For many students, going immediately from high school to college is the natural order of things. That wasn’t the case for LaCheale Linscott — at least, not right away. Maybe she’d go into real estate and work for her family’s business, she thought, but she wouldn’t jump straight into college.

Now, though, she’s on track to graduate from North Idaho College’s Administrative Assistant program. As a dual-enrolled student, Linscott earned college credits for a number of classes. When she looked into NIC’s programs, she found that she’d already completed most of the required courses for the Administrative Assistant program.

With the credits she’d earned in high school, Linscott knew she’d be able to get her college degree in one year, which made enrolling at NIC an easy choice. It was the perfect fit.

North Idaho College’s Administrative Assistant program combines an academic program with administrative and computer instruction to prepare students to work in many areas of the business world—including banking, insurance, real estate, government, public and private agencies, and more.

“Our students learn the latest and greatest technologies that are coming out,” said Tacey Keylon, Administrative Assistant program coordinator. “It makes our students able to work smarter, not harder, and be more productive employees. There are a lot of opportunities for advancement with the skills we teach in our program.”

The median wage for an administrative assistant is $38,654 per year, though more experienced or educated administrative assistants may earn more. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, office and administrative jobs are projected to grow faster than any other occupation between 2014 and 2024.

NIC’s Administrative Assistant program was built to accommodate the needs and schedules of students. Almost all classes are available online; on-campus requirements are minimal. The only class that requires regular in-person attendance is one hour per week, scheduled around lunchtime, for the convenience of students who are also working day jobs. It’s available on the NIC campus, as well as at the outreach centers in Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry.

“We intentionally designed our program knowing that our target demographic might already be working or have families,” Keylon said. “We’re trying to eliminate barriers.”

Linscott, who lives in Sandpoint, said she appreciated the program’s flexibility, which made it possible for her to earn a degree without having to relocate.

“I didn’t want to move to Coeur d’Alene,” she said. “I was able to obtain my degree using the Sandpoint Outreach Center and online classes. It was really convenient for me.”

Linscott hasn’t quite settled on what she wants to do with her degree — accountant, office manager, or another position entirely — but because of the diverse and portable skills she’s picked up, the possibilities are wide open.

“You can take the skill set to almost any business,” Linscott said. “No matter where I go, I can get a job with that degree. I’m ready to figure out a career.

For more information on the NIC Administrative Assistant program, visit www.nic.edu/programs/ and click on “Administrative Assistant” under “Programs.”