Courtney Blair, a student in the Nova Scotia Community College office administration program in Truro, shows Jordan O'Rourke, another NSCC student, how to use some basic administrative and office equipment. Students taking the office procedures course have officially opened a model lab, which offers free administrative tasks to NSCC students and staff as well as non-profit organizations.
Eighteen students, all female, in the office administration program are learning the basics of administrative tasks and office management and officially opened their model office, called Oasis, in Forrester Hall at the NSCC on Wednesday.
The station is located in Room 218 on the second floor and allows students to apply their new-found office administrative skills to benefit others in the college and community.
Students in the office procedures course will offer free services to NSCC students and staff, as well as non-profit organizations, by photocopying, faxing, scanning and laminating items upon request during lab hours.
But first, students are being taught how to use this sometimes "forgotten" technology, Kathy McCarthy, a faculty member in the business department, said.
"Most people don't have this equipment in their homes," McCarthy said.
Although to some it may seem rudimentary, especially in this age of advanced technology, there is indeed a need to learn these sometimes "forgotten" tools of trade, confirmed McCarthy. Other pieces of equipment focused on in the course include transcription machines and label makers.
McCarthy said learning the basics of this equipment is relevant because the machines are still found in the real business world, regardless how much technology advances.
People have "technology skills but if they don't know how to store and retrieve files ... you have total chaos in the office," McCarthy said, adding, while business managers in general may be excellent at many skills, "most managers don't know how to do any of these office administrative skills."
Millbrook's Courtney Blair, 31, is one of the students who showed off the model lab to NSCC students on Wednesday.
"It's relevant because there are plenty of opportunities" for employment, said Blair, adding it's a complex process to learn about the machines and how to work them.
"It's not as easy as you think. There's a lot of steps" and students must familiarize themselves with the overall workings of the equipment so they can provide campus and community projects, Blair said.
The model lab is open Monday to Thursday between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. as well as Fridays from 8 to 8:30 a.m.
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