a man and a woman in professional attire looking at a tablet while the man is sitting at a computer desk and the woman is standing next to him, leaning over

Administrative assistants

(NOC 13110)
Annual Earnings
$54,538
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, less than 2 years
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
13,410

Career Overview

Administrative assistants support managers and employers by performing a wide variety of administrative duties.

Job Titles

Administrative assistant
Administrative assistant - office
Administrative secretary
Appointment secretary
Church secretary
Contracts secretary
Executive secretary (except legal and medical)
Finance secretary
Human resources administrator
Human resources administrator - Canadian Armed Forces
Human resources secretary
Loans and grants administrative assistant
Office administrative assistant
Personal secretary
Private secretary
Recording secretary
Sales secretary
School secretary
Secretary-clerk
Secretary (except legal and medical)
Taxation service secretary
Technical secretary

Duties

In general, administrative assistants:

  • Answer telephone calls, mail and email
  • Route messages
  • Greet visitors and direct them to the appropriate person or department
  • Prepare, type, edit and proofread letters, invoices, presentations, spreadsheets, brochures, publications and reports
  • Manage their manager or employer’s calendar, including scheduling and confirming meetings
  • Arrange travel schedules and make reservations
  • Book meetings and conference rooms
  • Solve and keep track of issues with facilities, office equipment and assets
  • Order and maintain office supplies
  • Set up and maintain paper and electronic filing systems
  • Set up office procedures and improvements
  • Update administrative policies and procedures manuals
  • Prepare agendas and record minutes of meetings
  • Manage action items from meetings by following up with the appropriate area
     

In addition, they may:

  • Compile data, statistics and other information
  • Supervise and train staff in office procedures and software
  • Organize conferences
  • Do data entry
  • Update websites
  • Monitor and post to social media channels
  • Transcribe information from machine dictation

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$54,538

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$35.22/hr
Median$26.15/hr
Low$18.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

28,265

% Employed Full Time

49%
Source: 2021 Census

Administrative assistants work in a variety of industries in the public and private sectors. Although they generally work Monday to Friday, most administrative assistants have smartphones with access to email and may be required to be available on call. This group mostly works in an office environment, but there are some hybrid (combination in-person and remote) positions as well.

Some administrative assistants work with placement agencies—often called “temp agencies” (meaning temporary employment agencies)—doing short-term jobs in private businesses and government offices.

Administrative assistants spend most of their time on computers which can put stress on the neck, back, shoulders and eyes. Equipment designed for office work may be required—headsets, for example—for those who spend a lot of time on the telephone.

Career Pathways

With experience and further education, administrative assistants may progress to other administrative positions. These include senior or executive administrative assistant, clerical supervisor, business manager, project manager or office manager. 

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Education, Training and Skills

At a minimum, employers usually ask for at least two years of work experience and a high school diploma.

Designation as a Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP) may be an advantage.

Depending on the industry and specific role, it may also be an advantage to have a working knowledge of finance, marketing or communications. Experience in project management or coordination may also be an asset.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Administrative Assistance/Office Assistance
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

75%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

75%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

74%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

70%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

67%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

65%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

65%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

64%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

64%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

64%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

28,265
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 900 3.2%
Kootenay 800 2.8%
Mainland/Southwest 17,800 63.0%
North Coast and Nechako 565 2.0%
Northeast 500 1.8%
Thompson-Okanagan 3,060 10.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 4,635 16.4%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)

13,410
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 330 0.1%
Kootenay 360 0.5%
Mainland/Southwest 8,680 1.6%
North Coast and Nechako 130 0.2%
Northeast 230 0.9%
Thompson-Okanagan 1,560 1.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 2,120 1.1%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Health Care and Social Assistance2,130
Educational Services2,120
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services1,770
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate1,440
Public Administration1,350
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Advances in software technology are changing the way this job is done. This means administrative assistants have a more complex support role than in the past.

Administrative assistant duties may include developing spreadsheets, drafting letters and other correspondence, maintaining databases, updating websites and creating presentation materials. Some administrative assistants take an active role in monitoring and posting to corporate social media channels. As a result, people with a wide range of computer skills are in higher demand. Many positions also require some experience in project management or co-ordination.

Resources