Keen to update your skills? Then tell your boss without delay, because training budgets are being cut.
“In these straitened times, it’s becoming harder to get employers to pay for courses,” says Jan Burnell, managing director of The Centre, which provides training in fields including administration and management. “Our numbers have gone down a bit since the recession hit.”
And Felicity Penwill, product manager for PA courses at Hemsley Fraser, says there is a trend towards people booking to attend its secretarial conference, a cheaper option than standard courses.
But not everyone will be feeling the pinch. PAs are more likely to be invested in than less senior or less ‘visible’ administrators, says Jan, because they are the public face of their boss’s office.
Training opportunities are still buoyant in certain companies and sectors, too. It’s usually the large corporate bodies which have significant training budgets, says Andrew Morris, branch manager of Office Angels recruitment consultants in Oxford Street. “The big investment banks look to train their administrative staff and put them through qualifications,” he adds.
Despite the downturn, certain administrative courses are proving perennially popular. The Centre’s minute-taking training is the most popular course it offers, according to Jan, and this skill is also in demand at Hemsley Fraser.
Soft skills courses are also popular. “Assertiveness attracts a lot of administrators,” says Jan. “And From Secretary to PA gets a lot of take-up. This focuses on communication – different kinds of bosses and how to manage them, as well as covering more technical skills, such as diary management.”
On the recruitment side, Andrew is finding that employers are looking for a greater range of skills, especially in the recession. “You might previously have had an office with a PA, a receptionist and a marketing officer. Now a client might need someone who can do all three,” he says.
Courses such as Hemsley Fraser’s Marketing for PAs and Secretaries and The Essential Office Professional – which includes training on working for more than one boss – are addressing the need for multi-skilled PAs.
There is also free, in-house training for candidates at administrative recruitment consultancies, including how to do sales calls and how to use certain software packages.
“Sometimes a client really likes a candidate but they haven’t got experience of certain packages, so we can get them trained up,” says Andrew.
Querida Brown, senior consultant at Julia Ross recruitment, agrees. “You might be quite a high level PA, but it could be tricky if a new or potential employer is using software you’re not used to,” she explains. “In-house training is also great for our breakfast temps, who come in, have breakfast, and can refresh their skills while awaiting assignments.” For less experienced candidates, it might be worth looking into secretarial college, she adds.
Andrew says that specialist courses rather than general secretarial diplomas tend to be more valuable. “Pitman legal training is always well received by clients. ILEX paralegal training is also in demand,” he says.
Research your options well. And if your employer does have a training budget, snap up your share while you can.
