A survey of 100 selected businesses in Hutchinson, Kansas, to evaluate the secretarial science program at Hutchinson Community College.

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to determine the curriculum needs of the secretarial science program at Hutchinson Community College. To help determine this, a questionnaire was sent to 100 randomly selected businesses in the Hutchinson, Kansas, area. Eighty-five questionnaires were returned. Some questions on the questionnaire were left unanswered, and many marked more than one response per question. SUMMARY: 1. The majority of the businesses employed between a and 5 full-time clerical employees. 2. Opportunity for job advancement exists in the Hutchinson, Kansas, area for clerical/secretarial employees. 3. Fifty percent of the respondents indicated a willingness to provide part-time training positions. 4. Eighty-eight percent of the businesses used electric typewriters. 5. Typewriting skill of at least 50 WPM and shorthand skill of 80 WPM was the minimum speed required for initial employment. 6. Alphabetic and numeric filing methods were used most often. 7. Seventy-nine percent of the businesses indicated a knowledge of bookkeeping/accounting was necessary for clerical/secretarial employees. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The majority of graduates will be employed by small offices. 2. There are sufficient training positions available to secretarial science students in Hutchinson, Kansas. 3. Secretarial science students should prove a proficiency in typewriting of at least 50 WPM and 80 WPM in shorthand. 4. A knowledge of bookkeeping/accounting is necessary for secretarial science students. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Curriculum in the secretarial science program should include subjects in all clerical areas. 2. Instruction should continue to be given on automatic typewriters, ten-key and full-key adding machines, electronic printing and display, and printing calculators, transcribing machines, computers, and electric typewriters. 3. The content of the records management course should not include special coded methods. 4. A survey of businesses should be made periodically to keep the secretarial science program abreast of current community needs. 5. Further research is needed to assess more accurately the kinds of office machines used. 6. Further research is indicated to determine personality traits deemed desirable in clerical/secretarial employees.