DO you have a knack for organising people and/or resources? If yes, perhaps a career as a business administrator is your calling.

BARHAM. administration is the core of any organisation (Photo: Napthali Junior)

Collette Barham, business administrator and marketing director at the Kingston-based Minerva Training, provides insight into this career option.

The 41-year-old got her initial exposure to business administration as a soldier in the Jamaica Defence Force, serving in a variety of administrative positions.

Barham is the holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University College of the Caribbean and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration, also with the UCC and the Commonwealth of Learning.

Who is a business administrator?
In business, an administrator is a person who organises people, resources and processes so that the activities of the business are directed toward achieving common goals and objectives. (The field) covers subjects such as business economics, accountancy, financial management, mathematics and statistics, business law, business communication and business technology.

What is the value of the work that you do?
Administration is the core of any organisation, and it is vital that it is performed efficiently and effectively at all levels. In a broader sense, business is the most important means by which wealth is created in society. Our economic and social well-being are dependent on well-run businesses and our public services are largely financed by taxes on the profits which businesses generate and wages employees earn.

What prompted your entry into this field?
When I started my own business, a general business education was important because it permitted an overview of the various skills and competencies required by an entrepreneur. Also, because several universities offered business degrees part-time it was convenient and permitted me to balance work, study and family.

What are the academic requirements for getting into your field?
Anyone entering business needs a sound high school education, especially Mathematics and English Language skills up to A-levels. Today, a good grasp of Information and Communication Technology is also critical. Because of the importance of science and technology to the modern economy, it would be ideal if more of our entrepreneurs had a background in Biology, Chemistry and Physics as too many of our small businesses are traders or providers of personal services instead of being involved in innovation and new product creation. Much of the innovation and new product creation in advanced economies began in small businesses, which eventually grew into large corporations.

What type of earnings are there to be made in your line of work?
This depends on the industry and the size of the business. Some industries have very low returns because of competition or the cost structure, and some are more stable than others. Larger businesses can usually command greater resources, are usually more sustainable and can benefit from economies of scale. All these factors will affect the level of earnings. As a general rule, however, specialists at the lower levels of an organisation tend to be better paid than generalists, and young people should consider this when getting a business education.

What other employment opportunities are open to someone trained as a business administrator?
A business administrator can be employed almost anywhere, from the public to the private sector or from a profit to a non-profit organisation.

Why would you advise anyone to become a business administrator?
A business administration education gives people a good general overview of the complexity of the business environment and the full range of skills and competencies required to properly manage and lead any type of organisation. The best business programmes also allow students to develop good communication and other interpersonal skills, which will help them build effective business relationships, as well as citizenship skills as they learn about corporate social responsibility.

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