The secretary’s job has changed more in the last decade than in the previous fifty years combined — new communication channels, digital tools and faster expectations have reshaped what the role actually demands day to day.

This training course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy helps participants keep pace with that shift: sharpening organisational efficiency, strengthening written and spoken communication, managing time under pressure, and using the technology that now underpins modern secretarial work. Participants finish equipped to handle complex administrative tasks and take on the light leadership responsibilities that come with a more central role in the office.

Who Should Attend?

• Executive secretaries and administrative staff across different organisations.
• Administrative support professionals looking to develop their skills.
• Office staff and managers wanting to strengthen how they organise work and communicate.

Knowledge and Benefits:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Use modern technology effectively in daily office tasks.
• Communicate professionally in writing and speech, in line with modern secretarial needs.
• Manage time and organise work to support organisational goals.
• Apply the knowledge and skills needed to raise their overall efficiency in administrative tasks.
• Build leadership and management capabilities within their secretarial role.

Module 1: Technology and Digital Tools in Modern Secretarial Work

• Modern office applications: email, digital calendars, project management software.
• Online meetings, social media platforms and effective digital correspondence.
• Protecting confidential data and information using modern technology.

Module 2: Time Under Control

• Techniques for managing time and building an effective daily schedule.
• Prioritising tasks by importance and urgency, and reducing distraction.
• Staying calm, focused and productive under pressure.

Module 3: Communication That Gets Things Done

• Effective communication with internal teams, clients and suppliers.
• Writing professional reports, emails and formal correspondence.
• Active listening and professional handling of phone calls, including difficult ones.

Module 4: Running Effective Meetings

• Preparing for meetings professionally and leading discussions effectively.
• Presentation skills within meetings.

Module 5: Organising the Office

• Scheduling appointments and organising tasks.
• Professional document and correspondence management.
• Coordinating meetings and organisational events.

Module 6: Leadership, Negotiation and Conflict

• Small leadership skills, and managing time and resources in the office.
• Negotiating with internal and external parties, and resolving conflict while preserving relationships.
• Dealing with difficult personalities in the workplace.

Module 7: Growing in the Role

• The secretary’s role and core tasks in today’s workplace, and the challenges that come with it.
• The importance of continuous training and building personal efficiency.
• What it takes to become a more developed secretary in a modern work environment.