Custom Courses Administration and Secretarial

Executive Assistant Program Training

SAQA US AATICD-0025 | NQF 5 | Credits 10 | Duration 5 Days
From $1,242 per delegate

Description

This programme equips executive assistants with advanced administrative, organisational, and communication skills to effectively support senior management. Learners will develop the ability to manage complex schedules, coordinate high-level meetings, and handle confidential information with discretion. The course enhances professional competence and career growth in executive support roles.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply advanced diary management and scheduling techniques to optimise executive time.
  • Analyse and prioritise competing demands to ensure efficient workflow and deadline management.
  • Evaluate and implement appropriate communication strategies for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Design and maintain effective filing and records management systems for confidential documents.
  • Demonstrate professionalism and ethical conduct in handling sensitive information and representing the executive.
  • Implement project coordination skills to support the planning and execution of organisational initiatives.

Target Audience

This course is designed for experienced administrative professionals seeking to transition into executive assistant roles, as well as current executive assistants who wish to formalise their skills and gain a recognised qualification.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to the Executive Assistant Role

Objectives:
• Understand the scope and responsibilities of an executive assistant
• Identify key competencies and professional standards
• Recognise the importance of confidentiality and ethics
• Establish effective communication with executives and teams

Topics:
• Overview of the executive assistant profession
• Core competencies and soft skills
• Professional ethics and confidentiality
• Communication styles and strategies
• Introduction to office technology and tools
• Time management fundamentals
• Building professional relationships
• Understanding organisational structure

Day 2: Advanced Administrative and Organisational Skills

Objectives:
• Master diary management and scheduling techniques
• Develop efficient filing and document management systems
• Apply advanced email and correspondence management
• Coordinate travel and event logistics effectively

Topics:
• Diary management best practices
• Prioritisation and task management
• Document creation, formatting, and version control
• Email etiquette and inbox management
• Travel booking and itinerary planning
• Meeting and event coordination
• Expense reporting and basic financial tasks
• Implementing office procedures

Day 3: Communication, Writing, and Presentation Skills

Objectives:
• Write professional business correspondence and reports
• Prepare and edit presentations for executives
• Develop effective verbal communication skills
• Handle difficult conversations and conflict resolution

Topics:
• Business writing: letters, memos, emails, minutes
• Proofreading and editing techniques
• Presentation design and delivery
• Active listening and questioning skills
• Assertiveness and diplomacy
• Conflict resolution strategies
• Internal and external stakeholder communication
• Cultural sensitivity in communication

Day 4: Project Management and Strategic Support

Objectives:
• Apply basic project management principles to support initiatives
• Assist with research and data analysis for decision-making
• Manage small projects and track progress
• Understand the role of an executive assistant in strategic planning

Topics:
• Introduction to project management frameworks
• Planning, scheduling, and tracking tasks
• Research methods and data gathering
• Report compilation and analysis
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Meeting facilitation and follow-ups
• Supporting strategic initiatives
• Using project management software

Day 5: Professional Development and Practical Integration

Objectives:
• Create a personal development plan for career growth
• Apply learning through integrated practical scenarios
• Demonstrate competence in core executive assistant tasks
• Reflect on performance and identify areas for improvement

Topics:
• Career pathways for executive assistants
• Building a professional portfolio
• Networking and mentorship
• Ethics and professionalism in practice
• Integrated case study and role-play
• Final assessment preparation
• Course review and feedback
• Action planning for workplace application

Practicals

16 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

The practicals provide hands-on experience in real-world executive assistant tasks, including diary management, document creation, travel coordination, and meeting logistics. Learners apply skills in simulated office environments to reinforce learning and demonstrate competence.

Practical Activities
  • Diary and Email Management Simulation — Learners manage a simulated executive's diary, schedule appointments, handle conflicts, and respond to emails using professional etiquette. (4h)
  • Business Document Creation and Presentation — Learners create a formal business letter, meeting minutes, and a presentation slide deck based on provided scenarios. (4h)
  • Travel and Event Coordination Exercise — Learners plan a multi-day business trip, including flights, accommodation, itinerary, and a small internal event, using booking tools. (4h)
  • Integrated Role-Play Assessment — Learners participate in a simulated workday, handling multiple tasks such as phone calls, urgent requests, and a brief meeting, while managing priorities. (4h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 21 Sep 2026 Fri 25 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 04 Jan 2027 Fri 08 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 01 Feb 2027 Fri 05 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 21 Jun 2027 Fri 25 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 20 Sep 2027 Fri 24 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 20 Dec 2027 Fri 24 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 426 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,863 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,238 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,916 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $5,238 Register
Mon 17 Aug 2026 Fri 21 Aug 2026 Harare, Zimbabwe Winter 2026 $3,078 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 12 Oct 2026 Fri 16 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Fri 15 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 08 Feb 2027 Fri 12 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 12 Jul 2027 Fri 16 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 11 Oct 2027 Fri 15 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Fri 31 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 10 Jan 2028 Fri 14 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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