Pitman Training

Essential Secretarial Efficiency Award

Course Outline

Our Essential Secretarial Efficiency Award is one of our range of mini-diplomas.

This Award has been specially designed to help you get the most out of your working day by improving your productivity and efficiency – both of which are guaranteed to impress your employers and help you get ahead. 

As well as enhancing your keyboard and Microsoft Word skills, you’ll also learn how to take notes quickly and accurately using our proven SpeedWriting technique.

In line with all our courses, your training will be flexible, giving you the freedom to learn when it suits you. You will also take away your workbooks as handy reference guides when your course is complete.

  • Flexible training that fits around your home and work lives 
  • Support on hand when you need it from our friendly course advisors 
  • The skills you need to get the job you want

Get the Pitman Advantage™


The Essential Secretarial Efficiency Award has been designed specifically to help you improve your keyboard, note-taking and Microsoft Word skills. So if you’re working in office admin and want to take your skills to the next level, this is just the course for you.

On completion, you’ll be able to type at up to 60 words per minute – a good working standard, take notes accurately and efficiently using the SpeedWriting system and fully understand and be confident in Microsoft Word.

A ‘mini-diploma’ in its own right, the Award has three core parts: – 

You’ll start with improving your keyboard skills by taking one of our speed development courses. This will teach you how to touch type accurately at approximately 60 words per minute.

You’ll then move on to the SpeedWriting course, which is a great way to learn how to take down minutes and notes quickly and precisely at speeds of over 40 words per minute.

Finally, you can choose Microsoft Word or Microsoft Word Expert (depending upon your current level of experience), which will ensure you’ll be confident in this most important and popular word processing software.

The guideline learning time for the Essential Efficient Secretary Award is: 

  • 45 hours flexi study or 2 weeks full-time*

*full-time is based on approximately 20-30 hours per week.

The guideline learning time for the Essential Efficient Secretary Award is: 

  • 45 hours flexi study or 2 weeks full-time*

*full-time is based on approximately 20-30 hours per week.

Our Essential Secretarial Efficiency course is part of our distance learning range – which can be accessed online via our distance learning portal. 

This means that you have the flexibility to study our Essential Secretarial Efficiency course:

  • In centre, with our friendly course advisors available for support and guidance as and when you need it.
  • At home or from work – with support via email or telephone during working hours.
  • On a blended mix – in-centre for the modules you need help with, at home or from work for those you are gliding through.

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, all you’ll need to do is contact your nearest Pitman Training centre that offers and supports our distance learning platform, and they will arrange for you to have an induction to show you around the system and talk you through how our online training works. After this, you can learn in your own time and at your own speed, but with the knowledge you have support at hand if required. 

To find your nearest centre that offers and supports our online Essential Secretarial Efficiency training, click here.


The best way to make sure your training programme suits you, your skills, your ambitions and your busy schedule, is to get in touch with us for a free, friendly expert career consultation.