Secretarial courses in the 21st Century are so much more than an ability to touchtype

When people mention secretarial courses in today's world they think of touch typing and shorthand. However, the demands upon secretaries are such that secretary courses have evolved with the times to meet modern demands.

Although computer keyboard skills and keyboard speed development are relevant to a modern secretarial course, they are only minor parts of it. Secretary courses of today have switched emphasis to developing advanced IT skills and effective communication skills.

Each secretarial course has realised that employers, more than ever, require effective IT skills together with effective communication skills both written and oral.

Secretarial course providers have changed their courses because the nature of the role has changed. In today's world the role of secretary is moving away from a position with a static skills set and becoming a position which requires a dynamic skill set. The secretary courses of today realise this and are trying to give candidates the ability to develop a more dynamic skills set through their emphasis on advanced Microsoft Office training.

The Microsoft Office training in most secretarial courses recognise that modern secretaries will have to use a customer database of some sort and seek to give the relevant skills through Access courses. The use of a spreadsheet programme often forms a crucial part of the secretary's role and therefore an advanced knowledge of spreadsheets is also given as part of the Excel training programme.   

Each secretarial course is also emphasising effective business English as effective communication skills in the modern world is a prerequisite especially for the job of secretary. The importance of this course should not be underestimated. More and more employers state that the use and accuracy of standard business English has declined. Therefore it is paramount that each secretarial course gives the candidate a high level of English.

Therefore, it is fair to say that a secretary in the modern world is far more than someone who touch types. The breadth of knowledge required, especially in IT applications just keeps growing and growing. The positive part of this is that a secretary of today, will have received from their secretarial course a unique skills set which will help to stand out and play an ever increasing part in any organisation.

Mike Connolly has written many articles on secretarial courses and the skills required to be taught as part of a secretarial course. For further details on the skills required to become a secretary look at the course outlines on the Pitman Training Hammersmith website.