Institute of Professional Administrators?

edrushuk

Hello everyone,

I just wondered if anyone has had any experience with this group?

Institute of Professional Administrators (formerly the IQPS - Institute of Qualified Professional Secretaries).

I am looking to join them and though I would see if I could get any further information from font of collective knowledge (aka MSE forum).

Thank you

Susanna

MrRedundant

What exactly does being a member mean? What skills does it prove you have?
Sounds like a bit of a banker for the scheme provider that will offer little to members to me.

SandC

I was a member of the old IQPS when I first got qualified and started work.

I seem to recall it offered networking opportunities and workshops and stuff. I attended one. I got the impression that most were secretaries full of their own self importance - the types you sometimes meet in your working life who think they are above everyone else cos they work for 'the boss'.

I didn't continue when my year's subscription ended.

LittleVoice

I was a member of the IQPS for some years - in the early years of it having that name (around 1968) when I was studying and travelled to London for some pre-exam training sessions and again in around 1988-1992 when I was working as a PA in central London and went to a few meetings in the City.

The meetings were quite useful - I can still remember one or two! I think I recall Teresa Gorman being an after-lunch speaker at the Inn on the Park in Park Lane during one IQPS annual conference.

(It's a pity the website doesn't name the original qualification properly.)

**curlywurly**

I was an Associate of the Institute of Qualified Private Secretaries. It involved passing a lot of exams and paying an annual fee. For me, as I am not a secretary, the use of the letters AIQPS after my name was the best thing about it - it was always a talking point at interviews because nobody knew what it was ! (And I was 18, so more easily impressed than I am now...)

edrushuk

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am an administrator/receptionist/PA with over 20 years worth of experience behind me. I am trying to relocate back to London with no luck. I thought joining IPA would be good for networking and also to add to my CV.

You have giving me somethng to think about but I think I will leave it for a while.

Susanna

LittleVoice

edrushuk wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am an administrator/receptionist/PA with over 20 years worth of experience behind me. I am trying to relocate back to London with no luck. I thought joining IPA would be good for networking and also to add to my CV.

You have giving me somethng to think about but I think I will leave it for a while.

Susanna

You could contact them and ask if you could attend an event as a visitor because you are thinking of joining. Depending on the event there could be a charge - not much if it's not a big one like the conferences but just a branch meeting.

westv

Sorry if this sounds daft but is "Administrator" the new title for "Secretary"? Also "data input technician" = "Typist"?

Serious question.

edrushuk

WestV,

I use the term administrator as doing admin based work that is not purely secretarial. While I do have some secretarial skills, I am not one. My typing is too slow for a secretarial role and I dont do dictation or audio typing etc. My roles have been very wide ranging, from reception, customer service, bookings manager. Database assistant.

Again a data input person is slightly different again.

I would not get a role as a data input person or a secretary..I don't have the specific skills!

Reading this back..I have not made it very clear, maybe a Secretary, Data Inputter, and a Typist would like to put their 2p into this.

But at the end of the day they are all very similar, backroom support staff.

Susanna