, after years of attending intermediate and advanced courses on Word, Excel and P'point.  I felt technical engineers etc were all becoming MS certified and I wanted that same certification.  I passed Word Expert, Excel Expert and Powerpoint Core in one term and altho I have been a little lazy this year, I intend to complete Access Core and Outlook Core in order to complete the full MOUS Master certificate.

I hope this helps.

There are lots of Executive Secretary Diploma courses which some of my friends have enrolled for and passed and these are just as recognisable as the RSA examinations.  But I would def encourage you to brush up on your skills and get acquainted again with the tools you need to do your job.

Congrats on achieving your recent post.  My one tip would be, make yourself as indispensable as possible.

G

[catsmeat]

100 wpm shorthand (PItman New Era); Stage III Typewriting, and the LCCI Private Secretary's Certificate.  This involved audio typing, shorthand (I think - it was a long time ago!), office practice, business structure and a communications element.  Also some bilingual secretarial qualifications.

Went to college to do a bi-lingual secretarial course as I made a mess of my A-levels :-(  Unable to use the languages side owing to very sick parents - working away from home would have been impossible, and there wasn't much call for my qualifications in rural Kent.  However, the other stuff has always kept me in work.  My regret is that I have no formal qualifications in computer-related disciplines - it's all been "on the job" learning.

[gee4]

Cat - I couldn't enrol on my bi-lingual course without passing my A levels.  What were the requirements for the course you completed?

G

[catsmeat]

Disclaimer: this was 20 years ago!

It was one A-level pass grade in your chosen foreign language, plus (IIRC) 5 O level passes, doubtless including English Language and Maths, the standards.  There were exceptions: languages graduates who did a one-year course instead of two (no Private Secretary's Cert, just shorthand, typing and the language option), foreign nationals (ditto) and a couple of British expats who, although they didn't have the formal A and O level quals needed, had good working knowledge of their foreign language, plus "a good general education".  I took the course as I didn't get the grades I wanted for further ed (took 3 A levels, passed only the one in German) and am very glad I did.  Even not using the language option it's provided me with a stable career.  And, far from being a course for A-level low achievers (as was unkindly suggested to me), there were a number of students with very good A level grades there who wanted to do something which would give them a "trade".

There was a post-O-level course as well (two years).  Whether anyone completing that could go on to the post-A-level course, I don't know.

[gee4]

Cat - I did the LCCI 2 year B-lingual Secretarial course.  I think my class was a mixiture of post A level students and also graduates.

Again while I never used languages in any job, it too has proved useful and has helped me get jobs too I think.  I have gone back to brush up on Italian as I now have a friend who lives out there.

G

[catsmeat]

Did you do LCCI language exams, or the RSA ones?  The French and Spanish classes did all LCCI (Certificate or Advanced in the first year, Advanced or Diploma in the second), but the German class (mine) did the RSA Certificate in the first year (prob equiv to the LCCI Advanced), and then the LCCI Diploma in the second year.

Italian, eh?  I did a speck of that whilst still at school, but all I can remember is "Il telefono squilla".  Not exactly useful!

[gee4]

The overall cert was LCCI - the written exams were LCCI and the typing and shorthand were RSA..

G