What Is Office Administration?

• There is a range of career options available after you have completed an office administration course. You can become a receptionist or even a marketing administrator
• ICB offers 3 study streams, one of these streams is office administration
• You require grade 12 or equivalent to apply for an office administration course at ICB
• All ICB qualifications are considered as scarce skills, this means that they are highly regarded by employers

Office administration is the daily activities that are related to maintaining an office environment. 

This includes planning finances, keeping records of bills, and the basic logistics within the office.

What Does An Office Administrator Do?

They typically work at the front desk of an office, receiving visitors and directing them to the appropriate associates. 

They will complete basic clerical tasks and always keep the office running smoothly. 

These tasks include: 

• Answering calls 
• Responding to emails
• Preparing documents 

Most importantly, they schedule meetings for staff members and remind them of important events.

With this comes the obvious duties of administrative work and bookkeeping tasks such as looking into accounts and preparing invoices and the overall office budget.

Office administrators will also make purchases for the office such as supplies and other necessary equipment.

Office Administrative Skills

A successful office administrator will have many skills and qualifications to complete their duties. Here are the skills an office administrator requires:

• Leadership skills that will allow good time management
• The ability to communicate effectively, as they need to communicate via writing and over the phone
• They need to be familiar with common procedures such as account procedures within the office
• Must know office management tools such as Microsoft Office and other relevant applications

The Subjects Required For Office Administration

There is a range of subjects when studying this programme. This all depends on the type of course you take. 

Here are some subjects that you will find:

• Business And Office Administration 1, 2 &3
• Bookkeeping To Trial Balance
• Business Literacy
• Marketing Management And Public Relations
• Business Law And Administrative Practice
• Cost And Management Accounting
• Human Resources Management And Labour Relations
• Economics
• Financial Statements
• Management

Career Options

This qualification is required in all industries. It takes a specific person to fill this role as this person is responsible for the smooth running of business activities. 

When you are working in this field, there are many career options available and you can work in a range of environments. These options are:

• Office Assistant
• General Office Manager
• Junior Office Administrator
• Senior Office Administrator
• Marketing Administrator
• Public Relations Officer
• Receptionist
• Secretary

Courses Offered At Matric College

Matric College offers a range of courses. One of which is an ICB Office administration course. In order to study office administration you should have a matric certificate or an Matric Equivalent. Adult Matric is commonly referred to as Senior Certificate (Amended). Study Matric Online and you will be able to further your studies where colleges/universities require Matric. You can either study our Adult Matric course or do an Matric Equivalent Course. 

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers offers business and financial management courses. Each qualification is nationally and internationally recognised. 

These courses are highly regarded by employers as each of them is considered as scarce skills. Employers need people with these skills because they are scarce.

Because these skills are in high demand, people with these qualifications earn a respectable income. According to payscale people with this qualification earn on average R10 000 per month.

Office administration courses offered at Matric College:

• Office Administration: National Certificate (You have to be at least 16 years old and have a Matric or Equivalent Certificate to apply).
• Office Administration: Higher Certificate (National Certificate to apply)
• Office Administration: Diploma (Higher certificate to apply)

Other Institutions That Offer Office Administration

Many institutions in South Africa offer office administration courses. Here are some of the many institutions:

• Ember Academy
• Matric College
• Skills Academy
• Bellview Institute of Distance Learning
• The Learning Group

Last Updated: 15 December 2021