Program Goals and Outcomes

Administrative Assistant Training Program Goals and Outcomes

Penn Foster's online Administrative Assistant Career Diploma can help students prepare to qualify for administrative jobs in a variety of settings from corporate to legal offices. Students will learn fundamental business skills like office procedures and computer applications that are transferrable to many other careers.

Administrative Assistant

Career Diploma

6 months

As low as $59/mo

1-800-275-4410 (9AM - 9PM ET)

Program Goal

To prepare students for an entry-level career as an administrative assistant.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...

  • Describe how to maintain paper and electronic filing systems for records and messages as well as organize files, folders, and schedules in proper order so an office can run efficiently
  • Explain how to schedule appointments and make travel arrangements for executives and other staff
  • Recognize how to answer phones, draft messages, write memos and email when communicating with managers, employees, and customers
  • List ways to support staff in conducting research, compiling data, and preparing papers for consideration and presentation by executives, committees, and boards of directors
  • Describe how to read, analyze, route, distribute, and answer routine incoming memos, submissions, reports, mail, and email to determine their significance and plan their distribution
  • Explain how to communicate well with others in and out of the office
  • List how fax machines, videoconferencing software, phone systems, and other office equipment work
  • Explain how to create spreadsheets, presentations, reports, messages, databases, and other applications
  • Outline how to negotiate with vendors, buy supplies, manage stockrooms or corporate libraries, and get data from various sources
  • Prepare reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, or presentation software
  • Describe how to greet visitors and to decide whether they should be given access to specific individuals
  • Recognize a professional image in an office environment
  • List techniques for managing stress and time in professional ways

Need more info or ready to enroll?

We're here to help.   Call 1-800-275-4410 (9AM - 9PM ET)

Full Program Overview