A two-day Administrative Professionals Summit, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, will feature industry experts offering valuable insights and strategies to boost organizational efficiency.
Rebecca Afful, an Executive Support Specialist and one of the organizers, noted that the role of administrative and executive assistants has significantly evolved over the past 50 years. While automation continues to change the nature of their responsibilities, the demand for administrative support will remain strong.
Afful emphasized that this transformation requires administrative professionals to embrace change and shape their career paths to better fit tomorrow’s work environment. She stressed the importance of understanding their profession’s evolution, from performing routine tasks such as typing and filing, to the modern-day demands shaped by technological advancements and changing workplace dynamics.
“As we move forward, the key is to broaden our influence and reshape how we position ourselves within the workforce,” Afful explained. “By doing so, we can better define our value and influence how we are perceived by others.”
The summit themed “The Future Role of the Administrative Professional and AI, will also explore pressing questions about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on administrative roles. As technology advances, there is growing speculation about whether AI will be able to handle tasks such as organizing meetings, booking venues, or managing inboxes—tasks traditionally managed by personal and executive assistants.
The first day of the summit will be held virtually, with the final day’s in-person sessions scheduled to take place at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre in Accra. This hybrid format aims to provide flexibility for participants, allowing them to benefit from both online and face-to-face interactions with industry professionals.
Currently, these assistants play a crucial role in helping high-profile leaders manage logistics and communication, allowing them to focus on strategic, big-picture goals. The summit will delve into these topics and discuss the future of the profession in the age of AI.
