If you have a high school diploma, you can get training to become an administrative assistant and earn up to $50, 000 per year. There are free online administrative assistant courses with certificates that you can enroll in and get equipped with the essential skills to work as an administrative assistant.
An administrative office, section, or department is found in every work setting. Whether it is a hospital, a military barrack, or a law firm you must find an administrative office. The occupants of this office are responsible for ensuring that there is seamless workflow in the organization. They carry out duties such as filing reports, scheduling staff meetings, answering phone calls, and a load of other tasks.
An administrative assistant is one of the positions in an administrative office or department and they play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of an organization. No organization can function without one even if the company is fully remote there must still be someone carrying out an administrative role.
This goes to show how in-demand the profession is which presents an opportunity for you to get into it. The great thing about becoming an administrative assistant is that you don’t need to have a degree but if you do then that’s a big plus. With just a high school diploma you can apply for the position and get on-the-job training.
But then, don’t you think it would be way nicer if you already had the skill before applying for the job? And no I’m not talking about getting an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree as that takes too long and is expensive too. I’m proposing something much quicker, like in a few weeks, convenient, and super cheap.
I’m talking about enrolling in free online administrative assistant courses with certificates that can prove to potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge to efficiently carry out the duties of an admin assistant. The online courses take a few weeks to complete, you can learn from the comfort of your home, you can complete the courses at your own pace, and they are flexible.
Note that the free online administrative assistant courses with certificates curated in this blog post are not only for newbies. Even those working as admin assistants can enroll in the courses to gain new skills and acquire fresh knowledge that will beef up their resume and add take their expertise a notch higher. Enhancing your knowledge and skills through online courses creates a stepping stone for you to take your career to the next level.
Roles Of An Administrative Assistant
If you are going to be an admin assistant, the following are the tasks you will be required to do daily:
- They handle office tasks which include organizing and scheduling meetings and appointments, filing and generating reports and presentations, and purchasing tools and materials.
- Answering and directing phone calls as well as creating, managing, and distributing written communication such as memos, letters, faxes, and forms.
- Onboarding new teammates
- Receive visitors and guests
- Book travel arrangements
- Update and maintain office policies and procedures
- Act as a point of contact for internal and external clients.
- Submit and reconcile expense reports
- Drafting contracts
These are the responsibilities that administrative assistants are tasked with. You can gain the skills to handle these tasks by taking online courses, and when you get employed you can keep learning as you accomplish daily tasks.
Free Online Administrative Assistant Courses With Certificates
Listed and discussed in this section are the free online administrative assistant courses with certificates that you can enroll in to gain and learn the quality skills, knowledge, and techniques of an admin assistant. The courses are offered via online learning platforms by academic institutions and other organizations.
Without any further ado, let’s get into the courses:
- Introduction to Office and Administrative Management
- Administrative Assistant Training
- Diploma in Administrative Procedures and Support in the Office
- Administrative Support
- Legal Office Administration
- Working as a Virtual Assistant
- Office 365 Administrative Basics
- Microsoft Word for Administrative Professionals
- Diploma in Business Administration
- Business Administration – Working with Customers and Teams
1. Introduction to Office and Administrative Management
As a newbie in office administration, this is the first course you should take, it will introduce you to the profession by giving you a better understanding of who an admin assistant is and their duties. You will further learn common terminologies and gain other foundational knowledge that will guide you as you start your journey down this career path.
By building your foundational knowledge, you will learn the duties of an office admin, identify the necessary skills that an office admin needs to carry out their tasks effectively, and recall how to effectively organize meetings and conferences. You may also take this course if you already work as an office admin as it could help refresh your memory. At the end of the course, you will get a free e-certificate.
2. Administrative Assistant Training
After you have basic knowledge of office and administrative knowledge, you can go on ahead to take the course on Administrative Assistant Training. This is where you gain relevant skills in carrying out common office duties such as keeping accurate records, arranging and scheduling meetings, using a telephone, and handling other daily routines.
The course will equip you with the relevant hands-on skills of an admin assistant and prepare you to handle tasks in the office and learn other helpful skills. This course is also recommended for working admin assistants as they can learn a new skill that will enhance the way they work. When you complete the course, you will get a recognized certificate sent to your email.
3. Diploma in Administrative Procedures and Support in the Office
This free online course dives deeper into equipping learners with relevant office skills such as organization, time management, calendar management, and verbal and non-verbal communication. If you are already an admin assistant, you may consider taking this course to learn the latest working techniques within your profession and strengthen your resume and your skills.
The course is 100% free and online. It is offered by Alison and takes 15 hours to complete but you can complete it in lesser time. You get a free certification upon completion of the course.
4. Administrative Support
Administrative Support is a free online course on Alison that basically provided you with skills to boost your efficiency and performance in an organization. Whether you are an admin assistant or manager, this course will offer you training that will improve your verbal and non-verbal communication skills to influence and empower yourself.
The course dives deeper into the basics of organization, resource, and time management. You will learn all of these in 12 modules of 3 learning hours. You can decide to learn it at a stretch or take it at your own pace till it is completed. A certification awaits you upon completion of all 4 modules.
5. Legal Office Administration
If you are looking to transition into an administrative position in a law firm then you should absolutely take this course before applying for the job role. The skill you gain from taking this course can make a lot of difference because you will earn a certification that you will add to your CV, this will make your potential employer trust that you have the relevant skillset to carry out the necessary duties.
The course is practical-based and will teach you how to prepare legal documents, litigation, and contracts, as well as explore the various types of law and how to write applications regarding these laws. The course consists of 14 modules that take 6 hours of learning to complete but you can learn and complete it on your time.
6. Working as a Virtual Assistant
I mentioned earlier that every organization requires an admin assistant even if the firm or organization is fully remote. A person who handles the task of an office admin remotely is called a “virtual assistant”. They perform the same tasks as an office admin but work from the comfort of their home and if they can they could be freelance virtual assistants or be dedicated to one company.
These days, the position of a virtual assistant is required because more and more companies are going remote and this is your chance to learn how to become a virtual or remote assistant. This course will take you through the foundation, the skills needed, the necessary tools you should have to work efficiently, and how to use these tools.
7. Office 365 Administrative Basics
As an administrative assistant, it is important to keep promoting your skills and learning how to use new technologies and tools that will make your workflow faster and more efficient. Office 365 is one of these tools and in this free online course, you will learn how to make use of this tool for a more efficient workflow.
When you complete the course, you will earn a certification to prove to potential employers that you have such a skill in your portfolio. This can go as far as earning you a higher salary and putting you above the competition.
8. Microsoft Word for Administrative Professionals
As an admin assistant, the more tools you know how to use the more professional you become. As I mentioned earlier, it is important to learn how to use as many tools as possible to make your workflow more efficient. Also, bagging these skills will keep you above competitors applying for the same role and make employers treat you with more respect.
This free online course teaches you how to use MS Word to perform various administrative duties. The course only has two modules but you will learn some very technical but relevant skills.
9. Diploma in Business Administration
This free online diploma course is aimed at equipping learners with essential admin duties in business administration to deliver a high-quality service. The course consists of 8 modules that take 10 hours of learning to complete.
You can start and complete the course at your own pace. By the end of the course, you will earn a CPD accredited certificated recognized by employers all over the world.
10. Business Administration – Working with Customers and Teams
This course takes business administration a step further by teaching you the essential elements of dealing with customers and teams within a business setting. You will learn how to build and maintain professional relationships which is essential for an effective work performance. The course comes with certification when completed.
Each of these courses comes with a free e-certification that will be sent to you via email but you can only get it when you complete that specific course. For each course you complete, you earn a certificate which you can add to your resume or CV.
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