Office Assistant Program
Learn the computer software, communication, and administrative skills you need to get hired as an office assistant. Study on campus, online, full-time, or part-time. Graduate in just 6 months.
What Does an Office Assistant Do?
Office assistants help businesses run smoothly by providing clerical support, answering client requests, scheduling appointments, and organizing projects.
Office assistant duties and routine tasks include:
- Answering phones and emails
- Handling reception
- Organizing and updating files
- Scheduling appointments and meetings
- Setting up for meetings
- Entering data
- Ordering supplies
- Providing customer service
- Preparing and formatting documents and reports
- Processing incoming and outgoing mail
This is exactly what we teach in the Office Assistant program at Herzing College Winnipeg.
Herzing College Office Assistant Program Overview
The Office Assistant program at Herzing College fully prepares students to start successful careers in administrative support. This program is available full-time and part-time. Study on campus or online.
- 6-month diploma program (full-time, 20 hours per week, Monday – Thursday)
- Choose part-time study and complete the diploma in 11 months
- Option to study online
- Training includes a 4-week internship
- Career support to find your first job after graduation
- Multiple program start-dates throughout the year
- Financial assistance is available for students who qualify
Career Outlook
Winnipeg offers many employment options for skilled office assistants. The latest Government of Canada Job Bank report forecasts stable demand for this occupation for the next 10 years.
Graduates of Herzing’s Office Assistant program are qualified to work at:
- Small-to-medium sized businesses
- Large corporations
- Government agencies
- Non-profit organizations
- Educational institutions
- Banks
- Insurance companies
Types of Jobs and Salary for Office Assistants
Office Assistant jobs include the following positions:
- Receptionist
- Administrative Assistant
- Office Assistant
- Office Clerk
- Secretary
- Executive Assistant
The median salary for office assistants in Winnipeg: $19.90 per hour (jobbank.gc.ca)
Who Hires our Graduates?
Graduates of our Office Assistant program have been hired by:
- Manitoba Public Insurance
- Bank of Montreal
- Canada Goose Inc.
- Workers Compensation Board
- Buffalo Gal Picture
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
What Skills Do You Need to Become an Office Assistant?
Office assistants need specific technical, organization, and communication skills to be successful in a fast-paced office.
This is what today’s employers are looking for:
- Comfortable using office software
- Ability to proofread and format documents, reports, presentations
- Excellent customer service skills
- Polite, friendly, good team player
- Good problem-solving skills
- Able to handle a fast-paced work environment
- Well organized
- Good written and oral communication skills
- Good keyboarding skills
- Can meet tight deadlines
- Accuracy and attention to detail
Are you a good fit? Take a closer look: What Skills Do You Need to Become as Office Assistant?
Study Topics
Office Assistant classes teach all the administrative skills needed to get hired in any office environment. Students get practical, hands-on training in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
You will also learn front-line reception duties, typing, office procedures, and professional communication skills.
Click below for a full description of office assistant courses.
This course develops a student’s written communication skills. Emphasis is placed on the principles of effective written communication, which includes understanding the communication process and grammar fundamentals, writing various types of memos, letters, and reports, and editing and proof-reading. The Internet is used as an information resource and a communication medium.
This course presents Microsoft Word where documents are created, edited, and printed. Topics include creating, formatting, and editing documents, table features, creating styles and templates, column management, merge techniques, pictures and drawing tools, creating forms and charts, linking with other programs.
This course provides the study of the elements and principles of a database management system using Microsoft Access. Topics include creating databases and tables, entering and editing data, queries and filters, creating and customizing forms, creating and printing reports, customizing fields and tables, data and file management, relational databases, and linking to other documents and the Web.
This course provides the opportunity to study the operation and application of Microsoft® Excel, a spreadsheet package. Topics include building a spreadsheet, creating formulas, using functions, creating charts, maps, and graphics, list and data management, worksheet and workbook management, creating and printing reports, designing and creating forms, operations, data analysis, and connectivity with other programs.
This course provides instruction and training in administrative methods and procedures in various office settings. Topics include human relations, management of work, time, and resources, information management, front-line reception activities, telecommunications in the office, and administrative support services.
This seminar provides an opportunity for the student to apply the techniques and processes for developing a career path and to learn lifetime career management tools and skills. Topics include career planning, job searching, developing career search documents, refining interview skills, and preparing for a new position
The internship component of the program is the practical application of a student’s knowledge and skills in an industry environment. The industry shall be directly related to the student’s program of study. The internship requires full-time day attendance working in the industry setting. The duration of the internship is one month, during which the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 4 weeks of work experience.
Instructors
Sandy joined the Herzing family in the fall of 1990, decades ago! Hired as a teaching assistant for the Business department, she quickly discovered that teaching was her passion and destiny. During the last 26 years, she has developed and instructed courses in the Business Administration, Office Administration, and Accounting/Payroll programs. Prior to graduating from the Business Information Systems program at Herzing, she studied Business Administration at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon and worked in both retail and production management positions.
Admission Requirements
What you need to get started.
- Minimum of a Canadian high school grade 12 or equivalent, or a mature student
- Pass an entrance test administered by Herzing College
- Be interviewed in detail regarding interest in the field
- Note: admission to some programs may include additional requirements
Overview
SAMPLE AVERAGE SALARY RANGE:
$45,120 to $48,000
Source: jobbank.gc.ca
(Office administrator)
CAMPUS
Winnipeg
INDUSTRY
Business
PROGRAM LENGTH
Full Time Winnipeg Campus: 6 months (20 hours/week, M-TH)
Includes 4 week internship
Full Time Online: 6 months (20 hours/week)
Includes 4 week internship
Part Time Online: 11 months (10 hours/week)
Includes 4 week internship
LEARNING MODALITIES
On Campus, Online, Hybrid (Flex-Ed)
EXPLORE CAREERS
TRY OUR CAREER EXPLORATION KIT
Our online kit takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for.
Learn it your way
with Flex-Ed
Education your way. A convenient online learning environment with the option to work at the campus and receive support from your instructor. Students can choose to work completely or partially online and come to the campus during set hours each day to meet with their instructor and use our facilities.
2019 Program Employment Rate
76% of available Herzing College Winnipeg program graduates were employed in a related field.
2019 Overall Business Student Employment Rate
75% of available Herzing College Winnipeg business graduates were employed in a related field.
2019 Overall Graduate Employment Rate
83% of available Herzing College Winnipeg graduates were employed in a related field.
*statistics based on most recent available
Your Next Steps
Ready to learn more about the Office Assistant program? It’s easy to get started. Choose from the following options:
- Fill out the form to ask questions via email
- Chat live with an Admissions Advisor to get your questions answered now
- Click Apply Now to get your application started today!
Why Choose this Program?
Herzing College’s Office Assistant program is quick, comprehensive, and totally flexible. Here’s why Herzing should be your first choice for Office Assistant training:
- Graduate in as little as 6 months
- Get real work experience with a 4-week internship
- Option of full-time or part-time study
- Learn from caring instructors with decades of professional business experience
- Study in small groups, where every student gets step-by-step support
- Fit classes around your busy schedule with our convenient online training options
- Enjoy the Herzing Open Education Program (HOEP), which lets you take additional business courses after you graduate, tuition-free!
- Our Career Development team helps you create your resume, prepare for interviews, and apply for office assistant jobs
