The continuing education course "Office Assistance - Office Organization and Communication" prepares you for entry into commercial and organizational activities. You learn modern office organization and document management and practice communication by phone, email, and in correspondence. In addition, there are customer orientation, service communication, conflict management and conversation skills, as well as written communication according to DIN 5008.
In the course, you practice self-organization and time management and become proficient in using MS Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneNote. Digital tools such as Canva and Google Workspace are included, along with teamwork, intercultural communication, and basics of project management. Data protection and the legal foundations of the GDPR are also part of the program, as are presentation techniques, rhetoric training, and application training with professional German.
The continuing education course lasts 4 months: 3 months of theory with 520 teaching units and 1 month of internship with 160 hours. Classes run full-time from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in a virtual classroom with instructors. You complete the internship on-site at a company or institution.
The course is suitable for career changers with an interest in organizational and communication tasks as well as digital office work. Previous knowledge in the office area is not necessarily required, but you should have German skills at least at level B1; B2 is an advantage. The minimum age is 18 years, and security-checked laptops are available to all participants.
At the end, you receive a certificate of participation; the measure is AZAV-certified and recognized nationwide. I find the funding model great. The continuing education course is 100% fundable via the Bildungsgutschein (education voucher) from the Federal Employment Agency or the Jobcenter. You pay nothing yourself.
After the basic module, you can specialize with one of three advanced modules, each lasting an additional month. You can choose from office assistance in healthcare, in secretariat, or in administration. This way, you build targeted knowledge for your desired field without starting from scratch again.
