Beef Up Your Office 2007 Skills

With the commercial availability of the 2007 Office System out of the way, Microsoft is now focusing on delivering new certifications enabling users to boost their skills with the suite's applications. Via the new certification program for the 2007 Office System through Microsoft Learning, customers will have their advanced skills validated. For this, the Redmond Company has announced two sets of certifications: Microsoft Certified Application Specialist and Microsoft Certified Application Professional.

Microsoft informed that Office Word 2007, Office Excel 2007, Office Outlook 2007, Office PowerPoint 2007Office Access 2007 and Windows Vista are the only softwares for which certifications will be made available.

"Technology has expanded the definition of productivity beyond a one-dimensional measurement of inputs and outputs to include the intangible value of information and its effects on business processes and practices," says Andrew Hazen, director for Centriq Foss, a Microsoft Gold Certified Learning Solutions Partner. "Measuring productivity for the information worker can be demonstrated through achieving certification because it firmly establishes an achievement of competencies and knowledge otherwise unknown and unmeasured."

The most obvious benefit of the certification program for Office 2007 is increased productivity and workflow for information workers. But the certifications are also measuring and validating the Office 2007 skills. In this regard, Microsoft has made available four skill-set certifications: Managing Budgets, Managing Presentations, Managing Team Collaboration and Supporting Organizations.

"The Microsoft Certified Application Professional credential validates the wide range of skills it takes to work in a collaborative business environment," says Lutz Ziob, general manager of Microsoft Learning. "It recognizes the advanced skills experienced business professionals have gained and offers them a way to earn certifications that are recognized by their managers and peers."