ing and specific personal attributes. Individuals who are organized, detail oriented, motivated, and those who have strong leadership skills often do well as administrative assistants. Administrative assistants are generally required to work flexibly, in teams, and also independently. Most administrative assistants share their skills and experience with other secretaries and staff to assist in the daily operations a company, facility, or agency. Most administrative assistants work as full time employees with a 40 hour work week. Administrative assistants generally are required to sit for long hours using a key board and computer. The potential for problems with eyestrain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or repetitive motion ailments exists for those within the field of administrative assistant. As with any career, always be certain of the associated health risks.
As industrial and office environments evolve, the qualifications and responsibilities of administrative assistants have changed significantly. Many employers now seek candidates with certification or degrees from administrative assistant programs. Administrative assistants are required to be proficient typists, have great interpersonal communication skills, and have a solid educational or experience related background. Training to become an administrative assistant may begin for students as early as high school. Many high schools offer vocational training programs geared at expanding business, office, and keyboarding skills necessary for future careers as administrative assistants. High school students who participate in courses like: English, accounting, keyboarding, communications, psychology, and mathematics acquire skills necessary for future administrative assistant positions. One to two year formal administrative assistant programs are offered through a variety of business, technical, vocational schools or community colleges. Most formal administrative assistant programs offer courses designed to enhance and expand office and typing skills and culminate with a certificate of achievement. Many community and online colleges offer two year programs with opportunities to increase training through courses like: transcription, bookkeeping, website design, project management, and computer technology. Many administrative assistants may specialize training to advance into medical, legal, or virtual assistant fields with courses geared at learning various facets of each industry. The International Association of Administrative Professions offers certification programs for administrative assistants to expand training and experience. Completion of certification programs offer designations including the Certified Professional Secretary and Certified Administrative Professional. Most certificate programs require candidates to possess a high school diploma or GED. Certificate programs include courses in keyboarding, business communications, information systems, spreadsheets, applications, human relations, desktop publishing, general accounting, interpersonal skills, and introduction to power point. Most certificate training programs are offered through trade or technical schools as well as community colleges and require a two semester time investment. Individuals may than continue to associate’s degree programs or, if able, enter the work force. Associate degree programs offered by traditional brick and mortar colleges or online universities offer a variety of options to specialize training or advance career objectives. Courses in administrative assistant educational programs consist of keyboarding, bookkeeping, transcription, website design, accounting, interpersonal skills, project management, computer technology, business communications technology, principles of finance, human relations in business, business mathematics, information systems management, and computer applications. Many administrative assistant associate’s degree programs require elective courses in foreign languages due to demographical changes within the business sector. Graduates from associate’s degree progr