Unlock your career potential with a short course on effective office communication and documentation

Who should attend and what are the career benefits?

This entry-level course is tailored for individuals who do not necessarily speak English as their first language, but find themselves in work environments where English is the primary language of communication. When joining the course, participants can expect to upskill and improve their ability to write great emails, create informative agendas, and draft concise meeting minutes.

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The career benefits are substantial. Willemien Theron, one of the course presenters, emphasises that effective communication is a key driver of success in the workplace. "Participants will gain valuable skills that are directly applicable in their daily work. Effective communication can lead to improved job performance, better collaboration, and potentially open doors to new career opportunities," says Willemien. “The Certificate of Competence endorsed by Stellenbosch University that participants will receive after successfully completing this course is also not to be sniffed at – definitely good for your CV!” Cornelia Grobler, the second course presenter, adds.

Course structure and prerequisites

To ensure optimal learning outcomes, the course combines live online sessions with self-paced learning. Participants will need a computer with a reliable web browser, as the course uses platforms like MS Teams and SUNOnline for online learning. A stable internet connection is essential for participating in the live online sessions. It's also important that participants are familiar with creating electronic documents.

Presenter Cornelia also highlights the course's limited number of participants. “This is in place to ensure a high-quality learning experience. Certain aspects of the course are assessed to gauge progress and understanding, making it a comprehensive and engaging learning journey.”

Course schedule and duration

The course is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working people. The next offering takes place from 5 October to 26 October, and you can apply until 21 September. Live online sessions are scheduled from 10am to 12pm for 5, 12, 19 and 26 October – that’s each Thursday of October.

Participants can expect to spend approximately two hours per week in live online sessions and allocate around eight hours per week for self-paced reading and completing tasks, quizzes, activities, and assignments. This balanced approach ensures that the course can fit seamlessly into busy professional lives.

Cost and how to apply

The course fee is R5,346. The fee includes course materials, assessments, live online sessions with the course presenters, and access to the online learning platforms. It's important to note that all course fees must be paid before the course starts, and the course will only be conducted if a minimum of ten paid candidates have confirmed attendance.

To apply for the Effective office communication and documentation short course, visit this link and fill out the form by clicking on ‘start application’. You will then receive the necessary information to apply for the short course. Unlock your potential and become a more confident and proficient communicator in the workplace.

If this course is not exactly what you had in mind, the Stellenbosch University Language Centre’s Comms Lab has a variety of other courses in professional communication available to choose from – visit the Comms Lab web page to pick the right course for you: https://languagecentre.sun.ac.za/commslab/.