Office Assistant, Introduction

Certificate of Completion

Program #3P44472

The Office Assistant, Introduction certificate is designed, as the first level in a series of certificate options, to prepare students for entry-level office and administrative support in a variety of job positions, including general office clerks, retail salesperson, customer service representatives, receptionist, and information clerks

Students can be expected to learn the following: basic oral and written communications; basic computer application skills, including beginning Excel, Word, and Outlook; fundamentals of computer systems; and critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students completing this program will be eligible to take the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook and the IC3 Digital Literacy certification after completing OTEC 301 Digital Literacy Preparation Digital Literacy Preparation.

To earn a certificate, students complete the required and elective courses as listed with a grade of P (pass). The exception is for WFPR 100 Career Skills and Resource Lab and/or WFPR 101 Virtual Career Skills and Resource Lab courses. If one of these two courses is chosen as the elective, it must be completed with at least 36 hours. For programs/courses that allow credit for prior learning, at least 75% of all course work must be completed at North Orange Continuing Education. (Contact the CTE Office to learn more about which courses offer credit for prior learning).

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Core Courses (114 Hours)
COMP 685	Computer Keyboarding - Beginning	36
OTEC 100	Office Essentials	24
OTEC 105	Microsoft Outlook Fundamentals	12
BMGR 415	Written Communication-Business	18
OTEC 110	Business Math for Office Technology	24
Required Option (Hours 72-96)
Must select Option 1 or Option 2		72-96
OPTION 1
OTEC 216	Windows and Word for Business	36
OTEC 217	Excel for Business	36
OPTION 2
OTEC 215	Computer Concepts and Applications IBEST	96
Required Electives Courses (36-63 Hours)
Must choose 1 of 2 Courses		36-63
WFPR 100	Career Skills and Resource Lab	36
WFPR 101	Virtual Career Skills and Resource Lab	36
Optional Elective
OTEC 301	Digital Literacy Preparation	27
Total Hours		222-273

Plan of Study

Option 1

First Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
COMP 685	36	BMGR 415	18
OTEC 100	24	OTEC 110	24
OTEC 105	12	OTEC 217	36
OTEC 216	36
	108		78
Second Year
First Semester	Hours
WFPR 100, 101, or 105	36
	36
Total Hours 222

Option 1 with Optional Elective

First Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
COMP 685	36	BMGR 415	18
OTEC 100	24	OTEC 110	24
OTEC 105	12	OTEC 217	36
OTEC 216	36
	108		78
Second Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
WFPR 100, 101, or 105	36	OTEC 301	27
	36		27
Total Hours 249

Option 2

First Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
COMP 685	36	BMGR 415	18
OTEC 100	24	OTEC 215	96
OTEC 105	12
OTEC 110	24
	96		114
Second Year
First Semester	Hours
WFPR 100, 101, or 105	36
	36
Total Hours 246

Option 2 with Optional Elective

First Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
COMP 685	36	BMGR 415	18
OTEC 100	24	OTEC 215	96
OTEC 105	12
OTEC 110	24
	96		114
Second Year
First Semester	Hours	Second Semester	Hours
WFPR 100, 101, or 105	36	OTEC 301	27
	36		27
Total Hours 273

List of Courses

BMGR 415 18 Hours Written Communication-Business

Provides extensive hands-on experience with all types of written business communications including letters, resumes, cover letters, memos, and reports. (Apportionment)

COMP 685 36 Hours Computer Keyboarding - Beginning

Stop hunting and pecking at the keyboard with this short course. Learn the keyboard layout to build speed and accuracy. Course covers proper technique at the computer keyboard as well as 10-key keyboarding. Textbook Required. (Apportionment)

OTEC 100 24 Hours Office Essentials

A course that prepares students for an entry-level position in an office. Includes units on the office environment, becoming a professional, work ethics, and several elements of customer service. Textbook Required. (Apportionment)

OTEC 105 12 Hours Microsoft Outlook Fundamentals

This course introduces students to Microsoft Outlook. Students will learn how to organize and manage emails, schedule appointments, create and manage task and contact records, and customize Outlook. (Apportionment)

OTEC 110 24 Hours Business Math for Office Technology

Provides coverage of personal and business-related mathematics as well as reviewing the basic operations of arithmetic. (Apportionment)

OTEC 215 96 Hours Computer Concepts and Applications IBEST

This course introduces fundamental workforce skills in computers and information processing, hardware, system software; networks, security, and privacy; troubleshooting and maintenance; application software; the Internet, digital ethics and awareness, cloud computing, Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel. It also prepares students for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) and IC3 Digital Literacy certifications. (Apportionment)

OTEC 216 Windows and Word for Business

Recommended Preparation: Basic keyboarding skills This course introduces students to fundamental workforce skills necessary to succeed in an office environment: Windows operating system and Microsoft Word. This is the first of three courses (OTEC 216, 217, 218) and prepares students for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification. (Apportionment)

OTEC 217 Excel for Business

Advisory: Completion of OTEC 216 Windows and Word for Business.

This is the second course in a series of three courses (OTEC 216, 217, 218) that serves as a foundation for working in the office environment and focuses on the entry level skills students need to succeed in the workforce. Part II introduces students to fundamental workforce skills in Microsoft Excel. The course series will also help prepare students for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) and IC3 Digital Literacy certifications. (Apportionment)

OTEC 301 Digital Literacy Preparation

One of four courses that prepares learners for the IC3 Digital Literacy Certification exam. This course not only validates a learners' ability to do more than simply consume technology, it enables them to comprehend the possibilities and form the foundational set of skills necessary to support our modern digital economy. This course covers Level 1 certification: foundational understanding of computer hardware, software, operating systems, peripherals, and troubleshooting. (Apportionment)

WFPR 100 18-180 Hours Career Skills and Resource Lab

Free, flexible scheduling to complete and receive help on homework and training on computer, industry related and employability skills. (Apportionment)

WFPR 101 36 Hours Virtual Career Skills and Resource Lab

Lab designed for online students to have access to seminars, assistance, and resources related to Career Technical Education and/or employment skills. (Apportionment)