Certificate in Office Skills

at Assiniboine Community College - Victoria Avenue East Campus (Brandon) Canada

Are you a motivated person with a knack for solving problems? Enter today’s fast-paced office environment. Get to work quickly with the Office Skills certificate program.

This program prepares you for the constant change in business by emphasizing relevant computer courses in accounting, mathematics and communications. You will graduate with the confidence and the skills needed to be versatile, responsive and professional in workplaces that never stop. If you are just starting a career or if you are looking to update previous education and experience, this program is the perfect fit.

Office environments in today’s world are part of highly automated, complex organizations that require administrative personnel who are skilled professionals that can meet all of the demands of their position. This program will put you on a path towards a limitless selection of careers.

Today’s offices needs people who know about the latest software and technology. But it’s not all at a keyboard— careers in office administration demand teamwork, problem-solving, professionalism and accuracy. A wide assortment of agencies, businesses and organizations will seek your skills, giving you the potential for advancement.

Be ready to start your career in a variety of roles including administrative assistant, general office clerk, customer service representative or word processor operator. If you are combining this certificate program with previous experience or education, you may even choose to operate your own business.

Don’t make what you see on the internet—make what’s on the internet work. Learn to analyze, troubleshoot, repair, install and provide technical support for computer systems and networks.

Our two-year Network Administration Technology diploma program prepares you for a career as a computer network administrator. You will get hands-on standardized and specialized training with current applied technology. Study computer operating systems, scripting and the architecture of computer hardware, networking systems and routing.

Our instructors explain and demonstrate how to configure complex computer networking solutions and challenge students to build and configure their own computer networks in a controlled test environment. We partner with Cisco Systems Inc., and use their current curriculum to teach network routing in a fully equipped Cisco lab.

As a grad, you will find employment in the areas of troubleshooting and supporting data, wireless and voice networks, installing and upgrading computer hardware, installing and supporting computer software and computer programming. We offer a two-month work practicum, where you will fill the job role of a junior computer systems administrator in the IT department in the public or private sector.

In addition to technical skills, learn soft skills such as customer service and emotional intelligence. The skills you gain in this program can also be used towards industry certifications, such as A+, Microsoft’s MCP, MCSA and MCSE, Cisco’s CCNA and CCENT, or Linux+ and Network+.

Prepare for a rewarding career promoting the development of young children with our Early Childhood Education program. Help guide children as they grow physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially.

What you help children learn and experience through their early years will impact their entire future. With this two-year diploma program, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality early learning and child care to young children. This program is provincially accredited by the Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee (CCQTC).

Be part of enhanced learning experiences, including collaborating with community partners on projects, industry field trips and guest speakers, and four practicum placements. Learn from knowledgeable instructors who model industry best practices.

Learn how important play is for childhood development; learn the skills you need to provide the right intellectual stimulation, as well as opportunities for physical, emotional and social growth. As an Early Childhood Educator, your warmth, understanding and patience are essential to working with culturally diverse children and families

With an increasing need for early learning and child care settings, employment opportunities are abundant. You can find work in full and part-time programs with children from infants to school-age

This 11-month certificate prepares you for a cutting-edge career in Canada’s growing meat processing industry. Learn all aspects of the trade, including nutrition, safety, tools, workplace values and essential communication skills. Enjoy a newly built, modern teaching lab with all the trimmings. Develop skills in curing and smoking for all types of animal protein, including poultry, beef, pork, goat and lamb.

Do you agree with raising animals for meat and preparing them for human consumption? Do you like to work with your hands, enjoy physical labour, and are passionate about delivering high-quality goods and services? If yes, then this is the program for you. Expectations include having good manual dexterity, cooperating with others in a team environment, and being able to work in refrigerated environments for long periods. Small class sizes, dedicated instructors and industry connections will prepare you for a fulfilling career in meat cutting.

Connect with local employers through a 12-week work practicum. If you meet all employer criteria, you may make up to $6,900 during your work-integrated learning experience; plus, take advantage of additional employment opportunities while enrolled in this full-time program.

Rest assured, there is no shortage of work in this sector, and demand is high for skilled workers. After you graduate, you may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit; if Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) grants the permit, you may benefit from Assiniboine’s partnerships with industry employers. Your work experience, combined with your credentials and personal interest, may lead to career opportunities such as retail meat cutter, retail meat manager, plant manager, production supervisor and/or sales manager.

Are you ready to start a rewarding career? Enter into the diverse and expansive health care industry and become an indispensable member of any team.

Combine advanced administrative training with a systematic understanding of Canadian health care and the technical knowledge that is fundamental to all medical workplaces. In your two years of study, you will become comfortable with medical office procedures and develop a solid understanding of transcription, pharmacology and diagnostic imagery.

You will gain real workplace experience during your practicum placement and will have the opportunity to connect with potential employers before you graduate. Combine classroom learning with real practice when you get an inside look at health records departments, clinics and health outreach programs. Get a jump on your career goals by making connections while you are still in college.

You will develop a comprehensive medical vocabulary and become familiar with legal issues in the health care field, which will help you succeed in your role as an administrative professional. You will develop a wide range of skills in the areas of accounting, communications and human resources, helping you to become an indispensable member of any team. This program also includes a focus on diversity in the workplace.

Be prepared to work in hospitals, medical clinics, dental practices, veterinary clinics and laboratories. Common careers for graduates of the Medical Administration diploma program include unit clerk, medical transcriptionist, administrative assistant, medical secretary, office manager and customer service representative.

Take your interest in technology to the next level. Design, manufacture and install the most up-to-date communications systems that keep us linked together.

It’s a real concept and has real-world application. The internet (IOT) is the physical network of devices, appliances, vehicles and other items that integrate and connect to exchange data and make our lives run smoother, easier and more efficiently. In this program, you’ll be at the centre of creating and supporting it.

Learn to support the design, development and repair of communication systems, such as voice, video, data, wi-fi and Bluetooth, through this accredited two-year program. You will graduate with the skills necessary to create, manufacture, install and analyze different types of communication technologies.

There are industry opportunities for you through our Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers student branch, Cisco Networking Systems partnership and CTAB accreditation. Assiniboine even has a connection to the Canadian Forces, where you can be accredited as a Weapon Engineering Technician.

Find employment opportunities in fields like computeraided design, electronic design and repair, computer programming, network design, communications installation or design. In recent years, almost all of our students were offered jobs within nine months of graduation.

Become an industry specialist. Layer your previous post-secondary credential with an advanced diploma in one of business’ most creative and fast-paced fields.
Increase your business acumen with a specialization in marketing. Become more desirable to employers with this fast-tracked, focused advanced diploma that will give you the skills needed for industries such as media, public relations, communications, event planning and advertising.

In our ever-connected and global world, learn about international marketing, strategic planning, social media and consumer behaviour. Enhance your critical thinking through higher-level courses and Indigenous-focused content that provides perspective on Indigenous issues within a business context.

Experience real-world application by working with industry and community leaders. Develop skills in areas such as research, preparing communications materials, developing and implementing strategies, organizing interviews and press conferences, and coordinating events. Find opportunities in sales, advertising, promotion, publicity, sales management, marketing management, retail management, market analysis, marketing research and new venture development.

Ready for a progressive career in natural resource management? Be part of the solution on how we manage our essential land and water resources.

Passion for the outdoors makes you a great candidate for a career in natural resources. This exciting program brings together natural resources, technology and the environment in an agricultural context. Understand the interconnection between our water and the land. Learn how to protect, manage, sustain and conserve natural habitats for wildlife and humans.

With Land and Water Management, you will often be out in the field, examining key features of the prairie agro-ecological landscape. Become skilled at monitoring and evaluating the quality of rural land and water resources, and at managing activities so that those resources are used sustainably. You will use environmental monitoring equipment to study water, land and air conditions.

Consider a career as a water manager, habitat specialist or environmental technician. You may also find a position in research, management, consulting and administration of sustainable land use practices. If you like working with science and are concerned about the environment and the quality of our natural resources, Land and Water Management is perfect for you!

Your career can take you to both rural and urban settings. The program’s four-month paid co-operative work experience will help you with real-world experience, create connections within industry and become confident in your abilities. Once you graduate, you will find yourself ready for exciting and challenging roles in industry including conservation districts, agricultural organizations and all levels of government across the Prairies and beyond.

The Business Administration program is designed with the entrepreneurial spirit in mind. Learn how to negotiate, invest, sell, market and manage people in this economy. Then, connect the dots within a strategic approach. This program will prepare you to administer and manage all types and sizes of businesses. In the second year, students specialize in one of the following areas:

• Accounting
• Financial Services
• Human Resource Management
• Marketing

These different specializations allow you to focus your career path during your second year. There are 60 credits of required courses that are common to all specializations (typically scheduled in year one for on campus students). Applicants declare their specialization at the time of applying to the program.

Human Resource Management Specialization
Graduates can anticipate applying their business management skills in areas relating to personnel administration: staffing, training and development, labour relations, compensation management and collective bargaining. Employment opportunities are available in industrial, commercial and government organizations.

You may choose to complete your first year of any specialization at either the Parkland (Dauphin) or Victoria Avenue East campus (Brandon), however only the second-year of the Accounting and Human Resource Management specializations are available at our Parkland campus. All four specializations are offered in full at Assiniboine's Victoria Avenue East campus.