Skip to content

Get the Skills to Become an Office or Administrative Assistant

SWS’s General Office Skills classes offer valuable knowledge and support to enhance your future success and career prospects.

6 Month* General Office Skills Career Training in San Antonio, TX

An individual who has obtained General Office Skills can work in many different types of environments typically as an Office Assistant or Administrative Assistant. Office Assistants, sometimes called Administrative Assistants or Receptionists, carry out everyday clerical and administrative tasks. They are among an organization’s most important employees, keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

The best way to see if Southwest Schools is the right fit for you is to come and tour the school. You can tour our facilities and meet with students and instructors. Schedule a tour now or Get more info.

Becoming a Professional Office or Administrative Assistant

At SWS, we want you to make the most informed decision before you take the next step with us. Our faculty and experienced teaching staff care about your success, so it’s important for us that you understand how General Office Skills classes will benefit your future!

Someone who attends the SWS General Office Skills classes will come away with the ability to handle all of these responsibilities and more and be a more attractive candidate for job openings relating to general office work.

Program Mission
To equip the graduate with the skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform the duties that are required of a computerized accounting specialist in an office environment.

Program Objective
Students will learn how to post transactions to accounts, utilize record-keeping systems, and operate accounting software, in addition to acquiring general accounting principles and practices.

Job Opportunities
Graduates may find employment as Billing & Posting Clerks, Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerks, Payroll & Timekeeping Clerks, and Statistical Assistants.

Course Number Course Name Clock Hours

Lecture Lab TOTAL
Qtr. Credit Hours

A101

Principles of Accounting 1

50

50

5.0

A102

Principles of Accounting 2

50

50

5.0

A103

Principles of Accounting 3

50

50

5.0

A104

Principles of Accounting 4

50

50

5.0

B101

Business Communication For Careers 1

25

25

2.5

B102

Business Communication For Careers 2

25

25

2.5

B103

Business Communication For Careers 3

25

25

2.5

C101

Computer 1

10

40

50

3.0

C102

Computer 2

10

40

50

3.0

C103

Computer 3

10

40

50

3.0

C104

Computer 4

10

40

50

3.0

C105

Computer 5

5

20

25

1.5

C108

Computer 8

10

40

50

3.0

J100

Job Readiness

5

20

25

1.5

K101

Keyboarding 1

10

40

50

3.0

K102

Keyboarding 2

10

40

50

3.0

O101

Office Procedures 1

20

5

25

2.0

O102

Office Procedures 2

20

5

25

2.0

O103

Office Procedures 3

20

5

25

2.0

P100

Professional Development

25

25

2.5

TOTAL

.

440

355

775

60.0

A101 Principles of Accounting 1

50 Clock Hours – 50 Lecture 5.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn the fundamentals of accounting including journalizing, posting, worksheets and ending statements. (Prerequisite: None)

A102 Principles of Accounting 2

50 Clock Hours – 50 Lecture 5.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn intermediate accounting including sales, accounts receivable and payable, banking, and payroll. (Prerequisite: A101)

A103 Principles of Accounting 3

50 Clock Hours – 50 Lecture 5.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn advanced accounting including closing procedures, uncollectible accounts, notes payable and receivable, inventories and long-term assets. (Prerequisite: A102)

A104 Principles of Accounting 4

50 Clock Hours – 50 Lecture 5.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn accounting for partnerships and corporations. (Prerequisite: A103)

B101 Business Communication For Careers 1

25 Clock Hours – 25 Lecture 2.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn how to use basic grammar and parts of speech.
(Prerequisite: None)

B102 Business Communication For Careers 2

25 Clock Hours – 25 Lecture 2.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn sentence structure to write effectively. Emphasis is on punctuation and skills needed for effective business English. (Prerequisite: None)

B103 Business Communication For Careers 3

25 Clock Hours – 25 Lecture 2.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn correct usage in written and oral communications for business. (Prerequisite: None)

C101 Computer 1

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn basic use of word processor and spreadsheet applications.
(Prerequisite: None)

C102 Computer 2

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn basic use of database and presentation applications.
(Prerequisite: None)

C103 Computer 3

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn advanced word processor and spreadsheet applications. (Prerequisite: C101)

C104 Computer 4

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn advanced database and presentation applications. (Prerequisite: C102)

C105 Computer 5

25 Clock Hours – 5 Lecture 20 Lab – 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn advanced schedule and organizational applications. (Prerequisite: C104)

C108 Computer 8

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn a computerized accounting software package used within the business community. (Prerequisite: None)

J100 Job Readiness

25 Clock Hours – 5 Lecture 20 Lab – 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn how to develop possibilities for employment by preparing resumes and interviewing successfully. (Prerequisite: None)

K101 Keyboarding 1

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn how to perform the proper keyboarding and formatting techniques. Students will have a goal for speed and accuracy to reach 29 words per minute. (Prerequisite: None)

K102 Keyboarding 2

50 Clock Hours – 10 Lecture 40 Lab – 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will continue to learn how to perform the proper keyboarding and formatting techniques. Students will have a goal for speed and accuracy to reach 38 words per minute. (Prerequisite: K101)

O101 Office Procedures 1

25 Clock Hours – 20 Lecture 5 Lab – 2.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn business office procedures, filing, office machines, processing mail, and ethics. (Prerequisite: None)

O102 Officer Procedures 2

25 Clock Hours – 20 Lecture 5 Lab – 2.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn the telephone systems and procedures for communicating properly, time management and working with others. (Prerequisite: None)

O103 Office Procedures 3

25 Clock Hours – 20 Lecture 5 Lab – 2.0 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn the fundamental business calculations used in today’s workplace, processing and understanding financial information. (Prerequisite: None)

P100 Professional Development

25 Clock Hours – 25 Lecture 2.5 Quarter Credit Hours
Students will learn basics of personal and office skills necessary for today’s workplace. (Prerequisite: None)

Day Classes:
Monday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time and a 30-minute break for lunch from 12:10 to 12:40.

Night Classes:
Monday – Thursday 5:45 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time.
Weekend Classes:
Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time and a 30-minute break for lunch from 12:10 to 12:40.

Program Length
Weekdays: 33 Weeks of classroom study
Night Classes & Weekend Classes: 49 Weeks of classroom study

Graduation Criteria

The student must complete a total of 775 clock hours (60.0 Quarter Credit Hours), must be able to complete within 150% of the published length of the program, and have satisfactory progress in both academic, as well as, practical training. The student must maintain an average of at least 70% GPA.

Thank you Southwest! That phone call that I made was the best thing that I have done in a long time. It has changed my life and allowed me to pursue a rewarding career.
SWS Graduate

Is a Career as an Office or Administrative Assistant Right for You? Take the SWS "Office or Administrative Assistant Career Training Readiness Quiz"

This fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for. Get Your Career Training Readiness score now.

Job Opportunities

  • Office Assistant
  • Data Entry Processor
  • Accounts Payable Clerk
  • Front Office Coordinator
  • Call Center Associate
  • Law Offices
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Accounts Receivable Clerk
  • Payroll Clerk
  • Customer Service Representative
  • Civil Service Positions
  • Bank and Credit Union Positions

How Much Can Someone With General Office Skills Make?

The most recent salary information for secretaries and administrative assistants comes from the 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $39,680 in May 2021**. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,920, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,100**.

How Long Does It Take To Obtain General Office Skills At SWS?

At SWS, we know your time is valuable. That’s why we take pride in our ability to provide small class sizes so that students get personal teacher attention. This allows us to help you get through the General Office Skills classes in a timely manner.

  • For Day Classes, the General Office Skills program takes just under 6 Months* to complete.
  • For Night Classes, the General Office Skills program takes just under 9 Months* to complete.
  • For Weekend Classes, the General Office Skills program takes just under 9 Months* to complete.

Is a Rewarding Career as an Office or Administrative Assistant Right For You? Get More Info…

If you’re interested in learning more about careers in Office or Administrative Assisting and exploring whether Southwest Schools is right for you, fill out the form on this page to receive more information.

For immediate questions, call 210-921-0951.

*Program length when completed in normal time.
**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm (visited June 12, 2023).