Administrative Assistant Certificate
After you finish the Business Fundamentals Certificate, you can enter the Administrative Assistant Certificate program, which readies you for employment in a wider range of office administration positions.
To graduate from this program, you need a grade of C or better over all of the courses required for program completion. (See the vocational grading scale on the TRU website.) You can receive up to 15 block-transfer credits toward the Executive Assistant Diploma.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, you will be able to:
- Transcribe data at a keyboarding speed of 50 words per minute (wpm) or more.
- Write and/or edit grammatically accurate and well-styled business documents.
- Prepare professional business documents, including memorandums, letters, reports, newsletters and advertising flyers, using Word and specialized desktop publishing applications.
- Use spreadsheet software to organize, analyze and present operational data.
- Use database management software to organize, analyze and present operational data.
- Create business presentations, incorporating graphical, sound and video features.
- Maintain the financial records of a small business, using computerized accounting software.
- Design and update a simple website for an organization.
- Interact successfully with clients, co-workers and superiors.
- Apply administrative office procedures, using current business technology.
- Demonstrate effective resumé writing, interview and other job search skills.
Course Registration
Register online at the Regional Centres Course Registration page at tru.ca/regional.
Contact Us
Please contact the Lillooet Training and Education Centre with your questions—tuition and fees, how to register, learning outcomes, how one credential can ladder into another and more:
250-256-4296 during office hours
(Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)
Courses and Schedule
| Administrative Assistant Courses and Schedule 2019 All Business Fundamentals Certificate courses and the following courses: | Business Communications (ABTS 1310) (50) | XWRK 0922 | Lillooet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word Processing 2 (ABTS 1110) (45) | XYMC 0610 | Lillooet | ||||
| Spreadsheets 2 (ABTS 1220) (30) | XYMC 0600 | Lillooet | ||||
| Website Design and Maintenance (ABTS 1260) (30) | XPCS 0620 | Lillooet | ||||
Course Descriptions
If prerequisites are not listed after the description, there are none for that course.
Accounting 2 • XBKP 0610/ABTS 1440
Students are exposed to common accounting systems including sales, purchases, federal and provincial taxes, merchandise inventory, payroll and annual reporting of remittances. They also introduced to subsidiary ledgers, specialized journals, combined journals, year-end procedures and worksheets. Financial statements are prepared in detail, including a classified balance sheet and an income statement for a merchandising business.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1430
Computerized Accounting • YMCR 5150/ABTS 1410
This course is intended to teach the fundamental features and concepts of the Simply Accounting software program. Students are able to design, establish and manage an accounting system for a small business. This is a very intense, production-oriented course; students must be prepared to devote extra time outside the regularly scheduled lesson and laboratory work to get the most out of the course and to complete all course requirements to acceptable standards. This course is not intended to teach accounting principles.
Prerequisites: YMCR 5030 or computer file management knowledge; basic bookkeeping skills.
Business Communications • XWRK 0922/ABTS 1310
Students learn how to plan, organize, and correctly write effective reader-friendly business documents appropriate for use in today's global business environment. Students write business letters, memos, reports and electronic messages.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100, 1300.
Word Processing 2 • XYMC 0610/ABTS 1110
Students are provided additional instruction and practice with letter styles, tables, charts and reports. Advanced features of word processing software such as merge, macros, outlines, and graphics, and styles are also demonstrated and applied.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100
Spreadsheets 2 • XYMC 0600/ABTS 1220
Students acquire a higher-level of proficiency by using Microsoft Excel to create electronic spreadsheets for advanced applications in today's workplace. Exercises include using advanced functions and formulas, performing calculations, filtering and formatting data, and developing a custom Excel application.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1210
Website Design and Maintenance • XPCS 0620/ABTS 1260
Students acquire the skills needed to complete routine website maintenance and updates. Using a hands-on, practical approach, learners manipulate hypertext markup language (HTML), tags, tables, images, graphics, hyperlinks, special formatting and forms using text and web authoring programs.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100
Desktop Publishing • ABTS 1120
Students study desktop publishing functions, including the elements of page design and organizational tools, and the planning, drafting and production process. They learn to apply word processing and desktop publishing software, as well as integration elements, to produce publications such as letterheads, flyers, brochures, business forms and newsletters.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100
Keyboarding 2 • ABTS 1140
Students further develop their keyboarding skills to reach a minimum speed of 50 net words per minute (nwpm).
Prerequisites: ABTS 1130 or minimum of 25 nwpm.
Presentation Software • ABTS 1240
Students apply appropriate design concepts to present data and information in a colourful and well-organized format, using PowerPoint presentation software. They are instructed in using design templates, applying various attributes and including a variety of objects to create, modify, save and deliver presentations.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1200
Integrated Project • ABTS 1250
Students extend their word processing, spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing and presentation software knowledge in this capstone course by completing a variety of practical, integrated projects. Decisionmaking, prioritizing and other administrative skills are also developed.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1110, 1120, 1220, 1230, 1240, 1310, 1530
Job Search • ABTS 1510
Students are provided with techniques to develop successful job search strategies for today's competitive and changing job market. Topics include selfassessment, employability skill testing, job search strategies and research, using the Internet for job search and career planning, networking, resumés, employment-related communications, application forms, portfolios and interviews.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100, 1300
Practicum ABTS 1520
Students are provided with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to meet the expectations of an employer in a real-work situation during a two-week practicum. They observe and learn daily office routines and assist the host employer by performing tasks as required.
Prerequisites: Completion of all other courses required for the Administrative Assistant Certificate
Administrative Procedures ABTS 1530
Students master essential organizational skills and develop efficient office practices in preparation for entry into the contemporary office. They acquire the ability to communicate effectively, think critically, apply problemsolving skills, and work effectively with other members of the office team. The rapid pace of change demands that office workers have the ability to develop new skills and understand new processes as jobs evolve.
Prerequisites: ABTS 1100, 1300
