The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenge for all of us. But while the lockdowns and uncertainty associated with the global crisis has been stressful, the past few years have also provided the opportunity for reassessment when it comes to our careers.
Businesses like hospitality and travel have been adversely affected by Covid-19, and those left wondering what to do next may not feel they have the right skills for other roles.
Others who have been locked down with children over the past few years may be looking for new opportunities now their kids are back at school.
Enter Vision College. The tertiary education provider gives those aged 16 and over the opportunity to upskill, learn the nuts and bolts of business administration and, most importantly of all, gain confidence.
Their New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) (Level 3) is a 20-week programme offering business-focused computer skills, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, business report writing and communications. It's perfect for those wanting to upskill, or gain the skills they need to get back into the workforce.
Best of all, it's free.
Val Lodge is a tutor on the programme. She explains that people of all ages and walks of life have taken the course and found it invaluable: "People gain so much confidence from the course and are able to move into jobs that they didn't have the skills for.
"We get a lot of great feedback from people who have done the course and then moved into new directions in their lives."
The course is both hands-on and flexible. Students work on the computer from day one, and it combines classroom tutorials and self-directed learning through workbooks. Each part of the course is highly practical and relevant to what employers expect from their administration staff.
Students can work onsite around their own schedule, alongside home study. There is also a break for mid-term, which means students with younger children don't have to worry about the expense of school holiday programmes.
Lodge says the course takes the students through a range of practical lessons that can be applied to many jobs – covering such things as creating tables and spreadsheets from scratch, working with advanced equations in Excel, event planning (including in-depth information on working within Covid-19 restrictions) and other important workplace skills.
Men and women of all ages have attended the course and found it extremely useful, not only for their careers, but also for the development of life skills.
"We had a woman who had moved to New Zealand from Japan," says Lodge. "Her motivation was to improve her English language skills at the same time as upskilling. We also had a doctor of audiology, who wanted to learn how to create the forms needed in his work."
Vision College offer the NZ Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) at their campuses in Auckland, Pukekohe, Hamilton and Christchurch. There are rolling intakes for the programme, with the next intake in May. There is strict adherence to all Covid-19 rules, with social distancing and sanitisation of workstations.
The course is fully funded, which offers people who may have been struggling the opportunity to upskill for no cost – and it can make a huge difference to the lives of people who may have not had the confidence to apply for jobs requiring computer or other technical office skills.
"One of our students was a very shy 17-year-old who had no confidence in herself," says Lodge. "By the end of the course, she was quite bubbly and self-assured. It's so satisfying being able to help people gain skills, grow their confidence, and move into good jobs."
For more information about Vision College, click here. Information about the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) can be found here, or click here to enrol.