Programs

The Applied Business Technology Administrative Assistant Certificate prepares students to work in business, government, and industry offices. This program teaches current administrative skills in word processing, keyboarding, spreadsheets, automated accounting, bookkeeping, and the utilization of up-to-date Microsoft Office software. The program includes business communications and office procedures courses which enable students to develop the soft skills necessary for success in today's offices. The program has a two-week practicum placement to give students the opportunity to apply their new skills in an office environment. 

Study as part of a cohort or choose a less intense schedule
Students can enrol in and complete the Administrative Assistant program as part of a group that starts together in September and finishes together in June. In this cohort environment, all courses are delivered in a face-to-face format.  Cohort students may also opt to exit as an Office Assistant or as a Financial Assistant.
Alternatively, students may choose to enrol in an online cohort that progresses at a slower pace or study on a part-time basis and take individual courses as long as they meet prerequisites. Our online courses are scheduled to allow for other life-work commitments, and access to face-to-face courses may still be possible.

Career Options

Graduates with the Financial Assistant Certificate can gain employment in a variety of business settings in the public and private sectors such as:
- Financial Office Assistant
- Payroll Assistant
- Computerized Bookkeeping Assistant
- Accounts Payable / Receivable Clerk

Details

Locations: Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, and Online

Length: 
Administrative Assistant: The full-time in-person cohort is 39 weeks (10 months or 850 hours).  Students may opt to take a 70 week, (16 months or 850 hours) online cohort instead.  
Financial Assistant: The full-time in-person cohort is 36 weeks (9 months or 660 hours).  Students may opt to take a 52 week, (12 months or 660 hours) online cohort instead.
Office Assistant: The full-time in-person cohort is 20 weeks (5 months or 450 hours).  Students may opt to take a 33 week, (8 months or 450 hours) online cohort instead. 

Start: September

Fees: Current Fee Schedule

See the current timetable for course availability.

Need upgrading first? Start with NLC’s Career and College Preparation program.

Admission Prerequisites

1a. English requirement for applicants whose first language is English: official transcript showing successful completion of any BC Ministry-approved English Language Arts 11 course or ENGL 040 or higher or equivalent; alternatively, a minimum CAAT score of 11.9 in the Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Spelling, and Language sections of the exam. 
 OR
1b. English requirement for all other applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band less than 6.0.
 OR
1c. English requirement for applicants who have graduated from a Philippine post-secondary institution: completion of a four-year Bachelor's Degree that must include at least one baccalaureate-level English course in which a minimum grade of 'C' was obtained; alternatively, IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band less than 6.0.
AND
2. Math requirement for all applicants: any BC Ministry-approved Math 10 course or MATH 030 or higher or equivalent; alternatively, a minimum CAAT score of 10.9 in the Number Operations section of the exam.

Note:  Applicants should have a basic familiarity with computers and a minimum typing speed of 15 wpm to help ensure that they meet the 45 wpm requirement of the program upon completion.

Important Notes

1. Financial assistance in the form of government student loans is only available for the full-time in-person cohorts of the ABT program.  Students taking part-time in-person ABT studies may also be eligible to apply for funding. 
   Students enrolled in the slower-paced 16-month online version of this program are not able to access government student loans to support the cost of their education.  For more information, please contact Financial Aid and Awards.
2. The information provided here is a summary of the official Program Completion Guides approved by NLC’s Education Council:

Download the program completion guide(s):

• Administrative Assistant (Effective September 2023)  (Current Guide)
• Financial Assistant (Effective September 2023) (Current Guide)
• Office Assistant (Effective September 2023)  (Current Guide)

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Courses

Required in all three streams:

• ABTC111 (Accounting I)
• ABTC112 (Keyboarding 1)
• ABTC114 (Human Relations and Job Search Skills) 
• ABTC119 (Computers and Groupware)
• ABTC120 (Business Math & Calculations)
• ABTC121 (Electronic Spreadsheet I)
• ABTC133 (Word Processing I)
• ABTC154 (Administrative Procedures and Records Management)
• ABTC165 (Business English) 

Also required in the Administrative Assistant stream:

• ABTC151 (Accounting 2)
• ABTC153 (Word Processing II)
• ABTC161 (Electronic Spreadsheet II) 
• ABTC173 (Keyboarding II)
• ABTC182 (Automated Accounting)
• ABTC192 (Practicum)
• ABTC193 (Desktop Publishing)
• ABTC194 (Presentation Software)
• ABTC195 (Business Communications)

Also required in the Financial Assistant stream:

• ABTC151 (Accounting 2)
• ABTC161 (Electronic Spreadsheet II) 
• ABTC182 (Automated Accounting)
• ABTC192 (Practicum)

Also required in Office Assistant stream:

• ABTC191 (Practicum)