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Welsh Recruitment


Training & Personal Development

All the skills required in the modern workplace – and how to get them


Behind every great businessman (or woman) is a great PA

There are more than 650,000 professional PAs working in the UK, playing a key role in helping industry leaders to achieve their business objectives. On November 28th and 29th the Times Crème show opens in Manchester and thousands of senior secretaries and executive assistants will attend to network and gather information on best practice and career development.

But what goes on beneath the professional façade of these influential individuals? Research undertaken by Pitman Training has revealed what PAs really think – about themselves and their boss.

“The modern PA is far removed from the traditional office secretary of the past who was expected to ‘take a letter’ and remain in the background,” says Leanne Waring, centre manager of Pitman Training Cardiff, the UK’s leading IT and office skills training company. “The responsibilities of today’s professional PA are wide-ranging and extremely demanding,” Leanne continues. “From HR and marketing to accounts and event management – the majority of senior managers admit that they rely heavily on the contribution of their PA.”

But 60% of these seemingly cool-headed and unflappable individuals are not as confident as their professional personas would suggest. They admit that their confidence is ‘just an act” and that they are actually quite insecure. The survey, carried out amongst PAs at the Times Crème exhibition in London, also revealed that employers still have some work to do when it comes to staff training.

Confident and happy?
60% of PAs aren’t as confident as they appear – they’re just good at putting on a show. A worrying 42% describe themselves as insecure and admit that their confidence is “all an act”.
63% of PAs said they enjoy what they do and 21% said they LOVE their job. Only 15% said they’re not particularly happy/ ready for a change and only one of the people we asked said they hated their job.

A close partnership?
34% said they don’t think that their boss shows his/her appreciation enough. But 57% said their boss makes it very clear that they are valued.
PAs know everything! 32% said they know everything about their boss’ business AND personal life. 37% said they are privy to the most confidential business information although their boss keeps personal stuff separate.

Training
When asked if they have all the right skills and training to do their job, 70% said that they want to keep learning. However 10% claimed that they have no gaps in their knowledge!!
One in five said that their company only spends money on training which is absolutely necessary for the organisation, such as health and safety. Personal development of staff is not really on the agenda. However 62% have a personal development plan and attend courses on a regular basis. 16% said they have to undertake training in their own time and 2% said their employer places no importance on training at all.
“It was really interesting to find out that almost three quarters of the professional PAs we surveyed aren’t as confident as they appear to be,” says Leanne. “Executive secretaries and assistants often have a reputation within an organisation as the scary gatekeeper; the person who knows most about what is really going on in an organisation. Our research shows that behind the professional persona, even the best of us has to work at looking confident. It was good to see that 62% of PAs we spoke to benefit from a personal training plan. However it is obvious from our research that many employers still place very little importance on development of their staff.”

Pitman Training offers a wide range of courses and Diplomas designed exclusively for the professional secretary or executive assistant. “Passing our Executive PA Diploma proves you’re capable of delivering all the office skills an employer could expect - expert use of Microsoft Office, perfect touch typing, organisational skills and even shorthand,” explains Leanne Waring. ‘Whether you are already working as a PA or aspiring to become one, this comprehensive programme is aimed at ambitious people who really want to make their mark at work. In addition to developing your skills as a personal assistant, you’ll find your confidence grows as you find your ability to apply your knowledge at work develops every day.”

There are also Pitman Training Diplomas designed for secretaries who have decided to specialise in a specific field such as the legal or medical profession.

There are more than 90 Pitman Training centres in the UK. To find out about Pitman Training’s career based Diploma’s call Leanne Waring on 029 2034 2020 or visit www.pitmancardiff.com


(Picture: Pitman Training logo)

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Call us now: 029 2034 2020

www.pitmancardiff.com