05 May Business Skills

When you look through the catalog at the courses offered, you might notice that for a few of the certificate programs, there are requirements listed that don’t, at first, appear to have anything to do with the certification. You might notice that there are skill requirements such as typing skills, math skills, English skills, and computer skills listed for a certification program such as Dental Assistant. There are many reasons why these skills are important to the certification; in most professional careers, there are a number of clerical-type skills that are paramount to success.

Every office and virtually every business rely on computers. And the required programs are oftentimes those designed for office and clerical use; for instance, we don’t always practice with the full suite of Microsoft Office programs unless we work in a setting that relies on them. And there is a wide gap between knowing how to use a computer or a particular program and being proficient enough to use it in a professional setting. Many of the business in need of certified employment don’t always have the time to train basic computer skills.

It’s also extremely important to be skilled at sentence writing. There is a difference between writing a simple sentence and writing a sentence for professional purposes. It’s not necessary to learn the ins and outs of perfect grammar, but it is important to write a sentence beyond the scope of text speak.

Mathematics skills are not vitally important, but the ability to compute simple numbers on a calculator or computer program is important. Math skills tend to wane after leaving school, and a simple refresher on the basics will help to bolster simple mathematics-type skills down the road.

If you have any questions about the courses and certifications currently offered through the Billings Adult Community Education Program, then call the office today.