The Virtual Assistant: Bookkeeping Skills Certificate program prepares the student to develop a business as a virtual assistant. This is a fairly new and emerging administrative profession where individuals work from their homes as independent contractors.
Virtual assistants are small office/home office owners who provide support and services to clientele, using technology to support their clients from their own office location. Service provided to clients is predominantly administrative support; however, bookkeeping, desktop publishing, and development of promotional and marketing materials are also popular services. This certificate emphasizes the bookkeeping procedures and spreadsheet application aspects of the job.
A unique feature of this certificate is that all of the core and elective courses are offered online, providing more accessibility for busy, working adults and for individuals with various personal commitments and/or challenges.
Many new virtual assistants continue working in their regular employment while building their virtual practices. It is recommended that individuals interested in this field acquire office experience before deciding to work on their own as a virtual assistant. More information about virtual assistants can be obtained from the International Virtual Assistant Association, http://www.ivaa.org
Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, can view the recommended course sequence. More information about the Business Office Technology programs can be found at the Business Office Technology website.