Free Online Training For Job Seekers

Media Release 2 April 2007

Free Online Training For Job Seekers

New Zealand’s job seekers have a new, free online tool to help them brush up on their job-related skills.

Robert Half Finance & Accounting is offering through its partnership with SkillSoft e-Learning more than 6300 business and IT courses, covering everything from basic Excel, Word and PowerPoint to communication skills, advanced data analysis, customer service, workplace behaviour and more.

Robert Half Finance & Accounting division director Megan Alexander said the resource was invaluable for any job seekers wanting to improve their skills.

“The Microsoft Office courses will help new entrants to the job market gain the basic skills they need to hit the ground running in their first jobs.

“More advanced job seekers will find that courses on communication and leadership skills help to round out their technical ability, making them more likely candidates for promotion.”

Ms Alexander pointed out that in a recent workplace survey by Robert Half International across 13 countries, the ability to communicate well rated as the most important skill for accountants who wanted to increase their chances of career advancement.

“And the great thing about the courses available through our e-Learning programme is that job seekers can complete them at their own pace and at a time that suits them,” she said.

Most of the courses include online mentoring, meaning that while job seekers can study at home at their own pace, they are not studying alone.

Last year, more than 52,000 job seekers worldwide completed courses through Robert Half’s e-Learning. This year, the programme will be able to support 72,000 users.

The top five courses in the first week of February this year were: Beginning Excel; Introduction to QuickBooks 2001; Accounting Fundamentals; Beginning Access; and Spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel 2002.

There is no cost for enrolling in or completing any of the courses. To be eligible, job seekers simply have to register with Robert Half Finance & Accounting and attend a personal interview. They don’t have to wait until they are placed in a new job to begin a course.

Robert Half Finance & Accounting is the world's first and largest financial temporary and permanent recruitment agency, specialising in the placement of accounting and finance professionals, ranging from accounts clerks through to chief financial officers.

Job seekers wanting to take advantage of the free online courses can contact Robert Half Finance & Accounting on (09) 915 6700 or by email at aucklandtemp@roberthalf.co.nz for temporary workers or aucklandperm@robertthalf.co.nz for those seeking a permanent job.

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