Specialist for office management
A certified specialist for office management is a publicly recognized qualification at master's level , which is awarded after successfully completing function- related commercial advancement training in accordance with the Vocational Training Act. The nationwide examination takes place on the basis of a special statutory ordinance before the examination board of a Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).
The specialist for office management has replaced the previous advanced training to become a secretary specialist since September 2001 . This job description expired on July 1, 2012. For a transitional period, exams for this professional qualification could still be taken until the end of 2015. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce has been taking exams to become a specialist in office and project organization since 2014 .
Areas of work and tasks
Specialists for office management are qualified to perform high-level assistance and administrative tasks as well as coordination functions in larger secretariats, offices and administrative services. With the increased professional competence and professional experience, they are also able to perform management and control tasks including tasks of area-related training and further education as well as personnel development in their special functional area.
Training content
Certified office management specialists have knowledge, skills and experience that they have generally acquired through relevant vocational training, several years of professional experience and a preparatory course for the examination to become a specialist in office management. The contents are as follows:
- Economics and business administration
- Human Resources and Labor Law
- Information and office management
- Information and communication systems
- Record keeping
- Copywriting
- Wording
Training duration
The DIHK framework plan recommends a total of 610 lessons for advanced training to become a specialist in office management. Public and private educational institutions offer courses for the exams between three and 24 months, both full-time and part-time; However, participation in a course is not compulsory for admission to the examination.
Examination admission requirement
Anyone can be admitted to the examination
- a successfully passed final examination in a recognized commercial or administrative training occupation and then at least two years of professional experience or
- at least five years of professional experience
proves.
In terms of content, professional practice must have significant connections to the tasks of a specialist in office management. To prepare for the exam, training courses are also offered, the duration of which is based on the different functional and management tasks.
Examination and completion
The examination is divided into a written part covering the entire training content and an oral or practical part. The test also includes a 10-minute transcript , in which at least 230 keystrokes per minute must be achieved with an error rate of no more than 0.36%.
After the exam has been successfully passed, the examining Chamber of Commerce and Industry awards the publicly recognized qualification of Certified Specialist for Office Management .
Financial funding opportunities
Participants can apply for benefits through the Advancement Training Assistance Act (“Meister-BAföG”) to support the training costs and examination fees .
Web links
- Further training profile for the IHK qualification Certified specialist for office management / Certified specialist for office management
- Ordinance on the examination for the recognized qualification Certified specialist for office management / Certified specialist for office management (PDF; 39 kB)