Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

If you’ve spent any time recently looking at job postings, you’re probably aware that Microsoft Office skills are hot and getting hotter.

According to a recent study, over 3.9 million jobs each year in the US alone requested Microsoft Office skills by name. And over the past three years, demand for Microsoft skills in the US has grown by 40%. (Source: Certiport.com)

You need to stand out to land the job, and a Microsoft Office Specialist certificate is a great way to do just that.

You can earn a certificate in Word 365, Excel 365, PowerPoint 365, or earn all three to earn Microsoft Associate status. All are industry-recognized credentials indicating the holder has excellent skills in navigating, problem solving, and time management within the Office 365 apps.

Who could benefit from an MOS certificate?

Microsoft Office Specialist students are all ages, come from all backgrounds and have many unique goals. Some are administrative professionals skilling up for a promotion. Some are mid-career workers who experienced a layoff, and are improving their marketability as older employees by investing in their digital literacy. Some have just earned a diploma and are gearing up for the transition to higher education or a job search. Some are English language learners who have developed foundational digital literacy skills with Northstar and are ready to move beyond the basics and enhance their employability skills.

One MOS student says she uses her new Word skills while job searching.

“I think of cover letters and resumes as a demonstration of my skills. When I send a resume to an employer for an administrative job, I want them to see a perfectly formatted document without an unnecessary formatting mark anywhere. It’s a way for me to prove what I can do before I even get asked to an interview.”

Another student says he has found a great deal of value not only in the Microsoft skills he’s gained, but also in the projects he’s completed as part of the MOS program.

“I’m in the PowerPoint course right now and one of the projects is putting together a presentation that answers a behavioral interview question using the STAR (Situation/Task/Action/Result) method. I went into an actual job interview a few days after completing that project and was asked the same question I’d used for the PowerPoint project. I was able to deliver a well-prepared answer to an important question thanks to the MOS course! I felt so prepared!”

An MOS certificate can also be the first step to further training. Some MOS students continue on to Comp-TIA/A+ training, getting started on the IT career pathway. Other students take their Excel training into a data analyst career. Yet others go into medical coding or billing courses to enter the healthcare career pathway. MOS certification is an excellent launching pad for many different kinds of career success.

In the Online Statewide MOS program offered, students move through the curriculum at their own pace in a supported independent study. In general, it takes approximately 6-8 weeks to earn each certificate. Once students complete all required coursework, they are eligible to take a proctored, timed certification exam. Our program covers all course costs, including testing.