Date of Award

6-1-1970

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Management

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the present Clerical-Secretarial program taught at Lake Region Junior College, Devils Lake, North Dakota.

A questionnaire-opinionnaire was mailed to the 1967, 1968, and 1969 Clerical-Secretarial graduates. Returns were received from 78.5 percent of the graduates.

The returns showed that two-thirds of the respondents were employed full time. The majority of the respondents were employed as secretaries, general clerical workers, bookkeepers, and tank tellers. The balance of the respondents were employed in numerous other occupations. Almost two-thirds of the respondents left their first job within twelve months of employment. Twenty-three percent of these left to continue their education and training.

Principles of Accounting, Office Practice, and Business Machines were the most popular courses taken in college. These three subjects were also listed as being used the most on the job. The respondents listed Typewriting and Office Practice as the courses being the most helpful on the job. Shorthand was listed as being the least helpful. Additional business courses had been taken by a small number of the respondents.

Typing envelopes, handling incoming and outgoing mail, and indexing and filing were the clerical duties performed by the largest number of of respondents. The secretarial and stenographic duties performed by the largest number of respondents were receiving callers, proofreading, and composing letters. Keeping a checkbook, making orginal entries, and posting were the bookkeeping duties performed by the largest number of the respondents. The office machines operated by the largest number of respondents were the electric typewriter, copying machines, and ten-key adding-listing machines.

In general, the respondents felt that the training received at lake Region Junior College had adequately prepared them for the world of work. However, they felt that some training should be given on the copying machines, posting machine, and electronic calculator. They also felt that increased emphasis should be placed upon human relations, job applications and placement, and records management.

Share

COinS