To find a Project Assistant Job you will need to be able to gain experience and skills in Administrative and Office work. However, the key is to gain knowledge of Project work. This will mean gaining a full understanding of the skills required to work in project management. The gaining of Project management skills is required in order to be able to work effectively in your current project Assistant role and also to progress to more senior roles, such as Business Analysts, Team Managers, Stage Manager or Project Managers.
What skills are needed for a Project Assistant?
- PRINCE2 or Six Sigma or AGILE are popular courses. These qualifications can help to get a job. However, for a Project Assistant, it may not be necessary.
- Working knowledge of one of these would be beneficial for your application for a Project job.
- Knowledge of PM principles and Management theories would be helpful, such as Stakeholder management or the Project Lifecycle.
- Administrative skills and general office skills. Remember that Project work will require more Planning, Time Management, Excel skills and PowerPoint Skills than other roles you may have worked in before.
- A sound appreciation of how to do Project presentations and charts, so that you can update highlight reports etc.
- You are always looking to manage difficult tensions, conflicts and people as you bring about change and overcome obstacles. This means that excellent interpersonal skills will be an advantage for a Project Assistant. This may not be perfect on arrival into the role, but with careful attention and guidance, you can develop your Project Soft skills.
There are CPD Accredited Project Assistant Courses available from Souters Training in Virtual Classroom sessions. These are delivered by experienced Project trainers and build skills and knowledge need for the Jobs. Large cities like London or Manchester are likely to have the most Project Assistant jobs.