This course is designed for students looking to gain the knowledge to help them towards a role as a Personal Assistant. A PA supports managers and senior staff within an organisation.

Upon completion you will be able to:

• Understand how to manage and maintain offices to a high standard
• Gain knowledge of how to process business documents
• Learn how to organise events and work to budgets
• Develop your knowledge of appropriate communication methods for the office environment
• Learn how to assist with the recruitment process

Support is provided for up to 12 months but it is entirely up to you how quickly you work through the course. The estimated study time is 80 hours so if you average around 5 hours a week study you would complete in approximately 4 months.

Students can choose to take the online version of Personal Assistant Level 3 where the course is emailed to you or request a paper copy where the course is delivered hard copy in folders. This is yours to keep so you can write on it, make notes etc.

Support is provided throughout the course via a tutor who can be emailed at any time should you come across anything you are unsure of. There is also a support team by telephone.

Personal Assistant Level 3 is split into six units. At the end of each unit you will complete an assignment which you will email to your tutor. An assignment is a set of questions based upon the unit you have just studied. Your tutor will mark your work and give you feedback. If there are any areas for improvements or anything that you have misunderstood you will always have the opportunity to re-submit.

The good news is there are no exams! Once you have completed all the assignments you complete the course.

Unit 1: Organising and Managing an Office

• Ensuring all necessary equipment meets user needs
• Maintenance of office equipment
• Maintaining positive relationships with suppliers
• Implementing and monitoring office procedures
• Health and safety at work

Unit 2: Compilation of Business Documents

• Transcription and storage of handwritten notes
• Use of word processing software
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations software

Unit 3: Event Planning

• Event management
• Budgeting
• Health and Safety
• Invitation Distribution

Unit 4: Planning of Meetings

• Calling and planning a meeting
• Business meetings
• Team meetings
• Staff and management meetings
• Minute taking
• Specific needs
• Follow-up actions

Unit 5: Communication

• Communicating sensitive information
• Selecting a communication method
• Verbal communication
• Lack of communication
• Barriers

Unit 6: Recruitment of Staff

• Acquiring vacancy details
• Compiling a job information pack
• Holding candidate information securely
• From interview to appointment

At the end of this course successful learners will receive a Certificate of Achievement from ABC Awards and Certa Awards and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the components the learner has completed as part of the course).

The course has been endorsed under the ABC Awards and Certa Awards Quality Licence Scheme. This means that Open Study College has undergone an external quality check to ensure that the organisation and the courses it offers, meet defined quality criteria. The completion of this course alone does not lead to a regulated qualification* but may be used as evidence of knowledge and skills gained. The Learner Unit Summary may be used as evidence towards Recognition of Prior Learning if you wish to progress your studies in this subject. To this end the learning outcomes of the course have been benchmarked at Level 3 against level descriptors published by Ofqual, to indicate the depth of study and level of demand/complexity involved in successful completion by the learner.

The course itself has been designed by Open Study College to meet specific learners’ and/or employers’ requirements which cannot be satisfied through current regulated qualifications. ABC Awards & Certa Awards endorsement involves robust and rigorous quality audits by external auditors to ensure quality is continually met. A review of courses is carried out as part of the endorsement process.

ABC Awards and Certa Awards have long-established reputations for providing high quality vocational qualifications across a wide range of industries. ABC Awards and Certa Awards combine over 180 years of expertise combined with a responsive, flexible and innovative approach to the needs of our customers.

Renowned for excellent customer service, and quality standards, ABC Awards and Certa Awards also offer regulated qualifications for all ages and abilities post-14; all are developed with the support of relevant stakeholders to ensure that they meet the needs and standards of employers across the UK.