Two of the UK’s most well-known brands are combining forces to raise the profile of one of the world’s most misunderstood professions as Barclays partners with the UK’s leading PA & Secretarial training provider, Pitman Training, to create free, CPD accredited workshops in Northampton. The next event will be held in Northampton at Barclaycard 1234 Pavilion Drive on Tuesday 6th October, 1pm to 4pm with 25 places available.
The aim of the event is to emphasise what a career as a PA is really like in businesses today, challenge outdated perceptions which surround the profession and educate the next wave of aspiring PAs.
Michelle Robertson, PA to General Counsel for the Personal Banking Legal team at Barclays, and leader of this initiative said: “I believe that opportunity we have to help raise the profile of the PA profession should not be wasted – it is a real skill to do this work well and that should be recognised and acknowledged more widely. This initiative will really help to do this. Not only will this benefit PAs already working in Barclays to develop and evolve as mentors, I hope it will inspire students to join a fast paced, rewarding profession or to find out that there is more to this career choice than they might think.”
Claire Lister, Managing Director at Pitman Training Group commented: “We are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity alongside Barclays as our very practical, hands on approach means attendees can find out very quickly if a career as a PA is for them. We also find it’s really valuable to address preconceptions that can surround this career route as it is a career that is constantly evolving and it’s invaluable for anyone considering it to have insider knowledge of the true remit of the role”.
This event is being held as part of this new initiative is ‘Business Networking for PAs’ through which aspiring PAs will be provided the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the PA industry and get to grips with one of the most fundamental and valued skills of any successful PA; networking. The event will be held in Northampton at Barclaycard 1234 Pavilion Drive on Tuesday 6th October, 1pm to 4pm with 25 places available. Attendees will be able to network with the PA’s to some of Barclays executives and gain valuable insights into what it really takes to become a corporate PA. Following the session there’s an opportunity to take part in an e-learning course, courtesy of Pitman Training.
With just 25 places available, attendance is limited. Anyone who is based in Northampton, and is interested in the PA profession can apply to attend here: www.pa-secretarialcareers.com. The event will provide guests with the opportunity to gain a CPD accredited certificate, which is fantastic recognition for anyone wishing to enter the PA profession. Delegates will also receive a free copy of ‘Executive Secretary Magazine’ – one of the most notable industry publications for PA and admin professionals, along with a gift bag and information on career progression.
Success of the previous courses has since seen PAs at Barclays holding mentoring and work shadowing sessions with interested students, furthermore Barclays has recently opened up a process for Pitman students to apply for a short internship within the Barclays Legal team as an Administrative Assistant. This will not only be of huge benefit to an aspiring PA to be able to learn on the job, it also feeds into Barclays’ commitment to providing people with the right skills to gain Access to Work.
The initiative is also being supported by one of the UK’s largest job boards, keen to drive the PA & Secretarial sector forwards on the back demand from clients. Michael Gentle, Head of Consumer Marketing at Monster UK and Ireland said: “We have over 85,000 new jobs on our site each month and have seen a specific increase in the request for highly skilled, motivated and business driven PAs and administrative staff, who in the post-recession workplace, are now responsible for a much wider-ranging remit of business management projects. This initiative will highlight just one of the many skills required from top level Personal and Executive assistants, and those looking at taking their career further on the back of this event will be urged to visit our site for more advice on beginning this career path.”
