Business Administration QQI Level 5
Course Overview
Students on this course will acquire a broad range of business and computer related skills for work in an administrative/accounts role or to progress to further/higher education. On successful completion of this course students will be awarded a QQI Level 5 Certificate in Business Administration. All students will also complete 60 hours in a work experience placement as part of their studies on this course.
Entry Requirements
No formal qualifications are required. However, applicants must demonstrate a moderate range of knowledge, skills and competencies relevant to the course.
Course Content
- Work Experience 5N1356
- Bookkeeping 5N1354
- Business Administration Skills 5N1610
- Payroll Manual & Computerised 5N1546
- The Internet 5N1611
- Entrepreneurial Skills 5N1951
- Word Processing 5N1358
- Communications 5N0690
- Spreadsheet Methods 5N1977
- Retail Selling 5N1619
Learning Outcomes
The course is structured to provide students with a high standard of training and assessment leading to recognised certification. On successful completion, students will be qualified to apply for roles such as Clerical/Administrative/Front Office/Reception/Personal/Executive Assistant.
Participants will:
- obtain solid practical experience in using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, Teams and Outlook, etc.)
- gain practical experience of employment preparation through creating and updating their CV, interview simulations and 60 hours of work experience
- be able to touch type to a speed of 35 words per minute
- be qualified to obtain positions in professional, financial and public sector employment
- be able to use a range of Digital Media (to produce materials including images, sound and video, for use in the creation of web pages/online publications)
- learn how to create webpages and use the Internet, & social media for business purposes
Course Content
Subjects include:
Business Administration including:
- Different types of business organisations
- Financial Controls
- Insurance and risk management
- Maintaining Business Documentation
- Preparing for Business Meetings to include documentation required
- Administration & Accounting Duties including Functions of an Office
Book-Keeping Manual & Computerised includes:
- Complete the books of first entry
- Post the information from the daybooks
- Extract a trial balance
- Prepare a Bank Reconciliation Statement
- Prepare the end-of-period VAT Returns
- Bookkeeping is undertaken using manual and computerised system
Payroll Manual & Computerised includes:
- Process the payroll for employee(s), using manual and computerised system
- Extract information from completed records to prepare all necessary end-of-period and year-end returns etc. for the Revenue Commissioners
Communications including:
- Research and writing skills
- preparation and practice of public speaking
- develop negotiation skills
- This module also provides the communication skills needed to work on frontline customer relations and examines ways in which Social Media is used in the business environment.
Entrepreneurial Skills including:
Students will gain:
- awareness of the principles of entrepreneurship within a range of business and social innovation environments
- the ability to plan an innovative approach to a particular entrepreneurial problem, task or project, to include identifying required skills, potential obstacles, strategies to handle risk, and coming up with an innovative response to issues/problems that arise
Work Experience including:
Students will develop career planning skills such as:
- Preparation of Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Application
- Assessment of Career Goals/ and techniques for achieving these goals
- Interview Preparation and Simulation
- Research of and Participation in Suitable Work Experience
Retail Selling includes:
- Principles and capabilities of a range of technologies currently utilised in the retail sector to include cash registers, bar code scanners, electronic payment units, security devices, and stock control systems
- Terminology and trends in retail selling
- Current retail legislation and identify key legal responsibilities in relation to employers, employees, customers and product manufactures 2
- Health and safety initiatives aimed at improving safety in a retail environment
- Payment options available to customers in a retail environment
- Retail environments to include self service, online selling and personal service
- How to open or close a sale, to deal with complaints or to present alternative products
- Customer support techniques
- Secure cash handling techniques when dealing with a range of procedures to include refunds, void sales, vouchers, electronic transactions, payment validation, cheques, floats, product exchange and credit notes.
- Customer services policies to include returns, cash and carry, delivery and after sales services
- Dealing with customer feedback
Careers and Progression
Successful completion of the course will enable students to seek work administration, sales or bookkeeping and is a valuable steppingstone to progress to the QQI level 5 Information Processing programme delivered in the Centre.
VTOS
The Vocational Training and Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is designed to prepare you for employment, whether you are changing direction or just starting out. Swinford VTOS offers full-time courses that will help you develop in-demand and practical skills in business, Computer Applications, IT and Office Skills.
The practical and supportive approach to our course delivery makes VTOS the ideal training path for anyone wishing to up-skill for a new job, enter the workforce for the first time or progress to further education.
VTOS Additional Supports
- There are no course fees, and course materials, including the use of a laptop, are provided free of charge.
- Meals and travel allowances are provided.
- Learners in receipt of a payment from DSP will receive an allowance equivalent to their DSP payment, and those under 26 will receive the maximum JA rate of €208 per week.
- Learners returning for a second year will continue to receive their VTOS allowance during the summer months.
- Childcare support is available.
- An Adult Educational Guidance service is provided for all VTOS students.