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The days of taking Business and Office Education in high school,
and receiving a specific high school diploma in Business and
Office Education in some schools, have all but disappeared.
Typing has been replaced with MAYBE one year of Keyboarding
(most likely given in nine-week or semester increments during
one's middle school and/or high school years). Shorthand-a
form of writing whereby letters, words, and phrases are replaced
with symbols--is literally a dying art (although Speedwriting-a
form of shorthand that incorporates the use of abbreviations
for common words--is still offered, at least online).
High schools do still offer bookkeeping and accounting courses,
and one can still take both basic and advanced classes during
high school years. However, this is pretty much the exception
rather than the rule when it comes to the availability of
a course of study for those who wish to enter the fields of
Professional Administrator, Administrative Assistant, or any
number of clerical professions.
For this reason, more and more people are attending Administrative
Assistant Schools AFTER graduating high school. These schools
can almost be considered "mini-colleges", because
the majority of them actually offer the equivalent of Associate
Degrees in Administrative Assistant Studies, as well as degrees
in other related fields.
Today's Administrative Assistant schools utilize the abundance
of software that is available for performing the majority
of Administrative Assistant tasks, and train their students
in the proper use of the programs. Practically all skills
necessary for becoming a true professional Administrative
Assistant are taken in the form of literal computer courses.
Administrative Assistant courses now include such subjects
as word processing (basic and advanced), computerized accounting
and bookkeeping practices and procedures, data entry and retrieval,
and information presentation (PowerPoint® is one example
of this). These are by no means all of the subjects offered,
but are just a sampling of the areas in which today's Administrative
Assistant is expected to be knowledgeable and proficient.
In addition to the courses mentioned above, some Administrative
Assistant schools also provide training and education in other
similar fields, such as Medical Assistant and Legal Assistant.
The same "core classes"-word processing, data entry
and retrieval, etc.-are taught, but emphasis is placed on
their use in the medical and legal/law enforcement fields.
Terminology courses specific to the chosen field are also
taught.
Some institutions, such as Virginia College and Everest College
offer Administrative Assistant Associate Degrees both in a
traditional campus setting and online. Others, such as Penn
Foster, are either strictly or predominantly online institutions.
Many individuals who have just graduated, or will very shortly
be graduating from high school are taking advantage of Administrative
Assistant schools, especially those that are offered online.
The convenience and flexibility offered by online Administrative
Assistant schools allow one to take what might be considered
an "entry-level" clerical or administrative assistant
position, with the knowledge that earning their degree or
certification from an Administrative Assistant school will
afford them many opportunities for advancement.
View
a complete list of Administrative Assistant Schools
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