Business Office Administrative Assistant

This module provides students with the fundamental skills, processes and procedures to effectively work in a modern business office. Topics include office procedures and protocols, operating office equipment, providing support for meeting and staff travel, and addressing the pragmatic challenges of effectively managing a busy office environment.

This module provides students with an intermediate understanding of the role and use of computers in the business office using applications such as File Explorer, the Microsoft and Google suite of products, and Adobe PDF. This module will cover word processing, email and presentation applications. During the word processing portion, students will be introduced terminology and concepts and provided with opportunities to develop word processing skills, apply a variety of word processing functions to create, edit, format, refine, organize and file a variety of industry-relevant documents, Once introduced to Outlook and Gmail, students learn the difference between the two applications and why one may be preferred over another. This module combines theory and hands-on practice to ensure students have the standard competencies required to be an effective member of the business office team.

This course provides students with an understanding of professional business communications.Topics covered include the communication process, grammar for effective expression, written and verbal communication techniques, communication etiquette, active listening, overcoming communication barriers, and accurate use of business terminology. The course focuses on providing students with the knowledge, techniques and practice to communicate effectively in the business world.

This course provides students with the standardized filing rules and procedures consistent with recommendations from the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, Inc. (ARMA).Students apply these rules and procedures through the completion of exercises divided into five major segments; alphabetic, numeric, geographic, subject and numeric filing.

This course provides students with strategies and tactics for effective and high-quality client

relationship management to “get, keep and grow” customers. Students are also introduced to the

underlying skills, behaviour, psychology and principles of customer service.

In this module, students receive a fundamental overview of human resources activities, processes

and policies. Topics include recruitment, hiring and termination procedures, training and

development, compensation basics, working with unionized employees and day-to-day employee

performance. Students will gain insights about professionally dealing with people to maintain a

productive work environment.

This module provides students with an understanding of accounting principles, with basic

procedures applied in a manual accounting environment. The complete accounting cycle is

examined. Students gain a thorough understanding of how accounting records are recorded,

processed, adjusted and corrected as well as learning bank reconciliations and internal control

procedures.

This course introduces students to the procedures needed to process, adjust and correct accounting

records using computerized accounting software applications. The module will enhance the

student’s knowledge of accounting procedures in payroll, collections, payables, cash management

and account reconciliations as they are implemented in computerized accounting environments.

This course provides students with the fundamentals of business payroll management and

administration as outlined in Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines. The course also introduces

students to Canadian taxation principles as they relate to business. Topics include the Labour Code,

payroll taxation, employee vacation pay and benefit programs, statutory holidays, HST returns,

business tax returns, personal tax returns and eligible tax deductions. Students will practice proper

completion of paperwork as they relate to payroll and taxation.

This module introduces students to keyboarding skill development. Keyboarding will be delivered

throughout the semester to support students in developing their keyboarding skills and in beginning

to build their speed and accuracy.

This module focuses on providing the student with job search skills such as interviewing, resume and

cover letter writing, networking and labour market research. Self-management topics. will be

reviewed, with a focus towards success in both on-the-job placements and in post-graduate

employment.

This module provides students with the ability to explore the integrated nature of the positive and

negative effects of social media as an individual and part of a business office team. Students will

learn about the different social media platforms, internet based social media, website strategies,

search strategies, and about how to develop social media to establish and maintain an effective

online presence, both personally and as part of the business office team.

This course provides students with the skills needed to perform the basic mathematical operations

common to business. Students will learn to apply theory to practical business problems and perform

business calculations accurately and efficiently using a variety of resources. Topics include markups

and markdowns, trade and cash discounts, business statistics, mortgages, loans, simple and

compound interest as well as forms of depreciation.

This module introduces students to keyboarding skill development. Keyboarding will be delivered

throughout the semester to support students in developing their keyboarding skills and in beginning

to build their speed and accuracy.

After an initial orientation to the college and to its academic systems, this module provides students

with strategies and techniques for effective self-management. Essential employability skills such as

problem solving, collaboration and teamwork, working in an inclusive, diverse environment, planning,

organizing and time management are also addressed. Additionally, students will become familiar with

the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act, and will achieve certifications in Occupational

Health and Safety, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems, Basic First Aid and CPR.

This course provides students with an overview of the contemporary business world.Students will

learn about the functions of business, the importance of ethics and social responsibility, the types of

business ownership, the impact of globalization and advancing technology, and about current issues

affecting business today. This course will also provide students with an understanding of the legal

and ethical constraints that provide a framework for making sound business decisions.

Business office administrative assistants provide support to keep operations running smoothly. They

perform different tasks, such as bookkeeping, scheduling, maintaining records, and organizing

document systems. All of this requires intermediate or advanced Excel skills. This module will use

Excel to create spreadsheets and enter raw data reports, such as employees’ schedules and vacation

times for easier viewing. In addition, it’s also critical to be able to understand spreadsheets and data

from other departments, vendors, and customers. This module combines theory and hands-on

practice to ensure students have the required spreadsheet competencies to be an effective member

of the business office team.