Learning & Collaboration Day - 25 September 2020

Our annual Learning & Collaboration Day took place last Friday, 25 September, at the ultra-trendy Whitworth Locke Hotel in Manchester. With current and former students from Bristol, Glasgow, Hertfordshire, Chester, Liverpool and Manchester, who says that you can’t travel during the lockdown restrictions? With plenty of social distancing, we really did socialise, and learn together! Our delegates thoroughly enjoyed their day which included topics such as 'Job Evaluation and Job Descriptions - From the HR Director’s Perspective’ and ‘Executive Assistant Types’ enabling our cohort to leave with the most up-to-date and fresh thinking on the true EA role. “A big thank you to all those who attended, especially those who came quite a way,” said Adam Fidler, “Zoom will never oust face-to-face learning and we proved that on Friday!”.

To survive, EAs need scholarship - not more soft-soaping and socialising

“To survive, EAs need scholarship - not more soft-soaping and socialising” says Adam Fidler.

The Coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on the role of the EA and PA, amongst others. In our latest piece of thought-leadership, Adam Fidler, shares tough love on why now, more than ever, EAs and PAs need to really reflect on their roles and undertake scholarly activity. You can read the article here.

Dates for your diary! Training Day and Alumni Event

We’re delighted to confirm the dates of two exclusive events this Autumn - not only for our students, but for any ambitious PA or EA that would like to join us! This year’s Collaboration and Learning Day takes place on Friday 25 September 2020 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. For those that missed last year’s event, then you’re in for a treat! Fresh and exciting content, superb speakers and a three-course meal… what more could you wish for! And, the night before (Thursday 24 September), we have our annual Alumni and Networking Event at the Whitworth Locke Hotel, Manchester - where we’ll celebrate the success of our EA students over champagne and a bite to eat. Everyone is welcome! For more details and to book, please see our events page.

Enrolling now for September!

We’re enrolling now for programmes starting in September 2020! Whether you’re looking or a two-day intensive course, or want to gain a formal qualification, we’re the first choice college for EAs and PAs of ambition! This September, you could be starting your Level 4 EA Diploma (our most comprehensive study programme) or our best-selling two-day The Strategic EA course… We have programmes to suit all levels and you can find out more on the courses page here.

For feedback from those who have studied with us, then our success stories and testimonials speak for themselves.

So, why not enrol for September and raise the bar as an Executive Assistant?

Back to class

This week (w/c 22 June 2020) we welcomed students back into the classroom, albeit with smaller group sizes and social distancing! What a delight it was to be back to integrating with our learners face-to-face! Maddie, one of our EA Diploma students commented: “The online learning experience via Zoom was good - but being back this week just showed me how much I’ve missed being in the classroom with other PAs, the interaction, and ability to talk to others in the lesson and during break-times”. We agree with Maddie, and state quite confidently that Zoom will never zap face-to-face learning! We’re looking forward to seeing new and returning students in classes throughout July and August… it’s so good to be back!

National Typewriter Day

Did you know there’s a National Typewriter Day? This week, on Tuesday 23 June, we saw the celebration of all things ‘typewriter’! The image above shows just a selection of the typewriters on display here at Adam Fidler Academy, which are often the talking point amongst students. Says Adam: “I learn touch-typing as a schoolboy, using a typewriter. It was one of the best skills I ever learnt!” There’s been a resurgence of interest in typewriters in recent years, due to their mechanical, ‘what you see is what you get’ functionality. The good old days! Who remembers using a typewriter? Who remembers their typing classes? We’ve certainly come a long way since the office used typewriters - but, is it all for the better?

Welcome back!

We’ve missed you - and we know that our PA/EA students have missed us! Our face-to-face classes resume in July, and we’ve also re-arranged new dates for our Autumn evening self-development and networking events.

Also, don’t forget that the Adam Fidler Academy Alumni and Networking event will now take place on Thursday 24 September 2020, the day before our annual Training Day. The Alumni is free to any current student of Adam Fidler Academy and non-students are also welcome - so do come along for a bite to eat over a glass of champagne at another brilliant venue in Manchester.

For the details of these events, and others, check out our events section here. We look forward to seeing you!

We're taking bookings!

We know that many of you have been enquiring about when our courses will be back and running, following the Covid-19 situation. We’ve missed you - and our learners have said how much they’ve missed us!

Well, following Government advice for schools and colleges, we hope to be running classroom based courses again from July 2020 (if not before) and we’re now taking bookings for all our programmes. You can see the latest course dates under the relevant course title under our courses section - or see our updated course dates here.

We are also actively enrolling for September 2020 intake for our Level 3, Level 4 and Executive Assistant Diploma qualifications - as well as our new Level 5 qualification.

You can’t beat face-to-face interaction, informal and friendly groups, and learning together. We look forward to seeing you on one of our programmes very soon!

Professional Master for Executive Assistants - new online learning programme

We’re delighted to announce the launch of a brand new online learning platform for Executive Assistants! The Professional Master for Executive Assistants is an online, certificated programme for EAs - where you can study in your own time and at your own pace! Adam Fidler Academy is the co-creator of this unique programme, alongside Företagsuniversitete, a top Swedish University. For more details about the programme and to enrol, please click here.

How the coronavirus lockdown will change the role of the Executive Assistant forever

If you’ve not seen our latest piece of thought-leadership, then it’s well worth a read!

This article, by Adam Fidler, discusses how the current situation will impact the role of the Executive Assistant in the long-term.

It’s received much attention, and comments, on social media and you can read it here.

NEW! Webinars for high-performing EAs with by Adam Fidler

Throughout May and June, Adam Fidler is offering EAs and PAs the chance to undertake some of his unrivalled learning and expertise on the EA role in a series of 1-hour webinars. At just £45.00 per webinar (plus VAT), these are an incredible way to hear Adam’s perspectives and practical ideas to make you a better EA. The next upcoming webinars can be found here.

Are you ready for a promotion?

Are you ready for a promotion to Executive Assistant? So many of our students who undertake our Level 4 The Strategic Executive Assistant programme, or Level 4 Executive Assistant Diploma, gain promotion following their courses. Just check out our success stories to learn more! We receive scores of emails from former students to update us on their progress, and just this week we received two on the same day, confirming that, following our Level 4 courses, the job-holders had formally been promoted from PA to EA! Check out these two testimonials below:

“I just wanted to drop you a note to inform you that I have finally managed to secure a promotion to be an Executive Assistant!  I am still a little in shock that this has happened but also delighted!  I knew I wanted to be an Executive Assistant but didn’t have the knowledge of how to transition from being a PA to an EA.  After I attended the Level 4 The Strategic Executive Assistant course, I met with my boss to go over what I had learned.  I was surprised by his response to being unaware that I wanted to progress but he also agreed that he would help with this progression.  Thank you for your help in me achieving this goal and providing me with the tools I needed.  I have just completed a job description and sent to my Chief Executive to ensure it covers what he is expecting of me.” Attended Level 4 The Strategic EA programme in September 2019; was promoted in March 2020.

“Since attending your course earlier this year, I have some positive updates regarding my own progression. I was successful in a pay increase and also agreed a progression path increasing my responsibilities. My management team said nobody else had ever presented to them in such a way and as well as I did using the models I learnt from the programme. Because of this they are reviewing the entire process moving forward. I am also working with our CEO to rewrite my job description, and I have been made responsible for several projects. So, once again, I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to you for giving me that confidence to stand up and reaffirm myself as a valuable member of the management team.” Attended Level 4 The Strategic EA programme in February 2020; was promoted in March 2020! (Now, how’s that for striking while the iron’s hot!)

So, if you want to gain recognition by way of promotion, then our Level 4 programmes are the ones to watch - and only available at Adam Fidler Academy!

Lessons in Executive Support from the late Susie Barron-Stubley - FREE webinars

The Executive & Personal Assistants Association (EPAA), in conjunction with Adam Fidler Academy - their preferred training partner - is holding a series of free webinars for PAs and EAs.

The free webinars, run with Victoria Darragh, founder of EPAA, will share some of the tips and lessons from one of the world’s greatest PA trainers, the late Susie Barron-Stubley. Susie is shown on stage with Adam Fidler, back in 2014.

The next webinar (part 2 of the mini-series) is being held on Monday 4 May 2020 at 13:00 hrs BST.

To register your free place, then please click here.

To catch up on part 1 (recorded on 3 April 2020), please go to EPAA’s GoToStage channel here.

Response to Covid-19

Adam Fidler Academy responds to Covid-19

A huge thank you for being part of Adam Fidler Academy and for your interest in studying with us. We want to let you know that the health and wellbeing of our students is our top priority.

In light of the Covid-19 developments, like most educational bodies, Adam Fidler Academy has moved some current learner programmes to a remote-classroom setting for our qualification students, to enable our students to carry on with their learning.

We have taken this action to keep our community safe and to continue to deliver our highest quality teaching to our students.

Though, this unfortunately means we have had to suspend our usual classroom based courses - scheduled for March, April, May and early June - in London and Manchester.

Our next courses in London and Manchester will now be from July 2020 —and we are now and accepting enrolments on those courses. 

You can find all the information about our upcoming course dates here.  Ready to book? You can book online under the relevant course title, or you can email us for a booking form.    

If you have any other questions not addressed here, please email us directly: adam@adamfidler.academy

EA Newsletter - Volume Two

Volume Two of our Executive Assistant Newsletter is out now! Containing the best EA advice, guidance and perspectives, including ‘The role of the Executive Assistant’ and ‘The Four Pillars of EA Success’, it’s a must-read for every professional EA. To order your paper copy or digital download, please click here.

NEW! Level 5 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management

We’re delighted to launch a brand new qualification programme - the IQ IAM Level 5 Diploma in Office and Administrative Management. This programme is our most advanced qualification and is designed for business support professionals who want to take their senior management skills to a higher-level. The programme, at Level 5, is equivalent to the second year of a degree and covers topics such as: leadership and management; project management; business ethics and corporate social responsibility; innovation and entrepreneurship. For more details, see initially our Level 5 course page here, or contact us for a full course outline. Start dates will be June 2020.

Hays Birmingham PA and EA Networking Evening - 16 March 2020

If’ve never seen Adam Fidler speak about the EA role before, and you’re looking for some inspiration, and the ability to network with like-minded individuals, then Adam will be talking about ‘The Executive Assistant Manifesto: What I Am’ at the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) event, in conjunction with Hays Birmingham on 16 March 2020, from 5:30 pm. For details and to book, click here.

Hays London PA and EA Networking Evening - 23 January 2020

What a turn out! With 100 PAs present, Adam Fidler took the floor at at the Hays EA and PA Networking Event held in London on the 23 January 2020. His talk related to his recent commentary in the Hays What Workers Want Report, which looked at the impact of IT and automation on the EA role. Delegates were treated to a glass of champagne, and heard Adam speak about the three levels of EA Capability that all EAs must learn to safeguard their roles, what employers are looking for in the new EA role, and why EAs and PAs must set stretching goals. Commented Adam: “It was great to be in London, and to see such an open-minded group of PAs, who clearly take their development very seriously.. We are also proud to partner with Hays PLC, whose philosophies and views of the key changes happening in the EA role align precisely to the high-level content we teach all our ambitious students.” If you missed this event, Adam is running a similar event for Hays Birmingham, in partnership with IAM, on 16 March 2020.

Our new events for 2020!

Can’t attend a full two-day training course, or commit to a longer study programme? Then fear not! We’ve announced our new events for 2020, which includes our bite-sized learning evenings, held after work, along with our annual training day and alumni event! For more details, and to register your attendance, please see our events page.