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Business Certifications for Microsoft Office 2007

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We have released new certifications (for Office workers) for MIcrosoft Office 2007... they are called Microsoft Business Certifications and are structured differently than the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications on Office 2003. The audience is still for people like me, who spend much of the day in Office apps, creating really, really fascinating PPTs and must-read Word documents. But you, dear readers, might like to check them out too. 

There are two credentials in the Business Certifications program: a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist certification that says you know how to use one Office app (Excel, Access..). The next level is a Microsoft Certified Application Professional, which says you know how to use the technologies to get stuff done at work (mangage budgets, team collaboration...). If this sounds familiar, that's good, because it is similarly structured to the new generation IT pro and developer certifications, where an MCTSdemonstrates technology knowledge and MCITP or MCPD is intended to validate job role skills using the technology. 

The first exams available (in March) will be on Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. Next up Outlook and Access. I took the beta for the Word exam a month ago; I'll let you know if I pass. There is a possibility that I'll let you know if I did not pass. Something new: there is a Vista cert for Office workers as part of this program, available in August along with the first of the Application Professional credentials.

When you stop making fun of your non-IT co-workers for not knowing what partition limits are or whether E12 runs on SBS, you can tell them to learn more about the new Office 2007 certifications here:

  1. Business Certification landing page.
  2. Article on the new certs.
  3. Find the list of planned certs and timeline on this link

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2007
    Hey Trika. Are these new MBCs designed to replace the MOS for the future of Microsoft Certification Program? Meaning the MOS certification will be "retired", for a lack of a better term, with Office 2003? Or are the MBCs designed as a different certification beast; to work beside the MOS certification?

  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2007
    Hi Michael By reading the article mentioned in Point #2, I think the Application Specialist esignation is going to replace Office Specialist. It will validate an end user's proficiency and skill within a single application: Windows Vista, Office Word 2007, Office Excel 2007, Office Outlook 2007, Office PowerPoint 2007 and Office Access 2007.

  • Anonymous
    February 21, 2007
    So, the beta periods for these Business Certifications have already passed?  

  • Anonymous
    March 11, 2007
    Michael: MOS will continue to be the credential of choice for Office 2003 applications; but beginning with 2007, MSBC is the format—there will be no MOS certifications on 2007 or beyond. The two programs will live side by side, just as technologies do for a period of years. Vincent: Right you are. App Spec is kind of the ‘next gen” office specialist Jack: Some of the betas (word, excel, PPT) have already finished; others will be coming up soon. but I don't believe there is a process for customers to sign themselves up... I'll check on it further.

  • Anonymous
    April 15, 2007
    Does anyone know if there will be an equivalent to the Master Instructor certification for MCAS and MCAP?

  • Anonymous
    April 20, 2007
    Prep guides for the first few Microsoft Business Certifications I was mumbling about earlier are now

  • Anonymous
    March 06, 2008
    The comment has been removed