My goodness – It’s a full house!.... and if I’ve ever been afraid of public speaking, today that fear should be forever gone.----
Thank you all for being here and thank you Rosemary Parr at the Global PA Association for inviting me, and Birkbeck for kindly hosting us. I am here to help them raise the profile of our profession and promote Birkbeck's newly lauched course - CertHE in Management for Personal Assistants - in partnership with the Global PA Association. What an honour.
And talking about breaking
barriers, by the way, you won’t believe the speed with which this event had filled up.
It took only two or three days to reach its full capacity…… it just shows how
important initiatives like these are to our profession.
More often than I would like, I hear people making assumptions about the PA role - they say it's just a stepping stone to get into a company and quickly move on to something more ‘serious’ - don't get me wrong: nothing against being ambitious and getting promoted; it is commendable.
But this is also a double edged
argument. On the one hand PAs can and should progress into any job like
everyone else; on the other hand, in my view, it could undermine the profession
and those who choose to be in the Admin profession. The point I would like to
make here is that there are many outstanding PAs and EAs out there, by choice,
who have chosen this career, and who believe that their role is as crucial, as
respectable, as professional and as credible as any other profession. Some of
those examples are right here today – you've just heard from brilliant Award-winning
PA, Katrina and you will shortly hear from amazing Michelle.
We are here today to make a stand
and reinforce that we are at the forefront of any organisation and should be
valued, motivated, supported and granted appropriate training and professional
development – when that happens, the possibilities are endless. Our input is
crucial and we play a key role to the core running of the business – that’s a
fact. As we micro-manage every aspect of the office, with our skills and
valuable knowledge, we can help shape these businesses and make them a better
place to work.
With that in mind, I can proudly
tell you that I AM a Personal Assistant. I love what I do. I am passionate
about doing it, and I DO IT to the best of my ability every single day. I-am
also a firm believer that training and professional development have been
absolutely crucial to my career progression.
For those of you who-may-not-know,
my company is going through a major structural change and of course this
restructure includes a review of the Admin support staff and how it fits-in
when the new structure is in place.
When the process started, I had been
thinking for some time of how to make my role more proactive, innovative, and
also more adaptable to all the changes we were about to undergo.
Coincidently, the kids had also left
for university and I just couldn't see myself (with so much free time) sitting
at home missing the kids....... Having done a module years before at Birkbeck I
remembered being quite impressed with the high quality of teaching and the
flexibility of learning. Only this time they have cleverly introduced a
fast-track Saturday option - which for me as a person who works long hours in
the week fits better than the evenings.
So I went to their website and there
it was, running for the first year (2013/14) a part-time Certificate in Management for PAs – how timely! The course encompasses five modules and three
masterclasses. You may also add-in modules to fit your needs and it should be
completed within four years.
This course touches on everything we
work with and see daily. It helps me understand my boss’s job in a more
engaging way and do my job better.
And I cannot stress enough how much
I have learnt so far and the impact it has had on me personally and
professionally. I am more independent in my judgement and decision making; my
understanding of business is more ample and for once I can actually make sense
of matrixes, models and the thinking behind strategies..... I am definitely more
confident in putting my ideas forward. And I am here today!.... I feel
empowered and I believe that I have a voice and that my views are as influential.
----- using Sheryl Sandberg's motto:
I am Leaning-In and Taking-the-Lead ladies and gentlemen -----
To finish, I would like to say that
I wouldn't have done this without the unconditional support of my boss and the
immeasurable source of inspiration that is Rosemary (a former PA herself). Two
leading women. Two amazing role models. THANK YOU.
I am equally grateful to Birkbeck
for its EXCELLENCE in teaching and for believing in us as a credible fully
integrated profession.
Thank you ALL for your support.
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