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International & diaspora pathway

Refugee or new arrival to Office Support Role

Recognise the experience you bring, learn local workplace and office expectations, and prepare with confidence for an office support role.

Pathway status: Planned8 stages

Who it’s for: People who have recently arrived in a new country, including refugees and South Africans who have moved abroad, who want to start work in an office support role.

You are hereRefugee or new arrival

8 stages

TargetOffice Support Role

Starting point

What you bring, and what to build

People arriving in a new country bring real experience, languages and the organisation it takes to rebuild a life, often including a great deal of paperwork. What is often missing is local know-how: workplace expectations, the digital systems offices use and how records, email and documents are handled. This pathway builds exactly those things and prepares you for applications and interviews.

This is independent preparation. It is not the internal training of any employer, and Saffa Skills is not affiliated with or endorsed by any employer.

Transferable strengths you already have

  • Previous work experience, in any field
  • Languages you already speak
  • Handling complex paperwork
  • Adaptability and resilience
  • Working with people from different backgrounds
  • Organising family or community responsibilities

Capability areas to build

Skills to build

  • Workplace expectations
  • Professional email
  • Telephone communication
  • Online forms
  • Documents and spreadsheets
  • Filing and records
  • Scheduling
  • Privacy
  • Scam awareness
  • Interview preparation

The route

Stage by stage

Each stage shows its own status. 3 of 8 stages draw on training that is being built now or launching next; the pathway as a whole is planned.

You are here

Refugee or new arrival

  2. Stage 2

    Status: Launching next

    Communication

    Communicate clearly in person, by phone and in writing, and ask when something is unclear.

    • Telephone communication
    • Clarification
    • Working with colleagues

    Builds: Human Foundations

    Training: Human & Workplace Skills

  3. Stage 3

    Status: Building now

    Digital basics

    Use computers, email, online forms and employee portals confidently and safely.

    • Online forms
    • Employee portals
    • Scam awareness

    Builds: Life & Digital Foundations

    Training: Digital Foundations

  4. Stage 4

    Status: Planned

    Office fundamentals

    How an office works: the roles, the routines and how information moves around.

    • Office roles
    • Scheduling
    • Business systems

    Builds: Knowledge & Theory

    Training: Office & Administration

  5. Stage 5

    Status: Planned

    Documents, email and records

    Write professional emails, prepare simple documents and file records properly.

    • Professional email
    • Documents and spreadsheets
    • Filing and records

    Builds: Practical / Occupational Skills

    Training: Office & Administration

  6. Stage 6

    Status: Building now

    AI literacy and privacy

    Use AI tools carefully to draft and practise, check their answers and keep information private.

    • Checking AI answers
    • Privacy
    • Protecting confidential information

    Builds: AI & Modern Technology

    Training: AI & Automation

Target

Office Support Role

Practical evidence

What you’ll be able to show

Progress is proven with real work, recorded in your private Skills Passport.

  • A set of professional emails for common office situations
  • A completed office support task set
  • A correctly completed online application
  • A local-style CV that describes transferable experience
  • A practice interview with written reflection

Linked training

Training areas used

Where next

Possible next pathways

All pathways

Launch updates

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