A Diploma of Business can give you the skills you need to take your business career to the next level. Whether you’re running your own business or taking on a managerial or supervisory role at your workplace, this qualification will help you improve your knowledge of business operations. You might be involved with planning a new business, establishing a customer base or managing the daily running of an effective business.

The Diploma of Business offers a range of subjects you can apply to your own business operation. You’ll learn how to successfully manage meetings and conferences and implement effective administrative systems. The course explores various recruitment and induction processes for new staff and shows you how to lead and manage your team. You’ll learn how to identify and evaluate marketing opportunities and manage risk within your business.

Working in business can be a rewarding career. If you enjoy helping customers and working as part of a team, this could be a great pathway for you. People in business need to have strong administration skills and be highly organised. It’s important that you have leadership skills and can manage several tasks at one time. You’ll need to be a strong communicator and be able to listen to the needs of your customers.

A Diploma of Business is an ideal course of study for the following careers:

Office Manager

An Office Manager leads a team of administrative staff to oversee the daily running of a business office. They set up efficient office systems and procedures and ensure these are followed correctly. They also make sure all operations comply with relevant standards and legislation. Office Managers provide support to other teams within a business and might supervise a team of workers from reception, accounting and other departments.

Small Business Owner

A Small Business Owner owns and manages a small business operation. The business may be part of any industry and it may be a full-time or part-time role. Small Business Owners generally take on several roles for their business from managing daily operations to overseeing production or providing a service. They may also supervise a team of staff, take on administrative duties and be involved with sales and marketing.

Café or Restaurant Manager

A Café or Restaurant Manager oversees the daily running of a hospitality venue. They might serve customers and ensure the area is clean and presentable. Café or Restaurant Managers supervise a team of staff and train new employees. They might also ensure stocktakes are carried out and new supplies ordered. People in this role might also be involved with promoting and marketing the venue and managing the financial aspects of running a café or restaurant.

Higher education pathways

A Diploma of Business is a great qualification to start your career in business. If you plan to take on a more senior role you could enrol in an Advanced Diploma of Business. This course covers topics such as strategic planning, continuous improvement and workplace policy. You could also specialise your skills with a Diploma of Business Administration, a Diploma of Payroll Services or a Diploma of Human Resources Management. An Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management would also be appropriate.

If you decide to further your business career you could enrol in a university degree such as a Bachelor of Business or a Bachelor of Business Management. This will expand your knowledge and broaden your career opportunities. A university degree may allow you to take on a position in business with more responsibility. You may be able to use a Diploma of Business as a pathway to these courses.

Getting started

If you’re thinking about enrolling in a Diploma of Business, it’s important that you request information from a range of course providers. There are usually some differences in the way providers deliver their courses so find out about the duration of the course, costs, any prerequisites and the content the course will cover. Once you have all the information you can compare details to find the right course for you.

Written by Jodie Magrath
Jodie Magrath
Jodie is a freelance writer with a background in communication and journalism. She’s spent almost 20 years working in roles such as Special Projects Writer and Publications Officer.