UPDATE
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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
UPDATE
INSIDE
What is an EA star? . . . . . . . 2
A CEO shares his views on the most
important attributes
Admin moves to management . 3
Aurora F. Bonin's toolbox still
serves her well
Certification: Worth it? . . . . . 5
CAP holders share their thoughts
and experiences
Collaboration: 7 insights . . . . . 6
Silo mentality can restrict an
organization's potential
Continued on page 4
IAAP revises certification
By George Pearson
Changing workplace demands
on administrative professionals
are causing their professional
organizations to re-evaluate and
retool their professional development
activities.
In July, Administrative Assistant's
Update reported that the Canadian-
based Association of Administrative
Assistants (AAA) had identified four
core competencies to underpin its
Qualified Administrative Assistant
designation. Technology figured
heavily in the AAA's reassessment of
competencies and included computer
skills, Internet research, live and
virtual meetings, social media and
website management. Leadership
and management were also
prominent among the competencies.
In identifying and emphasizing
core competencies, AAA is seeking
to raise the profile of the QAA
designation, which it confers through
a co-operative arrangement with 30
Canadian colleges and universities.
Now the International Association
of Administrative Professionals
(IAAP), a United States-based
organization with about a thousand
Canadian members (out of a total of
12,000), has announced an updated
exam for its Certified Administrative
Professional (CAP) designation
beginning in 2016.
IAAP, like the AAA, is placing
more emphasis on development
of skills related to technology,
particularly the use of social media,
according to Barbara Weathers,
manager of certification for IAAP,
Later
retirement a
new reality
A recent poll by the Canadian
Payroll Association found that 35
per cent of those surveyed expect
to work longer than they planned
five years ago, pushing their likely
retirement age to 63 from 58.
Of those aged 50 or older, 48 per
cent say they have less than one
quarter of what they need to retire.
"Payroll professionals can
help by setting up automatic
deductions from an employee's
paycheque to a savings plan or
retirement program," advises
Edna Stack, chair of the Canadian
Payroll Association.
For more details, go to
www.payroll.ca.
DECEMBER 2015
Credit: vectorkat/Shutterstock
Certified
Administrative
Professional
