YOU’D get a variety of answers if you were to ask a group of people what work, in their opinion, an assistant does. No matter how disparate the answers would however probably hear words like “invaluable”, “crucial”, “key” being uttered by most people. “That’s because most workplaces would not be able to function properly without the presence e of assistants, says Natalie Rabson of Boston City Campus and Business College.
We’re not speaking of personal assistants only – their role and value is increasingly receiving the recognition it deserves and Pas are acknowledged as important cogs in the economy. There are, however, many other assistants actively contributing to the fulfillment of a function everyday across industries and occupational fields. Think of medical assistants, legal assistants and shop assistants, to mention but a few. “Wherever you go, you’re bound to cross paths with an assistant who is making all the difference n getting things done,” says Rabson. Why, then, do people conflicting views regarding the functions of assistants?
Rabson explains much of the value of assistants lies in the fact that they are generally flexible to an individual workplace’s needs. It follows that office assistants in two different companies could be carrying out completely different tasks, despite both being called office assistants. “The core purpose – to assist in the office – is common to all workplaces but the functions performed by an office assistant can vary somewhat from one company to another”, she says.
“This inconsistency can also be found in other fields and applies not only to the actual tasks that assistants carry out but also their level of autonomy and decision-making.” Reason why people opt to become assistants can range from personality (prefer to learn the new business from their superior with an easier level of responsibility at work) to love for the specific tasks at hand.
For many a young person entering the workplace for the first time, getting an assistant’s position is dreams come true.
“As an assistant says Rabson. It’s a good way to ease into the world of work and learn the ropes from those who are more experienced. “Often, assistants are also given the opportunity to further their training and studies, something that is highly valued by new entrants to the job market”.
An assistant position can be used as an introduction to the world of work or as a stepping stone up the career ladder – in certain cases it can be seen as a career path in its own right. Zelda la Grange has made her life’s work to assist Madiba, starting off as a typist in his office. She is now the icon’s PA and the spokesperson for the Nelson Mandela Foundation, a position that is an envy of thousands worldwide.
Whichever way you prefer to regard an assistant position, the one thing you must remember is that you need to have certain basic skills to be an effective assistant. How can you assist in an office if you have no clue how computer works for an example?
“Acquiring skills and knowledge is important regardless of occupation,”Rabson points out. “We at Boston have courses targeted to train assistants in fields like public relations, bookkeeping, administration, office and personal assistants.” Students who enroll for the PR assistant course are taught the basics of preparing a PR strategy and budget; how to arrange functions and conferences, and assist with media relations.
Core subjects include introduction to public relations, general office practice, word processing and presentation graphics. Admin assistant students learn about business procedures and bookkeeping systems, while office assistant students learn to perform basic computer functions in an office environment, including operating typical office equipment, doing filing, applying telephone etiquette and liaising with customers.
Aspiring bookkeepers or bookkeeping assistants complete core subjects such as introduction to business accounting, spreadsheets, practical bookkeeping and computerised accounting. If assistant bookkeeper students complete the two-choice subjects of intermediate accounting 1 and 2, they additionally get recognition for having completed the bookkeeping skills programme as accredited with Fasset (Seta for financial accounting and related services), totaling 54 credits.
“With such assistant qualification in hand, you should be able to secure good employment,” says Rabson.” “But it’s also important to remember that you can further your studies whenever you’re ready to do so, either o improve their efficacy as assistants or to apply for promotion.
Contact Boston on 011 551 2000, e-mail info@boston.co.za, and visit www.boston.co.za.
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