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Secretary

Secretaries work with administrative support, document management, communication and organising information.

Office and administrationDraft – pending professional validationVersion 0.1 · last reviewed 2026-10-09
ReadingWritingNumeracyOral communicationDigital skillsCritical thinking

The occupation and work tasks

The work involves reading and writing texts, recording information, handling appointments and documents and using digital work tools. In today’s working life, much of this takes place through electronic document archives, digital calendars, collaboration platforms and administrative systems. Basic skills are particularly important for ensuring good information flow, clear communication, accurate documentation and responsible handling of information.

Typical work tasks

  • Read and process incoming information.
  • Write and edit documents.
  • Organise appointments and meetings.
  • Record and archive information.
  • Communicate with colleagues and external contacts.
  • Use digital office and collaboration systems.
  • Check document versions and information.
  • Handle information in line with the organisation’s routines.

Developments affecting the occupation

  • AI-supported writing and summaries
  • Digital document management
  • Information security and privacy

Basic skills in the workplace

Norway officially defines five basic skills. Critical thinking is an additional competence area adopted by Prios. Tasks are typical examples, not mandatory requirements or fixed frequencies.

Understand, find and assess information in documents and digital channels.

About the skill

Daily tasks

  • Read emails and work messages.
  • Find information in documents.
  • Understand appointments and calendar information.

Regular tasks

  • Read meeting minutes and summaries.
  • Check document versions.
  • Find your way around internal procedures.

Occasional tasks

  • Read extensive administrative documents.
  • Get to know new routines.
  • Assess information from external sources.

AI and new technology

Personal data and confidential documents must not be shared with external AI services. Supplementary topic linked to digital skills and critical thinking – not an official basic skill.

AI and digital assistants can support secretarial work through drafting texts, summarising and organising information. At the same time, employees must be able to check the quality of the content and protect privacy and confidentiality.

Understanding the systems

Digital tools provide information that must be read and understood correctly.

Checking the information

Automated and AI-generated information can contain errors and must be checked.

Asking when in doubt

Unclear or missing information is clarified with the person responsible.

1. AI-supported writing

Check and improve a fictional AI-generated email draft.

2. Automatic summaries

Compare an automatic summary with a fictional set of meeting minutes.

3. Digital document management

Organise fictional documents by name, date and version.

4. Information security and source criticism

Assess which fictional information can be shared, and with whom.

Suggested learning outcomes

  • Be able to check AI-generated texts.
  • Understand how digital information is organised.
  • Identify uncertain or incomplete information.
  • Know when documents or personal data cannot be shared with external AI services.

Teaching cases

Practical teaching resources for this profile will be added later.

Related resources

External link

External resources

Utdanning.no – Secretary

Occupational description from utdanning.no. Provides occupational context for teaching.

Reading
Utdanning.noNO
Open resource
External link

External resources

Occupational basic skills profiles

Explore how basic skills are used in different occupations.

HK-dirNO
Open resource
Guide

Digital learning resources

Using digital forms safely

Practise forms, checking and privacy without real personal data.

Digital skillsWriting
Teaching example from PriosNO / EN
Open resource
Exercise

Teaching activities

Check the source before sharing

Source criticism online: check sender, date and purpose before using or sharing information.

Digital skillsCritical thinkingReading
#Source criticism and information evaluation#Media literacy
Teaching example from PriosNO / EN
Open resource
Exercise

Digital learning resources

Check the AI answer

Evaluate whether AI-generated information is correct and relevant before using it at work.

Critical thinkingDigital skillsReading
#Digital judgement#Source criticism and information evaluation
Teaching example from PriosNO / EN
Open resource
Exercise

Teaching activities

Can we trust the information?

Participants compare three fictional messages, distinguish claims from documentation and write a neutral, responsible message.

Critical thinkingReadingWritingDigital skills
#Source criticism and information evaluation#Media literacy
Occupation
Secretary
Duration
50–60 minutes
Level
Approximately levels 2–3
Language
Worksheet: Norwegian
Pilot draftNO / EN
Open resource

How to use this profile when planning teaching

The occupational profile supports the planning of basic skills training. It is not a vocational training course.

  1. 1

    Identify relevant workplace tasks

    Choose tasks from the profile that participants recognise from their own working day.

  2. 2

    Discuss participants' previous experience

    What do participants already know and do? Many are experienced in their occupation.

  3. 3

    Identify basic skill needs

    Clarify where participants find reading, writing, numeracy, oral, digital or critical thinking challenging.

  4. 4

    Select relevant learning objectives

    Describe what the participant should be able to do better – in basic skills, not in the occupation itself.

  5. 5

    Choose practical teaching cases and resources

    Use the cases and resources in the profile as a starting point for practical exercises.

  6. 6

    Adapt activities to participants' levels

    Make tasks simpler or more demanding depending on participants’ skills.

  7. 7

    Reflect on learning outcomes

    Talk with participants about what they now handle better at work.

Questions for planning

  • Which tasks in the profile do participants recognise?
  • Which skill would be most useful in their working day?
  • How can the cases be adapted to participants’ levels?
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