The Secretary in Nigeria

The secretarial profession is one of the oldest in Nigeria. The contribution of secretaries to the development of an establishment and the nation in general cannot be over-stressed as there is no organization where the services of a secretarial staff is not needed. The secretary has a very important role to play in an organisation as he/she uses his or her intellectual to enhance the growth of the overall efficiency of the organization.

The administration function or duties of a secretary in an office was described in the age of computer technology by Elecanor (1973), that the manager of a computer installation whether the department is large or small will need the service of a secretary. The same reason any other executive needs a secretary-to-make appointments, screen visitors, keep records, handle type flow charts, layout organization chart, design work procedures, assist inform design plan and construct visual aids for management decisions and attend meetings.

The secretary also manages the communication process, organizes and managing the record cycle (from creation to deposition of records), she also operates office machines and equipment provides information as required, portrays a good image of the organization to the general public further, she shows good personal qualities and attributes that are of for tolerance for peaceful co-existence within his immediate work group and takes appropriate action independently when faced with problems. The secretary must be a responsible and dedicated person qualified by training experience and good temperament to carry out these virtual duties efficiently.

Whitehead (1977), states that the work of the secretary is of enormous natural importance. They are found in every type of enterprise, from family to multi-civil service and specialized prostate, as group secretaries do more promote the efficiency of the nation than any other single occupation.

The place of secretarial education in the nation cannot be over-emphasized process. This is so because education enhances the meaningful development in terms of manpower efficiency. The adequate training of these in charge of information in management any establishment becomes imperative. To this end secretaries need to be trained properly in various polytechnic and colleges of technology to enable them contribute meaningfully to the state in particular and the nation in general.

From, the description of the duties of a secretary above, it has become very obvious that secretaries funet, in is interwoven with the function of every other persons in any organization and include the various support services that executive or department staff required in order to carryout their assigned duties effectively. In addition to the above, a secretary is a morale builder, a public relation officer being constantly in touch with the customers through correspondence, telephone and physical contact.

According to Clarke (1976), the secretary is usually acknowledged as an indispensable person in business or contributor to the successful conduct of the day-to-day running of a business organization from indications, the services of well qualified and experienced secretary in an organization is very essential to the benefit of his employer.

However, a great consensus had not been reached as to whom a secretary is. Consequently, a secretary has been defined in widely different ways depending on the people concerned the organizational circumstance and many other factors. Anderson (1967) seen a secretary is simply regarded as the boss’s right man, the immediate ambassador and the public relative expert in an organization as well as am image booster.

It is said that for many years, there has been so much confusion about the usuage of the word shorthand, typist and secretary. Stanwell and Shaw (1974) stated that while shorthand typist performs mainly primary function the secretary performs basically both primary and secondary function and further management function. Shaw (1974) made deliberate attempts to distinguish between shorthand typist and a secretary.

A shorthand typist spends larger part of her time taking dictation transcribing shorthand and presenting her work for signature. She may also be expended to answer the telephone, assist with filling and duplicating particularly in a small organization.

Clarke (1976) that typist and stereographer generally work in pools that is, larger open offices with row upon rows of typist or stereographers doing the same type of work in daily basis

SCOPE OF SECRETARIAL STUDIES

Although, it is obvious that typing and shorthand are the most essential vocational tools for secretary trainee, there is possibility for advancement to managerial function and problem solving techniques. The assertion that secretarial training program is limited to preparing top-level secretaries in the acquisition of basic skills vocational in shorthand and typing is parochial in today’s world, it is increasingly that an important requirement top-level secretarial performance is balanced education.

TRAINING

Training is an important part of human and organizational life it forms an important part whatever profession or trade one wants to do in life. Training is said to be successful if what is expected to be known by people are known. According to Odiome (1970) almost any well planned and completely executed course will draw a favourable response from those who attended it, he went further to state that one of the problems confronting trainees is that many of the course they does not change or meet the required objective.

In another development the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1974) defines training as the teaching and practice given to somebody in order to bring a required standard of behavioural efficiency or physical condition. According to Kolawole (1990) training is the development of a person’s knowledge special skills and attitude, for the purpose of acquiring vocational or technical qualification which are needed to perform a particular work or a series of job.

OBJECTIVE OF TRAINING

Denyer (1982) sees the primary objective of training to be the development of an efficient work force at level to ensure that corporate objectives are met. This implies obtaining maximum efficiency at minimum cost.

Therefore, the standard of accuracy must be related to the economic aspect of the process. Training will help to ensure better cost effective performance. There are four main reasons for training, these are:

1. To prepare the students for higher job level
2. To enhance efficiency
3. To prepare the person against different jobs from that which he or she is familiar with
4. To increase the moral of the student

TYPES OF TRAINING

A secretary can be trained through the way of attending fulltime lectures; part time training that is the evening classes.

Some secretaries undergo training in established institutions like Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti-State, some at secretarial training institutes like Success Secretarial Training Centre, Auchi and Grace Secretarial Institutes, Lagos, etc. secretaries are graded according to their qualifications. Whitehead (1979) indicated that there are various categories of confidential secretaries namely; confidential secretary iv, confidential iii, confidential secretary ii, confidential and personal secretary.

They tend to perform the same type of work but higher dexterity will be expected from confidential secretary iii, that of confidential secretary iv and so on.

The typewriting and shorthand speeds to be attained by the respective confidential secretary are as follows:

• Confidential secretary iv 35/80 wpm
  • Confidential secretary iii 50/100 wpm
  • Confidential secretary ii 50/120 wpm
  • Confidential secretary I 50/60/120 wpm

PART-TIME TRAINING

This is an form of training undergo by trainee on a non-regular but has longer time duration than that of the full-time classes can be organized to train secretaries in part-time basis it is also organized in accredited institutions. The course offered in part-time classes are the same with that of full-time training classes.

A typist clerk who works in an organization can attend lectures in the part-time or evening after closing from work to train as a secretary for example, classes can be organized by an institution offering secretarial courses during the long vacation or at weekend.

ADVANTAGES

1. It allows for interaction of new learning in the classroom and working on the job this enhance better understanding.
   1. It is less exhaustive for some trainee
   2. Frequent period of training in subject or topic is possible. This is important for skill training in subjects like typewriting, shorthand, computer application.

DISADVANTAGES

1. There is little opportunity for assessing there relevance of what is learnt on the job. This is usually done at the end of the course.
2. The rate of learning is slower than that of the full-time
3. It is more consuming
4. It is more expensive

THE JOB TRAINING

The oldest and most common method of training is the job training techniques, it is done by giving instruction to workers by the supervisor or another member of the department such training is essential on every job, it is not effective when alone. Skills can be learned quickly when the number of trainee are small then this techniques becomes effective.

CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAINERS AND TRAINEES

A good relationship between the trainers and the trainees is imperative for a successful learning. This is because of a good relationship of learning.

According to King (1970), it is one, which the learner is dependent on the trainers for technical and psychological support. But the trainer is also dependant in the learner’s attainment of a skilled performance to give him the satisfied training.

NEED TO LEARN

The pain to learn is the force, which propels the student to increase his or her speed of learning because of their lackadaisical or “I don”t care’ attitude to learning hence on wise student though with pain will put in a hundred percent concentration to learning.

The student should be encouraged during the process of learning. Some aspects of training can be directly related to what the learner or trainee feels important to him, that is his or her need for recognition; furthermore reducing or elimating learning, King (1968).

MOTIVATION

Learning takes place if there is motivation to learn. Student trainee can be motivated to learn. King (1970) states that financial record can be effective provided they are tired to the attainment of a particular target in the course. A record which encouraged a learner to look at advanced stage when he is struggling with the basic skills may lead him or her to skimp the foundation or his training, punishment for failure, although a traditional negative in centive, can upset the process or acquiring skills, constant experience of success on matter how small, the skill of stages in training can scarcely be equaled as an incentive to continued learning.

THE SECRETARY TRAINEE AND OFFICE

The world is dynamic in nature. There is advancement in Technology, the invention of new secretary to adapt to changes if he or she must cope.

Adapting to changes means to be abreast with current trends in office technology and the ability to adapt to these changes is the hallmark of a modern successful secretary.

A sound knowledge of typing and shorthand is necessary but it is more advantageous if he or she knows how to operate other office machine such as modern filing equipment computers accounting machines etc. a sound training entails having profound knowledge of modern office equipment in contemporary business world.

The role of a secretary has gradually changed as a result of technology, in the office environment today. Office work has become automated to a very large extent that the emphasis from the former methods of typing and shorthand to operating sophisticated machine some of these machine and equipment are taught in our polytechnic colleges of technology without the student seeing how it is or works.

The secretary trainee will be better prepared for his or her role as a co-ordinator of office activities if he or she is availed the opportunity of seeing these equipment and machines at work the course of his or her training. Any ill-trained secretary has no place in the changing technological world. Experience has shown that chance of employment for graduate secretaries are higher when they have previous knowledge of the operation of certain common and simple office machines in addition to electric typewriters.

Due to the advent of computers in various forms, the secretary has changed from her usual role of typing and shorthand to that of computer operator. It is good for the secretary trainee to be conscious of the various advancements and should be in close contact with those advancement.

LACK OF EQUIPMENT

As a practical or oriented profession, it is worthwhile to be exposed to the use of assorted equipment used in the trade. Unfortunately, few of this equipment are available in Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti.

During the course of emphasizing the secretary trainee and equipment it was stressed that a secretary is not secretary until he is exposed to the use of assorted equipment during the course of training. The need for this is that his or her chances of securing job after graduation hinges on his or her ability to operate any machine or equipment.

According to Smith (1978), sufficient and adequate facilities and equipment should provided to school in order to ensure a well planned school program.

Finally, instructional materials in any from conception at thinking in addition, According to Oegie (1970) stressed that the items of school equipment are essential aid to the effective teaching and learning’s trade tools. He further stated that an institution that lacks this essential equipment could not achieve its main purpose.