Microsoft Business Certification

Hi,

Got this offer sent to me from MS and wondered if anyone had come across/done these certifications before or is it completely new?

https://www.prodigy.ie/shop/sub.cfm/page/product/key/122/cat/12/

Thought I'd probably do the Excel one for the hell of it. For £65 you can't go too wrong I guess.

Dom

Hello,

The MCAS looks pretty new to me:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/msbc/mcas/default.mspx

So what's that ~$130? Or is the U.S. dollar still in free-for-all?

Hmmm, I wonder who wrote these tests...?

According to the brochure it's aimed at intermediate/advanced users. It will be interesting to see what level Microsoft considers that to be.

My main shortfall is the 2007 interface (although I'm sure a few folk here could add a few more) which I have to admit I still haven't quite got used to as I still concentrate on 2003 as it's what I use at work.

Anyway, it's ordered so I'll give my initial opinions in a couple of weeks.

Laters,

Dom HMCASS (Hopefully Microsoft Certified Application Specialist Soon)

What about a Brainbench Certification for Excel ? Are they popular and in-demand across the globe ? One of my friend, she referred it to me..

www.brainbench.com

Never heard of Brainbench myself but that doesn't mean a great deal.

Dom

Hi Domski ,

Has the "course material " arrived yet ?

Russ

It hasn't. Was just starting to think it had been a while but UPS had tried to deliver something last night which may well have been it.

Dom

On a more general note, IT training courses are ten a penny, but I find it really hard to tell which ones are legitimate and/or as worthwhile as they promise. Can anyone recommend good distance-learning training on Excel, VBA etc.? Also see my separate thread: http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324187.

Thanks.

You may find this helpful -- from the MrExcel store: http://www.mrexcel.com/excelvbatraining.shtml

Denis

Hi,

Just to let you know the packaga arrived yesterday consisting of instructions as to how to download and install a pre-course test, a book (c.400 pages) along with a mouse mat and bag (which I'll never want to be seen in public with ).

I only had a brief flick through the 'course content' but initial impressions are that it's fairly straightforward stuff, probably what most courses would class as intermediate to advanced level but as most regular contributors here will recognise realistically more around the intermediate skill level.

It starts from the very basics of what is a cell, entering data, formatting, adding/deleting worksheets, inserting rows/columns etc through using functions and using conditional if's, charts, pivot tables, subtotals, etc and touches on recording macros with a bunch of other stuff thrown in along the way.

I think could/should have gone a lot further to really be of any meaning as far as proving someone is really an Excel application specialist. As I said before I think the price I paid means you can't really go wrong but as far as a qualification I can't help think that MS have missed the mark a little.

I'll come back to you when I've got my hands dirty with it a bit but at the moment I'd rate it 4/10.

Dom