Professional Executive PA Diploma - with/without shorthand

Get a high level job as a top PA or EA

If you have your sights set on becoming the right hand person to a senior director or boss of one of the UK’s top companies, the Professional Executive PA Diploma is the right choice of training for you.You’ll get all the essential skills required to be an indispensable PA or EA, delivering figures, forecasts and reports to enable decision-making at the highest level, quickly and accurately. Quite simply this is the most comprehensive Executive PA training available.

The essential skills you need to get the job and succeed

With the Professional Executive PA Diploma you'll learn how to stay one step ahead, anticipating needs and meeting the demands of this challenging, yet rewarding role. You'll learn advanced touch typing, Microsoft Office to an expert level, web design, book-keeping, accounts (including Sage 50 Accounts) and payroll. You’ll also undertake a series of self-development programs. In addition, you can also choose from a range of elective subjects to complement your core skills in the fields of Marketing, HR, PR, Law and Journalism to name just a few.

What will you get in return?

A Pitman Training Diploma is one of the most prestigious study programmes you can complete from one of the most highly regarded training organisations across the world. Businesses throughout the UK recognise the Pitman Training name as a sign that you have been trained to the very highest level. So with your Professional Executive PA Diploma, you’ll have world-class skills to get a job as a highly valued, well paid Executive PA.In addition, by successfully completing the book-keeping courses included in this Diploma you will have the opportunity to achieve OCR and/or IAB Level 2 qualifications (additional home study is recommended).

Workbooks, course materials and exams are included.
Tutor support is available to students.

Core Courses

Core 1

Typaz

In just 25 hours speeds of 20-40 words per minute are perfectly achievable, even if you have little prior experience. Comprising 10 lessons, you’ll also receive guidance on ergonomics, technique and accuracy.

and Typaz Speed

If you want to build speed and accuracy then consider our Typaz Speed touch-typing course. Lasting 15 hours, the course will take you to speeds of 40-60 words per minute.

or Keyboard Speed Development

Develop your typing speed to improve productivity using graded copying exercises and timed dictations. A number of stages are available, taking you up to a speed of 70 wpm.

or Core 2

Typaz Professional

For those needing high proficiency at touch-typing and keyboard skills. The course lasts up to 40 hours and includes the alpha-numeric keys and high-end learning materials.

Effective Business Communication

Learn how to communicate effectively in business by letter, email, telephone and by presentation. This will cover correct use of grammar, punctuation, principles of letter writing and CV writing.

or Business Document Production

Develop skills and understanding of routine and complex business documents and the conventions used in their production and presentation.

Microsoft Word

Learn word processing skills to a good business standard, enabling you to create professional looking documents.

Microsoft Word Expert

Learn advanced word processing skills including mail merge, creating graphs, creating and running macros, creating an index, table of contents and more.

Microsoft Excel

Learn spreadsheet skills to a good business standard and be confident in this essential software.

Microsoft Excel Expert

Advanced spreadsheet skills, covering importing and exporting data, creating templates, linking workbooks, data tools, analysis and pivot tables.

Microsoft PowerPoint

Gain competency in creating slide presentations. Includes formatting, inserting tables, pictures, sound and hyperlinks; transition and timing effects.

Microsoft Access

Develop database skills from initial design stage. Covers the creation of tables, reports, queries and forms, relationships, wizards and more.

Microsoft Outlook

Learn how to share, manage and schedule information electronically. Covers the use of email, electronic calendar, scheduling meetings and appointments; creating and assigning tasks and creating address lists.

Microsoft Publisher

Learn desktop publishing skills to create various publications, inserting text, pictures, frames and tables.

Dreamweaver

Learn to create a website using the most popular industry standard web design program.

Event Management Essentials

Getting under the skin of events means they become easier to manage. Event organising is no walk in the park and there are many complexities that go into making an event a success. Learn some tricks of the trade and really get to grips with event project management to ensure your events are always ones people are talking about for all the right reasons.

Audio Transcription

Learn audio typing techniques to produce business documents to a high degree of accuracy and skill.

Book-keeping Level 2 - Module 1

In 8 lessons learn all aspects of manual accounts, the basics of VAT, checking invoices, day books, general ledger, purchase ledger and sales ledger, petty cash books and balancing ledger accounts.

Book-keeping Level 2 - Module 2

Module 2 covers the double entry book-keeping system, bank reconciliation, sales and purchase ledger, accounting for bad debt, correcting errors, reconciliation of statements and VAT returns.

Book-keeping Level 2 - Module 3

Module 3 covers using the journal in order to correct book-keeping errors, as well as recording year-end adjustments prior to preparing the final accounts.

Practical Payroll

Covers PAYE, methods of calculating payroll of HMRC, sick pay, pensions and National Insurance.

Sage 50 Accounts

Convert your manual book-keeping skills to computerised accounts using the most popular software.

Sage Payroll

Convert your manual payroll skills to computerised payroll using the most popular program including statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay.

Successful Meetings and Minutes

(Self study or Seminar)

Gain the skills to ensure every meeting you attend is productive. Build your understanding on logistics, preparation, note-taking, agenda planning and how to clarify actions.

Introduction to HTML

Learn to create a website using the programming language HTML (hypertext mark-up language).

Shorthand (optional)

A thorough course designed to take you from beginner to expert – writing 60-70 words per minute.

Elective Courses* (choose four)

Health & Safety Essentials

Marketing Essentials

Get Into HR

Get Into PR

Get Into Journalism

Legal Secretary - An Introduction

Medical Terminology

Shorthand Speed Development or Shorthand Fast

Numeric Data Entry

Introduction to Business Structure & Law

The Executive PA Seminar

*Alternative choices are available. Please talk with your Course Advisor. Seminars are subject to availability at your local Pitman Training Centre.

Guideline Learning Time

460 hours flexi study (without shorthand)* or 15 weeks full-time**

520 hours flexi study (with shorthand)* or 18 weeks full-time**

*Shorthand is an optional subject.

**Full-time is based on approx 20-30 hours a week

This Diploma can take a little as 15 weeks to complete, although you do have up to a year to finish

Speak to one of our friendly course advisors today to discuss how you can get the skills for a rewarding job as an Executive PA.

Workbooks, course materials and exams are included.
Tutor support is available to students.

Other courses you may be interested in

The Professional Executive PA includes elective introductions for the specialist fields of Legal and Medical Secretary, which can lead to very challenging and rewarding roles. If you’d like to work in one of these specialist fields, please talk to your Pitman Training Course Advisor about our Medical Secretary Plus Diploma and Legal Secretary Diploma.