Microsoft Office Specialist - training advice needed

Pinklepurr

This is the year I am determined to go back to an office based role, having taken a break from this type of work to raise the children. I do work p/t at the moment in education, but my computer skills are woefully out of date! I suspect my CV would get binned unless I can show I am up to date

I am considering taking the Microsoft Office 2010 Specialist course which I can home study for, starting with Word, then doing Excel and possibly PowerPoint. Has anyone here done this course? Home Learning College want over £600 for Word/Excel/PowerPoint combined, with online tutor support and resources. I can do each individual programme for £119 with Learn Direct, this is cheaper overall but you don't get a tutor but you get all the on-line resources you need to complete the course. I believe in both cases I need to arrange my own exam at a local college or training centre (extra cost).

Has anyone taken these courses and did you find it made a difference when looking for work? Can you recommend a provider or have any feedback on Home Learning College or Learn Direct?

Thank you

Reggie_Rebel

Have a look at CB Learning

http://www.cblearning.com/microsoft-training-365/

No prices but they'll give you a quote.

[Deleted User]

Blimey.. wouldn't it be cheaper to buy some books and learn from them?

Are the 'qualifications' recognised and relevant?

Caroline_a

Do you have Office 2010 on your own pc? If so I would recommend going through the (free) Microsoft training videos - there are loads of them! I doubt if you'd get any advantage in having qualifications in it, unless you were going into IT support and went for the high level MSE tests (which is a whole different ball game and not what you want).

I would set yourself some tasks to do and play with the software. Excel is particularly useful in the workplace, set up some spreadsheets (for finances? ), play with the numbers, see how you get on with pivot tables, etc. Do some Powerpoint presentations, add graphics, music, videos, run them as a slide show.

I have always found that the best way (for me) to learn software is to play with it, and use it.

Viscount

as above I would go through the inbuilt training Videos and tutorials and then look at getting a book on it.

Since it sounds like you've got prior experience you may find you are not as out of date as you think.

gettingready

Definitely do not pay 600 - Jesusssssssssssssssssssss:eek:

Get some books from the library, learn by yourself and book exams only.

I was a trainer/testing centre manager for ECDL/ECDL Advanced as well as MOS so believe me you will be wasting the 600.

Yes, I have MOS on various versions of Office as well as MOS Master and MOS MI (Master Instructor).

Those are not very difficult exams if you put some time into it - do not pay 600 for a "course"

Pinklepurr

Thanks everyone for your advice.

The Microsoft Office Specialist is a recognised Microsoft qualification and you get a certificate on passing each exam. I will definitely NOT be paying £600 for the Home Learning College :eek:! Many employment agencies want you to be able to demonstrate good IT skills so I thought this qualification would be a good way to demonstrate that I am up to date, even though I don't currently work in an office role (I rarely need to use a computer in my current role).

I have Office 2010 installed at home and have had a play with it. I can do basic word processing but I want to know the more interesting and advanced stuff you can do with it. Excel scares me just looking at it!

I did look at the free Microsoft training videos but felt that they would only really be useful if you had a particular issue you needed help with rather than a complete guide to each programme.

Can anyone recommend a good book then?

Hillbilly1

If you currently work in education you could access free IT courses there?

We get offered them all the time, stand alone or ECDL.

hcb42

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Syllabus-Module-Spreadsheets-Using/dp/1860058507/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357675019&sr=1-1



Try this series, hope that works. You can download a series of prepopulated worksheets and work through them all. I have only got the Excel ones, not the Word ones however.

Depends how far you want to go Bill Jelen is a useful author to know for advanced excel etc as is https://www.mrexcel.com

I think most employers would be happy if you stated you were competent to "ECDL Level" "Intermediate Excel User" etc rather than a piece of paper. I have a relatively geeky job and I dont have any formal excel quals either (but loads of books!)

Pinklepurr

Thanks for all the suggestions. I shall have a look at the books suggested on Amazon and pick one or two which I think will help. Much cheaper MSE solution!!

KiKi

Employers want you to be able to use these programmes - but TBH, most employers in office environments will assume you can use them if you say you can. They'll state it in the advert, but they will not expect a qualification. I couldn't care less that you've done an exam - I'd rather you have the basic skills then the savvy / common sense to work things out by googling them.