Administration is a fundamental part of any business.
There will always be things to do, which keep the business running. Think of administration as cogs in a wheel. They all need to be spinning freely, which makes the wheel turn. If not done, then the business will grind to a halt. But, if done well, then the business runs smoothly.
There can be a lot of satisfaction in knowing you’re the one who keeps the business running smoothly. You know where everything is, when things need attention, why things need attention, and how to attend to things. People will come to rely on you, and you’ll feel a kind of warm, fuzzy feeling knowing you’ve got this under control.
How do you get to know about Administration?
There are two ways; one is to learn on the job, and the other is to learn from a business administration course.
Both are really useful.
Learning on the job is vital because it will teach you efficiencies. Making sure things are done on time, so they don’t get turned off, or penalties are applied, or someone is not kept waiting, etc.
If you can get someone to show you the how, what, where, why, and when of administration, then this can be a really great benefit.
The other way is to learn through a business administration course.
A good course will teach you things like how to organise meetings, how to coordinate business resources, how to promote innovation in the workplace, how to maintain and implement digital technology, how to implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices, and how to be aware of Workplace Health & Safety practices.
It can be a really broad range of things to know and, of course, you can dive in deep to these topics to become the expert!
You can start at a Certificate III level (which is made for those who just left school, or who are doing their first course in Admin), and you can continue to learn more in a Cert IV level (which looks really good on your resume). You can even do a Diploma in Business Admin, which is when you’re getting into Management.
Where can you do a Business Administration Course?
Administration is not really something that can be learned at school. You really need to have some experience in the working environment and preferably in the back office (that’s the place where you’re away from customers and you’re doing all the admin tasks).
And, you’ll probably not get a lot of knowledge from doing a uni course, which tends to be a bit theoretical. At least, not at the undergraduate level (that’s when you’re studying your first degree and you haven’t graduated yet). It’s not until you do a Master of Business Administration (MBA) when you start to get really serious about Admin, and you’ll probably be high up in a corporation and responsible for a lot!
It’s probably best to get your Business administration course done through a TAFE or an online course. These types of courses are really quite practical and useful. They should include case studies or real-life experiences, so you can see how the theory applies to the workplace.
How long should a Business Administration Course take?
TAFE course might take 6 months or more, depending on the level. If you’re doing a Traineeship (where you work and study at the same time), this course should take 8 – 12 months to complete, again depending on the level.
Online courses are (or should be) much more flexible. You can study in your own time and, if you’re good, you can complete much earlier. So, 3 months is really possible if you apply yourself.
Is Business Administration for you?
So, if you want to be the organiser, the efficient one, the go-to person, and the one with the keys, and you want to work away from the annoying customers, then Admin might well be for you!
If you’re good, then it’s a really satisfying job that gives you a lot of credit and respect from others.
