Once a privilege, internet access is now widespread in the workplace, and is creating demands for new skills. Recruitment consultancy Office Angels says a third of its clients are requesting internet skills as part of the secretarial package. In Cambridge, the so-called Silicon Fen, that figure rises to three-quarters.

A few years ago, people were distinctly sniffy about secretarial internet access. Even the first secretary known to have been recruited over the internet in this country (by Reed Employment) said online recruitment was unlikely to have a future because secretaries would never be allowed internet access. As email has matured, views have changed. Indeed, email management is now the top skill demanded by Office Angels' clients. With some managers receiving 200 emails a day, the ability to prioritise and filter is much sought after.

At the same time, the world wide web is becoming an important research tool. Employers want secretaries who know their way around search engines, waking up to the fact that the web is a fast source of background information for meetings and presentations. In addition, organisations are using intranets to create departmental, and even company, diaries. And while booking travel and accommodation online is not as widespread here as in the US, many companies look for knowledge and experience of this when recruiting.

The art of information-sharing across organisations is increasingly becoming a secretarial responsibility. Some secretaries are even creating internal web pages of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Now that the web is being taken seriously, the responsibility for making it work is travelling down the line.