:

Business

Office Administrative Assistant

Develop the tools and confidence to become the backbone of any office with hands-on training and career-ready skills you can build in just 25 weeks.

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Type

Diploma

Duration

25 Weeks

Internship

Not Available

Program Outline

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About The Program

Designed for those who want to play a vital role in the day-to-day operations of a business, the Office Administrative Assistant is the perfect starting those seeking a new career or looking to pivot into a more stable, in-demand field. This program gives you the practical training and professional support to succeed in businesses of all sizes.

Through a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience, students gain confidence using industry-standard software such as Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, and Sage 50, while developing essential skills in communication, organization, and basic financial management. Small class sizes and experienced instructors ensure you get the focused attention and guidance you need.

This diploma is ideal for anyone looking to step into roles that require strong multitasking, professionalism, and the ability to keep offices running smoothly.

Career Opportunities

As an Office Administrative Assistant graduate, you will qualify for positions such as: Administrative Assistant, Office Administrator, and Executive Assistant.

Employers Who Have Hired Eastern Grads

  • On Task Property Management
  • Roadway Systems Limited
  • Nordia
  • Universal Staffing

Salary

$ 24

Average Wage/hr**

$ 33

High Wage/hr**

Source: workingincanada.gc.ca

NOC Code: 13110 - **Wage data rounded down to the nearest dollar and based on New Brunswick data. Average wage doesn't reflect the starting salary but represents the middle value between lowest to highest wages. Local (or regional) income may vary. Last updated: December 2024.

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Available Learning Options

At Eastern College, you can choose the learning option that meets your needs. This program is currently available in:

On-Campus

Instructor-led classes held in-person at one or more of our 4 campuses.

Office Administrative Assistant

Duration: 25 Weeks

Internship: Not Available

Program Outline NB

Online: Remote Classes

Instructor-led classes on a set schedule, held remotely live on video over the Internet.

Office Administrative Assistant

Duration: 25 Weeks

Internship: Not Available

Program Outline NB

Program Details

The Office Administrative Assistant program is designed to help you gain valuable career skills while still balancing the rest of your life. With half-day classes scheduled just four days a week, you’ll have time to manage work, family, and personal goals without putting your education on hold.

You’ll start with foundational courses in digital literacy, business communication, and career preparation, giving you the tools to interact confidently and professionally in any workplace. As the program continues, you’ll receive hands-on training in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, equipping you to manage schedules, create documents, and streamline everyday office tasks.

In addition to building software proficiency, you’ll also learn the fundamentals of accounting with QuickBooks and Sage 50, covering tasks such as data entry, reconciliations, and financial reporting. These are the real-world skills that today’s employers look for when hiring administrative professionals.

To help you thrive in any work environment, you’ll also develop your interpersonal and client relations skills, along with a strong understanding of workplace diversity and team communication. Eastern’s career services team is with you every step of the way, from resume development and LinkedIn support to job search coaching and interview preparation.

By the time you graduate, you’ll be fully prepared to take on a wide range of administrative responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to the success of any office environment.

Course Listings: New Brunswick
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Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Introduction to Accounting with Quickbooks
This course introduces basic accounting concepts and procedures. This course addresses double-entry accounting, analysis of source information, classes of transactions, and the accounting cycle. Using these critical concepts, accounting skills are applied and integrated to record transactions using proper procedures and forms in both a manual and computerized accounting system, QuickBooks.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Intermediate Accounting with Sage 50
This course continues the exploration of accounting procedures in payroll, petty cash, and bank reconciliations. Central to this course is the merchandising firm and its accounting cycle, appropriate valuation of inventory, and cost of goods sold calculations. This material will be applied in both a manual and computerized accounting system, Sage 50.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Business Communication
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of communication skills in business environments. Focus will be placed on both written and spoken communications. You will review the basic writing process with emphasis on the mechanics of writing. You will also learn the importance of effective spoken communication, deliver an oral presentation, and participate in a mock meeting.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Client Relations
In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of how a strong relationship with clients is developed and maintained. Professionalism, the importance of living up to obligations, and the various forms of prompt and attentive communication are discussed. The course will also provide you with the skills you need to articulate organization image and how to identify and adapt to specific client behavior styles and how to measure and take corrective actions to provide client satisfaction and ensure positive relations. The course also introduces practical techniques needed to deal with clients that are angry and upset and explains the significance of maintaining and encouraging the loyalty of clients.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Career Planning and Preparation - Level 1
This course will introduce you to and provide practice in using the tools required for a successful job search. The concepts covered in this course will help you maintain a career-focused approach throughout your studies so that you are better prepared to conduct a job search after graduating. Specifically, you will learn how to identify your soft and hard skills and how to articulate your abilities in a clear and concise Elevator Pitch that will appeal to employers and resonate with industry contacts. You will learn about the job search resources available to you including using career websites, creating LinkedIn profiles, accessing the “hidden” job market, and networking. You will examine sample résumés and cover letters and begin the process of creating your own professional résumés and cover letters that align with current conventions for content, organization, and formatting. You will also learn about the role of references, thank you letters, workplace philosophies, and strategies for success including maintaining a professional image and using proper etiquette when communicating with potential employers and industry contacts.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Career Planning and Preparation – Level 2
This course builds on concepts and skills introduced in the Career Planning and Preparation Level 1 course. In this subsequent course, you will update and refine your résumé and LinkedIn Profile. You will continue writing cover letters and learn the value of customizing cover letters to specific job postings. You will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge as you conduct a job search and write a cover letter tailored to an ideal job post. Through research, you will create a list of top employers and target current industry opportunities. You will learn about current methods for applying to job postings using technology. You will also gain an understanding of the job interview process, typical interview questions and possible responses, and expectations of both the interviewer and interviewee. In addition, you will engage in practical application of the interview process through role-play. Topics such as negotiating salary, self-management, and on-the-job success for placements and post-graduate employment will be also covered.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Digital Literacy for Professionals
This course introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of learning and working in a digital environment. This course will cover the following elements: using devices and handling information, creating and editing information, communicating and collaborating, and being safe and responsible online.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Diversity in the Workplace
This course introduces diversity and its strengths in the workplace. Among the topics covered are the strengths of diversity, its occasional challenges, how to manage diversity in the workplace, and the value of diversity training. Diversity in group dynamics is also addressed, with an emphasis on the strengths of a heterogeneous group and types of diversity.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Microsoft Excel
This Microsoft Office Excel course is created to help you build and validate the skills needed to succeed in today's economy. It will also provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use Microsoft Office Excel effectively in all aspects of your personal and professional lives. Excel is the world's most popular spreadsheet software. Whether you are managing a household or running a small business, Excel will help you develop useful techniques to help business processes. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of spreadsheet software. You are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs as necessary.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Interpersonal Communication
Effective interpersonal communication is vital for the success of any organization. It impacts working relationships, productivity, and a variety of other business activities. This course introduces the concepts of effective interpersonal communication in the workplace, considering internal and external professional relationships. You will also will learn about telephone etiquette, which will prepare you to answer calls with confidence and professionalism, respond to customer/client inquiries effectively, and handle customer/client complaints. You will leave the course prepared to navigate the complexities of interpersonal communication with colleagues and clients.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Microsoft Outlook
This Microsoft Outlook course builds and validates the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It will also provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to use to effectively manage emails, contacts, calendars, and tasks. Outlook has become the corporate standard electronic personal organizer. These are the foundational skills needed to communicate using Outlook in a variety of positions within an organization. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of email software. You are expected to make arrangements to meet proficiency needs.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Microsoft PowerPoint
This course will show you how to create and modify basic presentations by using Microsoft Office PowerPoint. You will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation; you will format text on slides to enhance clarity and visual appeal; and you will also add and modify graphical objects in order to finalize and deliver a presentation. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of PowerPoint software. You are expected to ensure you meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Student Success Strategies
This course stresses the importance of developing non-technical skills to enhance personal, academic, and career success. The course will address strategies that are important for all adult learners, such as managing finances, maintaining health and wellness, understanding learning styles, setting goals, and honing practical study skills (such as memory, reading, and test-taking techniques). In addition, this course emphasizes strategies needed to succeed in your program, such as navigating technology efficiently, interacting and engaging with peers and facilitators/instructors, and managing learning time and space.
Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Microsoft Word
This Microsoft Office Word course is created for you to build and validate the skills businesses need to succeed in today's information economy. It also provides you with the skills and knowledge you need to use Microsoft Office Word effectively in all aspects of your personal and professional lives. Word is the world's most popular word processing software. Learning how to create, edit, format and print documents, enhance work with formatting, use bullets and numbering, add simple borders, tables, headers/footers, organizing data columns, and styles, are the foundational skills needed to perform in many positions. This course is computer intensive and demands basic computer proficiency and a basic understanding of word processing software. The course combines Theory/demonstration by an instructor with readings, trainings, projects, and a final exam for you to work on in a simulation-based environment. You are expected to ensure you meet proficiency requirements for working in this environment.
Admission Requirements
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  • Student has Grade 12 or equivalent or meets criteria for Mature Student Status.
  • Mature students must be 19 years of age, pass a qualifying test, and provide a Letter of Intent OR resume that supports their skills and aptitudes to be successful in the program.
  • The approved qualifying test for this program is the Wonderlic test. A passing score for this program is 14.

Career Quiz

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