Course Description

The Advanced PA Training Programme is an intensive, skills-focused course designed to equip Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, and Administrative Professionals with the advanced competencies required to support senior leadership in fast-paced, high-demand workplaces.
This programme emphasizes executive support strategies, communication mastery, complex scheduling, event and travel management, and modern technology tools used by high-performing PAs.

Participants will learn to operate confidently at an executive level, manage sensitive information, solve problems proactively, and function as strategic partners to management.

Target Audience

This course is ideal for:

  • Personal Assistants (PAs)
  • Executive Assistants (EAs)
  • Administrative Officers
  • Office Managers
  • Executive Support Staff
  • Anyone preparing for an advanced PA or EA role

Course Duration

3 Days (Face-to-face or Online)
Intensive, skills-based, practical learning with hands-on exercises.

Course Goals

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

✔ Support executives at a strategic and operational level

  • Manage complex calendars, workflows, and priorities
  • Provide decision-making support and anticipate executive needs

✔ Execute high-level communication tasks

  • Write executive-level emails, briefs, reports, and summaries
  • Communicate with diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and professionalism

✔ Manage high-stakes logistics

  • Organize executive travel
  • Coordinate events, meetings, and multi-person schedules

✔ Use modern office technology with confidence

  • Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Collaboration platforms such as Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace
  • Digital file and workflow management tools

✔ Handle confidential information and VIP interactions

  • Apply ethical standards
  • Maintain discretion and protect executive privacy

✔ Solve problems proactively

  • Think ahead and manage risks
  • Anticipate challenges before they escalate

Key Competencies Covered

  • Executive support & gatekeeping
  • High-level communication skills
  • Time & priority management
  • Travel planning and itinerary design
  • Event & meeting coordination
  • Technology proficiency
  • Emotional intelligence (EI)
  • Conflict handling & diplomacy
  • Project support skills

Learning Methods

  • Interactive lectures
  • Case studies and real workplace scenarios
  • Practical exercises (minutes, email drafting, scheduling tasks, etc.)
  • Group discussions
  • Role-play activities
  • Final assessment

Certification

Participants who complete the training receive a Certificate of Competency in Advanced PA Skills.

Day 1 — Advanced Administrative & Executive Support Skills

09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Opening

  • Course overview
  • Setting expectations

09:30 – 10:45 | The Role of the Modern Executive PA

  • High-level executive support
  • Strategic vs. operational PA duties
  • Managing up: working effectively with executives

10:45 – 11:00 | Break

11:00 – 12:30 | Advanced Communication & Business Writing

  • Writing for executives
  • Email strategy & tone
  • Creating professional reports, briefs, and summaries

12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch

13:30 – 15:00 | Calendar, Scheduling & Priority Management

  • Managing complex executive calendars
  • Handling competing priorities
  • Time protection for executives

15:00 – 15:15 | Break

15:15 – 16:30 | Executive Gatekeeping & Handling VIPs

  • Screening calls & visitors
  • Managing confidential information
  • Discretion & diplomacy

Day 2 — Event Coordination, Travel Management & Office Technology

09:00 – 09:15 | Recap

09:15 – 10:45 | Travel Planning & Logistics

  • End-to-end travel management
  • Itinerary creation
  • Risk management for travel

10:45 – 11:00 | Break

11:00 – 12:30 | Event & Meeting Management

  • Organizing high-level meetings
  • Agenda preparation
  • Minute taking (advanced techniques)

12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch

13:30 – 15:00 | Technology for Executive Support

  • Microsoft 365 for PAs (Word, Excel, PPT, Outlook)
  • Productivity apps & automation tools
  • Digital file management systems

15:00 – 15:15 | Break

15:15 – 16:30 | Presentation & Document Design

  • Creating executive-level PowerPoints
  • Formatting professional documents
  • Visual communication basics

Day 3 — Leadership, Emotional Intelligence & Strategic PA Skills

09:00 – 09:15 | Recap

09:15 – 10:45 | Professional Ethics, EI & Workplace Culture

  • Emotional intelligence for PAs
  • Handling conflict
  • Building trust with executives

10:45 – 11:00 | Break

11:00 – 12:30 | Project Coordination for PAs

  • Supporting executive projects
  • Tracking tasks, deadlines, and deliverables
  • Reporting & stakeholder communication

12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch

13:30 – 15:00 | Problem Solving & Decision Support

  • Proactive vs. reactive support
  • Anticipating executive needs
  • Risk & scenario planning

15:00 – 15:15 | Break

15:15 – 16:30 | Final Assessment, Feedback & Certification

  • Practical scenarios
  • Evaluation
  • Certificate handout