The condensed format of the Office Administration ~ Executive program is just what I needed to fast tract a new career.  The workload and pace of this program represented the reality of an office environment and prepared me with the priceless skill of prioritizing and multi tasking.  I gained valuable computer and office skills that assist me daily.  Through assignments, group work, oral presentations, and independent learning I was able to grow personally and gain self-confidence, which has aided me in all aspects of my life.

My ten-day work placement was extremely valuable as it allowed me hands on experience with the skills and knowledge gained from the program—and lead to a one-year contract position.  I love my job for the first time in my life and I am very excited as my contract is turning into a regular position!  Beginning a career in Municipal Government is all thanks to this program and I will forever be grateful. I would strongly recommend this program, especially to those who lack current computer skills and need to update fast—it is not just about office work, the opportunities are endless!

Thank you to staff for their support—and special thanks to Monique and Sandra.  You are both amazing professors and people; I will carry what you have taught me throughout my career.

Completing the Office Administrative-Executive Program part-time enabled me to focus on my family and also concentrate on my studies so that I could gain the confidence I needed to compete in today's job market.

As a result of taking the program, I am employed and working on a variety of projects: desktop publishing - including a seasonal calendar of events, organizing local information session luncheons and cataloguing a library of over 1,000 books and videos for a new resource library.

My decision making and problem solving skills have proven me to be a capable and invaluable part of the office administrative support team.

Thank you Algonquin College
Renee D. Villeneuve

I was 35 years old when I decided I needed a change. As a single parent I was barely making ends meet at a minimum wage job. Then I saw an ad for Algonquin College Office Administration Executive Program at the Perth campus. After talking with the office staff and enquiring about student loans, I decided “I can do this”!

Although the first month was a little daunting, and I wanted to give up a few times, I stuck it out and it has changed my life in so many positive ways.

As a part of the work placement component of the program, I chose to work in the Centre for Students with Disabilities located on the Woodroffe campus of Algonquin College. The experience I gained working in a real world environment was invaluable. I was given real experience, not just filing. It also taught me a lesson in networking. While working in the Centre, I was able to talk with, and put out feelers for potential jobs within the college.

I now work for the Office and Legal Studies Department of Algonquin College. I love my job and the lessons taught in my classes were all completely relevant and key to my success. I have all the confidence in the world to know that any task that is asked of me, I have the skills to do it quickly and professionally.

For everyone who has faced a career challenge, and wondered if they could do it…this is for you.

Several years ago I faced a situation like that. Career-wise, I had been lucky enough to experience a lot of different things – from being a full-time mother to working for a newspaper, to writing and marketing a book, to managing a restaurant and furniture business.

When the business I had managed closed, I decided to do something completely different with my life. I knew I had communication and writing skills, but I really didn’t want to go back into retail management. One thing was for certain – no matter what I decided to do, I knew that up-to-date computer skills were essential in today’s market.

I began by investigating programs offered at local colleges and business schools. Many offered strictly computer software programs, but I was looking for something that would give me more than that. I wanted a broader base of contemporary, marketable skills.

One program stood out from the rest: Office Administration – Executive from Algonquin College’s Perth Campus. I was intrigued – not only did this program offer advanced instruction in current software (Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Word Perfect, Simply Accounting) but it touched on diverse areas of interest such as bookkeeping, business, law, and internet studies. Here, I could get thorough, state-of-the-art training on a variety of subjects in demand in today’s market.

Best of all, this program was offered in accelerated format. That meant I would not have to spend two years in school – I could graduate with a full college diploma in only 48 weeks.

In the fall of 2001, I found myself to be a single mother with a part-time job. Although I had over 7 years of combined office experience, I had difficulty obtaining a job in the administrative field because I didn’t have the education to back up my past work experience. My goal was to again work in the administrative field full-time, so that is when I decided that going back to school was my only option.

Since traveling to Ottawa was not an option for me because of my children, I called the Perth campus of Algonquin College after seeing an ad in the newspaper about their Office Administration – Executive Program. After visiting the campus and talking to the staff and students about the program, I knew this was the program and the school for me. The program offered everything I needed to improve and upgrade my office skills, including courses in database management and creating and manipulating spreadsheets, which was exactly the area of administrative work I wanted to get into.