I completed a diploma course in office management through the HSB Academy Austria (in cooperation with WIFI Salzburg). As you can already guess from the stars above, I was very satisfied with what I got for my money! In particular, the following points are positive:
- The support: The response to questions is always VERY timely (of course I can't name names for privacy reasons, but anyone who comes into contact with the HSB Academy will know who I mean ;-)), detailed and friendly. That is by no means a matter of course. Homework was always corrected very promptly - only in one case did I have to wait longer than a week (even lecturers have, understandably, a lot on their plate sometimes), but the correction was made on request within a few hours, including extensive and helpful feedback. One should not be deterred by the word "homework", because basically they are a chance to apply and thus consolidate what has been learned in this lecture (or the associated reading text). It is not a witchcraft, it is more about giving the participants a practical application and to let the whole thing be commented by experts. This is more of a help than a test (there is also a real test, but only at the end of the course - you are very well prepared for it). By the way, the support at WIFI Salzburg itself is also pretty good, but that's not the point here :-).
- The study materials: In addition to the study materials available online, all study letters are sent to you by mail in the form of a high-quality, colorfully printed folder (which is also very quick - it took me less than a week). As a classic reader, this was very convenient for me, as it saved me from having to print them myself and also added a presentable folder to my shelf. As far as I can tell, the study materials are very up-to-date. In addition to the reading letters, there are also online lectures that reinforce and at times supplement what I have read. Especially in the lectures, the practicality becomes clear, because you can really learn some tips and tricks that were new even to professional office users like me. Of course, a little theory is also part of the course (in Office Manager, especially business basics). For people who, like me, have earned a commercial apprenticeship degree, some of this is already familiar. Nevertheless, a repetitive and practice-oriented, occasionally supplementary summary of the central content is helpful in any case, so I was very grateful for it. What's also pretty good: You have lifelong access to the course materials, could refresh your knowledge in principle again and again continuously (even after years) free of charge. I will definitely make use of this, although it will certainly be a few months before I do.
- The freedom: You can work through study materials digitally or analogously. You can attend online lectures or workshops live or listen to them recorded at any time afterwards - so you can learn on your own time and at your own pace. Those who prefer the structure of an online lecture plan (which is personalized and sent to you at the beginning) with its fixed times will also get their money's worth. I was thus able to choose between flexibility and a stable rhythm - in the end, I opted for a mixture of both, depending on how I just had time.
- The practical benefits: I was able to learn a lot for my job in the office, even though I've already been working in the office for a few years and I'm also an office administrator - in contrast to vocational school, here it's all about learning in a practice-oriented way and really drawing professional added value. For my employer, this was also a prerequisite - neither in Austria nor in Germany is it easy to get really good and practice-oriented continuing education at a decent price, and this is also highly officially confirmed by (in my experience, the most respected continuing education institute among employers) WIFI (in Germany, you get an IHK certificate, but in Austria you certainly fare better with a WIFI certificate, simply because you know it).
When I booked the course through WIFI Salzburg, I didn't know that they cooperated with the HSB Academy. As satisfied as I have been so far with courses conducted by WIFI itself, I was equally satisfied with the HSB Academy. At the end of the day, I gained three things from the Office Manager: An HSB Academy certificate, a WIFI Salzburg certificate and a lot of practical knowledge that really helps me in my office work.
Show original
Translation
You are a treasure - thank you very much for your lovely feedback, we are very happy that we could inspire you so much! Participants like you are the reason why we exist and why we give our best every day. We can't wait to welcome you back and in the meantime we wish you much success and all the best!
Your team at HSB Academy Austria