Meeting Workplace Skill Requirements by Improving Your Microsoft Office Abilities

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again – Adding Microsoft Office to your workplace skill set is extremely beneficial for everyone involved. Here’s a quick recap of why this is the case:

• It’s one of the most sought-after skills: In 2013, the IDC assessed 14.6 million job listings to determine which skills would be the most sought after by employers in positions anticipated to experience both the greatest growth and wage increases between 2013 and 2020. Microsoft Office skills featured as the third most desired by employers, topped only by having oral and written communication skills.

• Not enough people are computer literate to keep up with the demand: Despite the fact that we live in a technology-centric society, the OECD found that only 5% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 65 are computer literate, while only 26% of adults possess a moderate level of computer literacy. These stats mean that organizations can’t assume that their current staff or potential new hires have an adequate grasp of the software they are required to use in their everyday work.

So, we know that employers want their staff to have a solid grasp on oral and written communication (e.g., presentation skills, spelling and grammar proficiency), in addition to knowing their way around a computer (e.g., using software such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). This is primarily because our most precious commodity in the current economy is information (especially if the latest Facebook data breach is anything to go by). Being able to process, compile, create, transform, and present information in ways that are useful to colleagues or clients conveys both professionalism and expertise. And let’s not forget about the bonus of increased productivity that is usually part and parcel of any improved skill.

What to do to meet employers’ skill requirements?

The following online training courses will bolster your CV and iron out the wrinkles in your ability to effectively utilize the most widely-used software in office environments, depending on your existing skill level:

• Course 1: Word 2013 – Beginner Course
• Course 2: Word 2013 – Intermediate Course
• Course 3: Word 2013 – Advanced Course
• Course 4: Word 2016 – Beginner Course
• Course 5: Word 2016 – Intermediate Course
• Course 6: Word 2016 – Advanced Course

“When I write, I lose time. I’m happy in a way that I have a hard time finding in real life. The intimacy between my brain and my fingers and my computer… Yet knowing that that intimacy will find an audience… It’s very satisfying.”

– Jill Soloway