Personal assistant apprenticeships - where to start
You can get into this job through
a university course
a college course
an apprenticeshipworking your way into the rolespecialist courses run by private training organisations
University
You could do a business-related foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree.
You'll usually need 1 or 2 A-Levels, or the equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma. But for a degree you'll need 2 to 3 A-Levels, or the equivalent.
College
You could take a college qualification to help you get a job as a junior personal assistant. Courses include a Level 2 Certificate in Business Support or a Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration.
You'll usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a Level 2 course. You normally have to have 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or the equivalent, for a Level 3 course.
Apprenticeship
You could do a Level 2 (intermediate) or a Level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship in business administration before working your way up to a personal assistant position.
You'll usually need some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, for a Level 2 apprenticeship. Additionally, for a Level 3 apprenticeship you'll need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or the equivalent, including English and maths.
Work
You could find a temporary job to get administration experience. You could then apply for permanent roles.
If you're already working as an administrator or secretary, you could become a personal assistant through company training and promotion.
To get work, you'll usually need GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths, A-Levels, or equivalent qualifications.
Other Routes
You could do training courses with a private training provider or through a professional body like the Institute of Administrative Management.
Personal assistant apprenticeships - what it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- administration skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- to be flexible and open to change
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of English language
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Personal assistant apprenticeships - what you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- screen telephone calls and handle enquiries
- organise your manager's diary and make appointments
- deal with letters and emails
- arrange meetings
- organise and maintain office systems
- take notes at meetings
- make travel arrangements
- look after visitors
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Career path and progression - Personal assistant apprenticeships
With experience, you could move to a larger company or work for a more senior manager.
You could also move into an executive assistant (EA) role with more responsibility.