Office Management major - Training program and job opportunities after graduation

In fact, this is not an entirely new field of study, as it has been offered at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities since 1997. For nearly 20 years, Office Management was taught jointly with Archival Studies (the Archival Studies and Office Management major). Currently, due to the increasing demand for personnel in this field in the labor market, Office Management has been separated into an independent major and began its own enrollment from the 2014-2015 academic year.

It can be said that the demand for office administration personnel in Vietnam is currently very high, specifically as follows:

- All government agencies, from central to local levels, have an Office department. Every year, government agencies need to recruit additional specialists, administrative staff, and office workers. Just considering ministerial and provincial/district offices alone, hundreds of new staff members are recruited annually.

Along with state agencies, Vietnam currently has thousands of political and socio-political organizations. In particular, the number of non-governmental organizations and foreign organizations operating in Vietnam is increasing. All of these organizations require a team of staff and office personnel to maintain and implement their activities and to act as a bridge for communication with the state and other organizations.

Currently, despite facing many difficulties, as of the end of 2015, Vietnam still had nearly 500,000 operating businesses, with many new businesses continuing to be established. All businesses have office areas and/or departments and all have a need to recruit employees or office managers with good professional qualifications.

Therefore, if we were to provide sufficient human resources in office administration for government agencies, social organizations, and businesses, the number of students trained annually would have to reach thousands. Meanwhile, although training in this field has been implemented since the late 1990s, the number of graduates has not yet met the needs of society. Thus, it can be said that the demand and job opportunities for this field of study have been and will continue to increase in the future.

The high demand for personnel in the field of Office Administration stems from the fact that the office is a fundamental area and department within all agencies, organizations, and businesses. The office is where the leadership discusses and issues management decisions; it serves as the official communication and transaction hub for agencies, organizations, and businesses with external agencies and partners. The office collects and processes information, and organizes, monitors, checks, and evaluates the results of implementing issued management decisions. In short, the office is a crucial advisory body for leaders and managers in organizing and operating the activities of the agency or business.

Therefore, to meet the requirements of integration and development, agencies and businesses need to recruit people trained in office administration to assist leaders in collecting and processing information; advising and proposing solutions to problems; helping leaders manage information systems effectively and apply information technology; building standardized systems for office operations; drafting and transmitting documents; archiving records; organizing events, meetings, and communication, promotion, and introducing the image of the agency; ensuring facilities and working equipment; communicating, transacting, and maintaining good relationships with citizens, organizations, partners, and customers;

To be able to undertake the above tasks, the training program of this major will provide students with the following basic knowledge:

- Firstly, there are theoretical subjects aimed at equipping learners with basic knowledge of Management Science; of Office and Office Management; of the organization and operation of offices in state agencies, social organizations and businesses; of the competence and qualities of managers and office management; and of the application of new technologies in office management…

- Secondly, there are specialized courses in Office Management, aimed at helping students master and correctly perform procedures and tasks in office operations such as: Information systems management; Office human resource management; Facilities management; Secretarial and reception duties; Advisory and general affairs; Document management and archiving; Office performance inspection and evaluation; Communication and public relations…

- Thirdly, there are subjects on administrative skills and soft skills. These are essential skills for those working in modern and professional offices, such as: document drafting and issuance skills; file management and utilization skills; communication skills; meeting and event organization skills; advisory skills; presentation skills; information gathering and processing skills; time management skills; conflict control and resolution skills… These skills ensure that learners not only possess the necessary thinking, expertise, and professional skills but also the ability to adapt to the ever-changing work environment, circumstances, and relationships in modern offices.

In addition to studying theoretical subjects, students majoring in Office Management will have the opportunity to undertake practical internships organized by the university and faculty at government offices, organizations, and businesses starting from their first year and throughout their studies. Currently, the university and faculty maintain close relationships with central government offices; local People's Committee offices; city, provincial, and district Party committee offices; offices of corporations and hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises. These are regular practical internship locations for students, ensuring that theoretical knowledge is linked to practice and providing students with work experience while still studying. Beyond their time at university, some students also have the opportunity to work (part-time) at the aforementioned agencies and organizations.

Upon graduation, students majoring in Office Administration are qualified to take on the following job positions:

- Specialists and office staff working in administrative - general; administrative - organizational; administrative - human resources departments... in the offices of state agencies, offices of social organizations from central to local levels, and enterprise offices.

- Administrative staff, receptionists, clerks, archivists, office secretaries or administrative assistants in the offices of all agencies, businesses, organizations; programs, projects;

- Capable of assuming leadership positions or managing administrative and office departments in businesses, government agencies, and other organizations;

- Lecturers and researchers at training and research institutions specializing in office administration and office management at the intermediate, college, and some university levels;

The job opportunities for students majoring in Office Management are very broad, including: offices of state agencies such as ministerial offices; offices of the People's Council and People's Committee; offices of departments, bureaus, and branches; offices of Party, Youth Union, and Association organizations; offices of foreign organizations operating in Vietnam; offices of corporations, general companies, and other types of businesses.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree, students have the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies, becoming masters in Office Management, and if they meet the requirements, they can pursue doctoral degrees in management and administration.

For nearly 20 years, the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) has consistently been a pioneer and leading institution in providing undergraduate training in Office Management in Vietnam. Currently, 100% of the department's lecturers hold postgraduate degrees, with over 60% holding PhDs and professorships. The department maintains extensive collaborative relationships with universities in France, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and other countries. The quality of its training is affirmed by the high employment rate of its graduates (95% within 3 months of graduation). The department has participated in and received national accreditation for its training quality.

Hopefully, the above information will help you make informed choices and decisions. Wishing you all the best in achieving your dreams!