Administrative Assistant's Update

UPDATE PM #40065782 P R O F E S S IO N A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O R C A N A DA' S O F F IC E S U P P O R T S TA F F Administrative Assistant's JULY 2015 UPDATE INSIDE New editor for AAU . . . . . . . . 2 George Pearson takes the reins from long-time editor Joyce Grant Travel planning tips . . . . . . . . 4 Develop a profi le form for travelling executives Staying focused . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Train your brain to handle potential distractions Listen fi rst, act later . . . . . . . . 7 Careful listening infl uences how others respond to you Continued on page 3 AAA seeks to raise profi le of its QAA certifi cation Fed employee fi nds QAA 'a big plus' By Jennifer Lewington An administrative assistant with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Patricia Lamoureux performs many tasks to support a manager and a team of economic development offi ces in the federal agency's Peterborough, Ont., offi ce. Her offi cial job description, Program Data Research Assistant, signifi es that she supports a team with a focus on data analysis. In addition to her administrative duties, Lamoureux provides IT support, organizes meetings and video conferences, and produces research for her manager about the impact of FedDev funding. Fluent in English and French, Lamoureux has been an administrative professional for 20 years, the last fi ve at FedDev. Still Lamoureux felt her position "was worth less" than her agency colleagues because, with only two and a half years of university education, she lacked formal credentials. Looking to add value to her profes- sional life, Lamoureux opted in 2011 to earn the Qualifi ed Administrative Assistant designation of the Associa- tion of Administrative Assistants. Working with 30 colleges and universities that offer in-class and online certifi cate programs for administrative professionals, the national organization recognizes graduates with the QAA designation and requires them to recertify every three years. Those who take the program must have at least two years of work experience. In May 2015, Lamoureux was one of a class of 19 – the largest in the 54-year history of AAA – to receive her QAA. "For me it is a big plus on my resume," says Lamoureux who, while working, took three and a half years to complete an online program offered by Durham College. "I never fi nished my university [studies] and I now can say I have a college certifi cate…I don't feel so naked out there." Through a learning program offered at work, Lamoureux had most Report cites mental health as workplace issue A Conference Board of Canada report, Healthy Brains at Work: The Footprint of Mental Health Condi- tions, found the rate of mental health disorders is more than 60 per cent higher among working Cana- dians than the general population, with women, younger workers, and those employed in the services sector "particularly vulnerable" to mental health issues. Mental illness accounts for about 30 per cent of all short-term and long-term disability claims in Canada, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The report is available at www.conferenceboard.ca. Patricia Lamoureux

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