A student graduating from the Office Administration - General program will graduate with a one-year certificate, opening the door to a variety of entry-level employment opportunities in both private and public work sectors.

Students will gain knowledge in the following areas:

Technical skills

Introductory level Office 365/2019 cloud-based computer application skills including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint etc.
Outlook 365 - students become proficient in producing professional email communications, creating folders to stay organized, use of Outlook calendar to book appointments and schedule meetings.
Students will be required to achieve a keyboarding speed of 40-50 GWPM.
Students learn to share and edit documents in a cloud-based environment. Using MS Teams, collaboration software students learn how to book, attend and chair virtual meetings.
Soft skills

Customer relationships are built on the use of effective and consistent communication as well as the ability to uphold and maintain confidentiality. The ability to work both independently and collaboratively are skills that are highly valued.
Employers seek office administrators that are highly organized, forward-thinking and have the ability to problem-solve.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The role of an office administrator has changed and continues to evolve leading to variety of rewarding careers.

The Office Administration - General Program prepares graduates for current and future office trends. Experienced faculty prepare students to work in dynamic business environments. Students become extremely computer literate through instructional scaffolding. Faculty provide a supportive and professional environment that allows students to build on their current level of knowledge, which leads to mastery of the skills required in a business office.

Students graduate from the program appreciating the value of being an office administrator and become advocates of the profession during their career.

PLACEMENT
The student work placement is designed to provide an opportunity for the student to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to an office. This is considered to be one of the most valuable experiences that the student will have during their time at SLC. Students build relationships, deal with clients, and this can often lead to career opportunities upon graduation.

Students are expected to complete a 2-week placement and are prepared by faculty to help secure their own community placement in order to increase their networking and communication skills. All placements are reviewed and approved by faculty. Some placement agencies may require a student to submit a resume and participate in an interview prior to confirmation of placement.

Students will be required to complete a variety of placement training modules, Student Declaration/Oath of Confidentiality and may be required to complete a series of immunizations and/or CPIC - Vulnerable Sector screening, depending on the placement agency's requirements.

Students will be supervised by a faculty member while on placement and faculty will be in communication with the placement agency throughout the student's placement. The placement agency will complete and submit a final placement evaluation on the last day of placement.

A SLC Student Placement Facilitator will notify the placement agency of any specific requirements prior to securing a placement and will provide placement agencies with the required placement documentation.

Some of the most valuable placements in the Kingston community include St. Lawrence College, Queen's University, a variety of government institutions, non-profit organizations, real estate and insurance offices etc.

Graduates from the Office Administration - General program find challenging entry-level positions in local business offices, non-profit organizations, government institutions, insurance and real estate offices etc.