Are project and business management courses still relevant?

Are project and business management courses still relevant?

When you enrol in project or business management courses you invest not only your valuable time, but also your hard-earned money to obtain a qualification that some people believe is no longer relevant. Is this still true?

Historically, this belief is certainly correct, and in some respects, it’s still true today. As you may well have experienced, there are managers who have never taken any management courses and have no formal qualifications; they have achieved their positions through hard work and an accumulation of skills, which over the years have become very relevant to their current positions.

So why should you bother investing in business or project management courses?

Well, whilst a degree or formal qualification is not always necessary, in a highly competitive market place it can become essential, as it makes you a more desirable candidate. Essentially, business management courses provide an edge in a competitive market and since many courses include work experience, they also help new graduates to get a foot in the door.

Are online management courses best for you?

The benefits of online business or project management courses are that you have more flexibility in your courses and you can learn at your own pace. On the other hand, when you attend an institution in-person, you must attend classes at set times and on specific days and your choice of courses is restricted by your chosen institution.

Today, with our lives busier and more stressful than ever, it’s vital that your study fits around your existing routines and events. With online courses, you have the flexibility to squeeze study in at any time and location of your choice.

Availability of project or business management courses online

Most online management courses are at the certificate or advanced certificate level, but since they are very affordable, you can achieve a portfolio that is specifically tailored to your career. The alternative is to attend an institution where degrees are composed of set units or modules, many of which might not be relevant to your chosen career.

A degree for example, will take you three years to complete, but in those three years you could have put together a formidable portfolio of business management courses that help you to achieve your career goals in a much shorter time frame.

To find out how our online courses can further your career, call Australian Online Courses on 1300 76 2221 or send us an email.

How to select the best online small business courses

Online small business courses have become very popular over the past few years, mainly because an increasing number of employees want to upskill. Maybe you are returning to work after a period away and feel that you want to update your skills? Maybe you want to give yourself a better chance of a promotion, broaden your skills or even learn a new skill?

At Australian Online Courses, we acknowledge that learning new skills can help you to achieve your career goals, but despite the convenience of online courses, their quality has often been questioned. In general, low retention and completion rates of many online small business courses are a consequence of poor quality courses, using outdated teaching methods.

More specifically, many online courses in Australia aren’t current or don’t give students the opportunity to learn “real world” skills, which can deepen their understanding and enhance their learning.

If you’re searching for the right online small business courses to help further your career, here are three tips to make your search more successful:

  1. Find project-based courses: Old school online courses encourage students to be passive by reading texts or watching videos and then writing an essay or answering multi-choice questions. Project-based learning however, encourages students to be more active, using all of their skills to solve complex problems and expanding their knowledge as they progress through the problem. This type of active, in-depth learning is a hallmark of more progressive online courses in Australia and is proving to be very popular with students of all ages.
  2. Expand your horizons: While it’s very important to improve the skills required in your current role, if you want to gain promotion or move to a different role, you may need to learn completely new skills. With the wide range of specialised online courses in Australia, you’ll want to choose a course which helps you progress towards your long-term career objectives.
  3. Think practically: Too many online small business courses don’t actually prepare students for working in the real world, because the courses are not highly focussed on specific marketable skills. For example, when you are returning to work or, as mentioned above, applying for a promotion, you’ll be competing with people who have a broad set of similar skills; online courses that teach highly focused, market relevant skills make you a more competitive candidate.

At Australian Online Courses, all our online small business courses are founded on the three learning principles outlined above. To discuss your needs with a learning consultant, call us on 1300 76 2221 or send us an email.

Do You Write, Right? 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid

It’s no secret that poorly written communication is bad for business and mistakes are costly. But getting it right is hard.

To ensure your writing is correct, concise, easy to understand and targeted towards your audience follow the advice of Lyndall Guinery-Smith of The Professional Writer who shares the most common business writing mistakes.

 

  1. Failing to Plan and Outline

Before you start writing, plan your topic and the main points you want to make. This ensures you have clear direction and as a result your writing will be succinct and on point.

 

  1. Not Thinking About Your Reader

The most important thing is to consider your reader. After all, you’re writing the document for them, aren’t you? Who will be reading your document? What level of understanding of the topic do they have? What questions do you need to answer for them?

You should consider the knowledge, experience, reading ability and level of interest of your readers and use appropriate language.

 

  1. Using Jargon or Buzz Words

Unless your reader is part of your industry, they may not be familiar with your industry terms and the jargon you use. Ensure you use language the everyday person will understand.

 

  1. Not Correcting Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

These not only make a document or advertising copy difficult to read, they can make you look unprofessional and inefficient. It’s often difficult to see your own errors, so ask someone to read your writing before submitting it or hitting print.

 

  1. Typos

This is another avoidable issue which can make you look unprofessional. You can’t always rely on your spelling and grammar checker. To ensure the accuracy of your communication have a colleague check your work before sending it out.

 

  1. Paragraph After Paragraph of Text

Keep paragraphs short, sharp and to the point. Use headings, bullet points or numbered lists to break up text and insert images where appropriate. This makes your copy more reader-friendly and will keep your audience engaged. This is particularly important for online content as readers spend less time with screens.

 

  1. Using Too Many Different Fonts

Using a larger font for a heading is fine, but try not to use more than two different fonts throughout your advertisement or document if you want to make a good impression.

 

  1. Being Too Wordy

No one wants, or has the time, to wade through copious amounts of text. If you can convey your message in fewer words, do it! Your readers will thank you for it. Try adding a link or email address for further questions. This provides a further opportunity to engage with the reader and enhance their understanding of the topic.

 

  1. Forgetting to Use Images or Diagrams

Images and diagrams can enhance the reader’s understanding of your topic and help to break up chunks of text. It’s a good idea to use at least one image per page where appropriate.

 

  1. Not Tying into Your Brand

Any advertisement or document is an opportunity to reinforce your brand by portraying your company’s “brand essence” or approach to business. You should also use your brand colours, font or logo, plus any appropriate imagery.

 

Australian Online Courses

Australian Online Courses offers a range of writing courses to give you the confidence to write professionally for a variety of mediums.

Our comprehensive array of courses, developed in consultation with industry experts, will give you the skills and knowledge to pursue new roles or enhance your C.V for career advancement.

Our flexible study timeframes, affordable prices and unmatched customer support from our administration team and tutors are at the heart of what we do.

A state-of-the-art eLearning platform means you can study anywhere, anytime. So, sign up with Australian Online Courses today and get the skills and confidence to acquire a career you love.

 

Looking for Writing Courses?

Certificate of Business Writing & Communication

Introduction to Grant Writing

Certificate of Technical Writing

Certificate of Freelance Writing

Dental Study Something to Smile About

Have you considered a career as Dental Assistant?

As a Dental Assistant, you provide chair-side and administrative assistance to dentists to ensure dental procedures run smoothly and efficiently. Your role involves providing a high level of patient care and comfort as well as assisting with reception duties when not involved in clinical procedures.

There is a lot to smile about when it comes to a career as a Dental Assistant. First, your work hours are regular and don’t usually infringe on weekends, with work hours generally scheduled from Monday to Friday.

Dental Assistants are also in-demand with plentiful job opportunities and the profession is recession-proof – after all, we can’t do without good oral hygiene.

Dental Assistants also enjoy good income and comfortable working conditions.  Your work environment is an indoor medical environment, either in the clinical setting or reception rooms.

As this job is in the health industry, you’re also involved in a helping profession, which adds to increased job satisfaction.

So, if you have good communication skills, a positive attitude, a caring disposition and can multitask, why not consider this rewarding and flexible career option?

Take a look at the Certificate of Dental Reception and Office Administration at Australian Online Courses and take the first step towards your career as a Dental Assistant today.

Bespoke Courses Now Offered – Design Your Own Course

Australian Online Courses now gives you the opportunity to create your own course by selecting from hundreds of business, ICT, hospitality, tourism, travel, financial services and logistics units offered exclusively online.

The chance to tailor your professional development course to suit your career direction and interests means your study is as unique as you are. There’s never been a better time to learn new business, hospitality, finance, logistics or ICT skills.

So contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today and discover how you can chart your own course for a new direction.

Customised Programs Now Available

Certificate of Business (Customised Program)

Certificate of Tourism and Hospitality (Customised Program)

Certificate of Transport and Logistics (Customised Program)

 

 

New Online Psychology Course

Are you interested in what makes people tick? Pursue your interest in human behaviour and build your career in psychology with the Introduction to Psychology.

Whether you wish to launch a psychology career or acquire an understanding of psychology to complement your current role, the Introduction to Psychology will give you the foundation knowledge for a deeper understanding of human behaviour.

This comprehensive program will explore the following areas:

  • Psychological science
  • Research and statistics
  • Biological psychology
  • Human development
  • Psychology theories
  • Psychological disorders
  • Psychology therapies
  • Sensation, perception, and consciousness
  • Learning and conditioning
  • Cognition and intelligence
  • And much more

Click here to view the full course outline

New Online Technical Writing Course

Looking to add to your repertoire of writing skills? Australian Online Courses is excited to announce its new online course Certificate of Technical Writing.

So, if you’d like to learn how to break complex processes and diagrams into simpler terms for written documents then the lucrative field of technical writing might be for you.

If you work in a technical field this course is the perfect professional development course to improve your writing skills.

There’s no shortage of projects for skilled technical writers, with many businesses requiring this speciality, from schools to universities, government departments and IT companies.

So, take a look at this new online writing course to add to your professional writing skills today.

New Online Certificate of Human Resources Management Course

New Course: Online Certificate of Human Resources Management Course. Discover how to shape the HR strategic direction of an organisation. Learn how to develop, implement and maintain a strategic approach to managing human resources.

Unit 1 – Manage human resource services

Unit 2 – Manage remuneration and employee benefits

Unit 3 – Manage recruitment selection and induction processes

Unit 4 – Manage mediation processes

Unit 5 – Manage workforce planning

Unit 6 – Manage employee relations

Unit 7 – Develop and manage performance management processes

Unit 8 – Manage human resources strategic planning

Unit 9 – Manage separation or termination

Click here to view the full course outline

 

The top courses that will get you into a job

The job market has changed dramatically in the past decade, with areas such as aged care, social media and logistics really coming to the fore. For job-seekers, this means there are new and exciting career opportunities which can be accessed without going to university. Flexible online courses are available, allowing you to acquire industry-approved skills while you study anywhere and at any time.

So what courses are in demand with employers? Here are 9 of the best:

  1. Certificate of Medical Reception and Office Administration
  2. Certificate of Legal Administration (Paralegal)
  3. Certificate of Procurement and Contract Management
  4. Certificate of Aged Care
  5. Certificate of Visual Merchandising
  6. Certificate of Social Media Marketing
  7. Certificate of Payroll
  8. Certificate of Medical Business Administration
  9. Certificate of Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Click here to view all our available courses:- australianonlinecourses.com.au

 

Highly Skilled Paralegals Courting Career Success

As clients put pressure on law firms to minimise costs, the role of trained paralegals has never been more important, or rewarding.

Paralegals are the heartbeat of law firms – and the exciting news for them is that their role appears set to become increasingly important in the years to come.

For the uninitiated, paralegals work in private law firms, government agencies or corporate legal offices and handle a diverse range of administrative and research duties under the supervision of lawyers. Investigating the facts of legal cases in preparation for court cases, organising and maintaining legal files, managing schedules with witnesses, and accompanying lawyers to the courthouse – these are among the day-to-day duties of paralegals. In short, they are an invaluable resource for firms.

Important resource

There is a definite trend towards greater use of paralegals for the delivery of legal services. Due to a desire to limit legal fees, more and more clients are demanding the use of paralegals to complement the work of high-priced lawyers when possible. Heavy case-loads have also created more opportunities for paralegals.

Acknowledging this trend, Australian Online Courses offers a market-leading course that gives budding paralegals all the skills they need to forge a wonderful career in the legal sector. The Certificate of Legal Administration – Paralegal is a professional development program which gives graduates the skills and knowledge required to work as a paralegal, legal secretary or administrator in a legal environment.

The course teaches students how to use legal terminology, draft legal correspondence, maintain records for time and legal disbursements and apply principles of confidentiality in the legal office. The topics cover areas such as:

  • roles and responsibilities in the legal system
  • legal practice and legislation
  • legal firm policies and procedures
  • file documentation
  • court etiquette
  • legal language
  • legal searches
  • court policies and procedures
  • legal confidentiality and security
  • legal codes of conduct.

Focus on skills

While not all paralegals require a college degree or participation in a certificate course, those with higher qualifications generally have the best career prospects.

The paralegal profession is highly competitive and there is an interesting variety of specific fields from which to choose. These include litigation, wills, real estate and tax. The Certificate of Legal Administration – Paralegal provides a comprehensive range of skills and is delivered completely online via Australian Online Courses’ acclaimed e-learning system, giving students the flexibility to study anywhere and at any time. Students can complete the course, which takes about 340 hours, at their own pace.

With competitive salaries and the chance to work at some of the best law firms, government agencies and corporations in the country, getting advanced paralegal training can set students up for a fulfilling career. Why wait?

View the Certificate of Legal Administration (Paralegal)

 For details on the great range of courses available at Australian Online Courses, view our course catalogue.

 

5 Secrets to Better Time Management in the Workplace

Time is precious in our busy workplaces and following these tips will help ensure you are maximising the productivity of your day.

  1. Plan your day … every day

You know the drill – you get into work, check your emails and you are then dictated to for the rest of the day by your inbox. The upshot is that you get caught up with other people’s agendas and neglect your priorities.

Instead, use the first 15 to 20 minutes of every day to plan your day and don’t start other work until your plan is in place. To-do lists are important and digital tools such as MS Outlook and Google Tasks can assist with synchronising emails, calendars and jobs.

Tackling the easier things on your to-do list first often makes sense because crossing things off your list creates a sense of accomplishment and momentum. But make sure that the more complicated projects are not always pushed to the back of the line.

  1. Have an action plan … and follow it

It’s one thing to have a to-do list, but some people focus too much on the list itself and not enough on following up and scheduling when tasks must start and finish. Setting a definite schedule gives you peace of mind and also let others who are working simultaneously on projects know that there is a deadline. That brings us to delegating or outsourcing. Many workers are trying to juggle a multitude of tasks that should never been on their to-do list in the first place. Learn how to assign jobs to your peers. 

  1. Switch off email and social media … now

Email and social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram are wonderful tools for communication and generating business, but they can be very distracting. So control them rather than letting them control you. Try checking your emails once in the morning, once after lunch and once before you leave the office. This allows you to respond promptly to important issues while actually getting work done. Likewise, limit your time on social media unless you are specifically using them to ramp up business.

  1. Avoid unnecessary meetings … or keep them short

Meetings can take up an enormous amount of workers’ time, yet many lack a purpose, stray off the agenda and run over schedule. If you must have a meeting, try to keep it as short as possible and don’t schedule it for an hour if it is likely to require only 40 minutes because it will inevitably drag on to fill the allotted time. If possible, schedule meetings at your offices rather than travelling to other venues – this can be a real-time-saver.

  1. Ignore meaningless tasks … and know when to call time on a project

The truth is that some jobs are a waste of time, and they are done simply because of habit and poor management. Be objective about some of your tasks and whether they are truly valuable. It is also important to know when an important project has been successfully completed and to avoid the temptation to continue working on it in search for perfection. Stop and move on.

Great Study Apps to Help You Get The Assignment Done

Every student knows that gadgets and technology can lead to time-wasting and derail study plans, but there are some great apps that can actually help you. Here are some of the best.

National Library of Australia Catalogue (and Trove)

Information is king for students – and this app delivers. Trove is an online library database containing an enormous amount of content from Australian libraries, museums, archives and research groups, making it an ideal web-based tool when doing your research for assignments. An app offshoot, the National Library of Australia Catalogue, lets you search the collection on your mobile.

iStudiez Pro

Getting organised is half the battle with study and iStudiez Pro will let you do just that. It can help you manage busy schedules and track assignments and other projects. Why not colour-code your work schedules and store information in this intelligent app? Best of all, it can send you notifications before assignments or deadlines are due, so there’s no excuse for not getting the job done.

 Dictionary.com

Words, words, words – they are crucial for assignments and Dictionary.com has about 2 million definitions on its mobile app to ensure you use the right ones. The main app is free and gives you features such as a search history, synonyms, antonyms and a thesaurus. If you need more, you can pay for extras such as a medical dictionary and an encyclopaedia.

Google Drive

We all know about the Google web browser, but its range of apps and assorted tools is also huge. Google Drive is one of them, allowing users to draw diagrams, take notes and create spreadsheets and presentations. You can keep all this in the cloud and access it online or through a mobile device at any time. It’s free, too; all you need is a Gmail account.

EasyBib

Everyone hates doing bibliographies for assignments – and this is where EasyBib becomes your best friend. This app helps you format references in any one of thousands of citation styles. Just take your pick. Type in the name of a book and EasyBib gives you options to choose from and then makes a citation for you. It’s even possible to take a picture of a book’s bar code and generate a citation for it. Easy as!

SimpleMind

Some students really have trouble visualising their approach to assignments and information gathering. Enter SimpleMind, a mind-mapping tool. Rather than just writing down your thoughts, you can brainstorm and then capture your thoughts with digital diagrams.

And last but not least … RescueTime

RescueTime helps you stop wasting time on social media or other non-study activities. This productivity-enhancing app tracks the time you spend on activities and then sends you reports and data while blocking offending websites if you spend too much time on them. Every student needs this!

 

For details on the great range of courses available at Australian Online Courses, view our course catalogue. 

 

The 10 Most Common Questions (and our Answers) About Online Study

If you have not tried online education before, there are some considerations to weigh up before starting a course. Here are some of the key questions that are often raised.

1. How do I know if online education is the right fit for me?
External study is not an easy option. You will typically require motivation and a degree of self-discipline to study online and get the most out of your courses. If you enjoy working at your own pace and do not need the support of group learning, online study is a feasible choice.

2. Isn’t studying on a campus a better option?
Sure, if you want to battle the traffic and be locked into set times for lectures. The truth is that traditional and online educators offer a superb range of courses. The advantage of going online is the convenience of being able to study anywhere (a home office, your bedroom or a cafe) and anytime (after work or when the children have gone to bed). Of course, if you want to be a doctor or surgeon, university is a must. For others, online courses make sense.

3. Which online educator should I choose?
Do your homework! Ensure that the provider has a strong reputation (testimonials are a starting point) and offers industry-approved courses. Make sure they have a reliable technology platform and an ongoing commitment to administrative and educational support.

4. Will online courses resonate with employers?
The short answer is ‘yes’ – if you choose a reputable provider. More and more employers understand the benefits of web-based skills development and see students who enrol in courses as self-starters. All AOC programs, for instance, are recognised by employers, including government departments, which means they are of real value to students.

5. What sort of technology and IT skills do I need?
Basic email and computer skills, including having the ability to download documents and PDFs, are all that is needed for most online courses. Courses and study material are available at the click of a mouse.

6. What is needed to be a successful online learner?
Having a firm career goal helps because it gives students the extra motivation and drive to succeed. Time-management and organisational skills certainly help, while adequate writing skills enable students to express their ideas and knowledge.

7. Can I get easy access to administrators and tutors?
Make sure, in advance, that your education provider offers access to unlimited support from its administration team, tutors and support services via email, live chat or telephone. Tutors should be available seven days a week to help you with assignments.

8. How long do online courses take to complete?
This will vary depending on the course. One of the key benefits of online learning is that you can customise your course to fit your schedule and lifestyle. Providers such as AOC do not set iron-clad deadlines for the completion of studies. This is not to encourage procrastination; rather it reflects the fact that most students are juggling multiple commitments.

9. What are the most popular courses?
Business administration, accounting and management subjects are among the most popular online courses because they can lead to jobs in a wide range of disciplines. Technology-related courses are also in demand, along with sales and marketing studies and healthcare skills.

10. What happens when I graduate?
First, you deserve a celebration – and then you can chase your dream job. AOC graduates get a certificate of completion at the relevant level (Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Diploma) when they finish a course.

For details on the great range of courses available at Australian Online Courses, view our course catalogue.

New Course: Introduction to Occupational and Organisational Psychology

Whether you work in human resources, are a business owner or have an interest or desire to work as an organisational psychologist, this course will teach you how to apply psychological principles in the workplace.

The Introduction to Occupational and Organisational Psychology is an online professional development program that will provide you with the psychological knowledge and skills required to improve organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life in organisations.

In this online organisational psychology course you will learn how to improve the performance of teams and individuals and how to increase effectiveness and productivity in the workplace. You will learn how to apply psychological theories to the recruitment process, discover theories of motivation and manage workplace stress and aggression.

On completion of this course you will have gained the competencies required to effectively analyse organisations and their people and devise strategies to recruit, motivate, develop and inspire change.

View Course Outline

New Course: Develop Emotional Intelligence

Develop Emotional Intelligence is an online professional development course that will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to develop and apply emotional intelligence for personal and career success.

Course Topics

  • Understanding Emotional Intelligence (EI)
  • Self and Social Awareness
  • Expressing Emotions
  • Empathy
  • Reasoning Skills
  • Managing Your Emotions
  • Self-Regulation
  • Relationship Management
  • Social Skills
  • Motivation
  • Measuring EI/EQ
  • Developing EI
  • Managing Stress and Conflict
  • EI in the Workplace
  • EI Assessments
  • Stress and Resilience
  • Stress Management Techniques

Click here to view the course outline

Updated Course: Certificate of Financial Management

The Certificate of Financial Management is an online professional development course designed to provide you with knowledge of financial management as it applies to the environment of business and finance. Throughout this course you will gain the knowledge required to analyse and report on a broad range of financial and business performance information and encompasses assessing clients’ needs, whether internal or external, analysing data, preparing financial management advice and delivering financial reports to meet organisational objectives.

Click here to view the course outline

New Online Executive/Personal Assistant Course

The Executive Assistant Program is an online professional development program that will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to develop your career as an Executive or Personal Assistant. Throughout this course you will learn how to communicate effectively, how to manage yourself and others and how to implement strategies for your career success. You will learn how to establish and meet work priorities, organise schedules and meetings, diary management, organise travel and design and develop business documentation. At the end of this course you will maximise your communication effectiveness, improve your time management and develop your professional competence as an Executive or Personal Assistant.

Click here to view the Course Outline

New Course: Online Touch Typing Certificate

Touch typing is an essential skill for almost every industry but is particularly important for those in administrative and clerical roles.

The Touch Typing Certificate is a short online typing course that will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to develop keyboarding skills with speed and accuracy using touch typing techniques.

A typing test is included; the typing test is carried out under test conditions and is marked according to Australian Standard 2708.

Touch Typing Certificate

New Course: Workplace Diversity for Managers

Workplace Diversity for Managers is an online professional development program that will provide you with the skills knowledge required to develop, foster and implement diversity within work teams. This online diversity management course will teach you how to promote the benefits of having a diverse workplace and will help you to reinforce the value and benefits of diversity. This course is ideal for all managers and supervisors, or aspiring managers, who work with staff from different cultures, races or religions, as well as those who work and interact with multi-generational teams.

To view the full course outline, please go to: Workplace Diversity for Managers 

 

New Online Recruitment Consultant Training Program

Recruitment Consultant Training Program is designed to give individuals with little or no prior recruitment experience the knowledge, skills and tools to succeed in the exciting and fast paced recruitment industry. This online course for new recruitment consultants is a sales focused program aimed at helping new recruiters build their desk with a focus on new business development.

The course takes students right through the full recruitment process from sales, business development strategies, calling clients, meeting with and presenting to clients, qualifying candidates, screening and interviewing candidates, presenting candidates to clients, presenting opportunities to candidates, negotiating offers, as well as time management. Throughout this online recruitment consulting course you will learn how to develop and implement prospecting strategies to expand your client base, as well as learn how to source and assess candidates and provide services that assist in retention and successful candidate management.

To view the full course outline, please go to: Recruitment Consultant Training Program

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