Admin professionals remain dedicated, even in pandemic

NAAPTT president Eileen Blackman at the proclamation of Administrative Professionals Week at City Hall, on April 13.  Photo by Angelo Marcelle
NAAPTT president Eileen Blackman at the proclamation of Administrative Professionals Week at City Hall, on April 13. Photo by Angelo Marcelle

National Administrative Professionals Week began on April 24 in acknowledgement of the dedication and professionalism shown by administrative workers, especially during the covid19 restrictions over the past two years. Globally, the week is commemorated in the last full week of April.

The week was proclaimed by Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez on April 13, at City Hall on Knox Street, Port of Spain. Martinez said this year's theme, Entrepreneurial Admin: Adapting the Growth Mindset encourages admin professionals to take risks and venture into new opportunities.

President of the National Association of Administrative Professionals of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAPTT) Eileen Blackman told Newsday of her past 35 years in the field, the most notable transition she has had to make since 2020 was the move to technology.

"The shift in information technology focus opened avenues for some of us to learn more programmes like Microsoft Teams," since most admin staff worked from home at that time. She said these programmes allowed her and her team to easily meet and discuss business strategies.

Blackman said admin professionals are more than clerical workers, and include accountants and technicians.

Accounting/administrative supervisor at Alvair Ltd's Keisha Ajodha said, "In my opinion, they (administrative professionals) are the anchor to every office."

She said this is because administrative personnel are responsible for maintaining order and seamless operations within a company everyday.

Ajodha, an administrative professional for 15 years,said this experience gave her the confidence to work while attending classes at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. She is encouraging more people to get into the administrative field.

Alvair Limited's accountant/administrative supervisor Keisha Ajodha, encourages more people to get into the administrative field. Photo courtesy Keisha Ajodha

"Everything they do contributes to a bigger objective or mission," and adds value and importance to their working environment.

Blackman agreed and said the association offers workshops for those interested in developing themselves both personally and for job opportunities. She said in commemoration of National Administrative Professionals Week, NAAPTT will be hosting its first virtual bingo on April 30. To buy a ticket and register, send contact information to naaptt@yahoo.com.

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"Admin professionals remain dedicated, even in pandemic"

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