Become proficient in Microsoft Excel and go from beginner to pro with our hands-on Excel Bootcamp. Learn functions, formulas, Pivot Tables, macros, and time-saving techniques to conquer all the key skills needed to excel in Excel.
Join us for a beginner Excel workshop where you'll learn the essentials of Microsoft Excel, including calculations, basic functions, graphs, formatting, and printing. This comprehensive course is perfect for those with limited experience looking to expand their proficiency.
Learn intermediate Excel functions like VLOOKUP and SUMIFS, and how to summarize data with Pivot Tables, Sort & Filter databases, and split and join text. Gain the skills needed to utilize complex Excel functions and prepare for more advanced training.
Learn advanced Excel functions, macros, and data analysis to improve efficiency and manage complex data in any job setting. This advanced course is ideal for Excel power-users.
Take your PowerPoint skills to the next level with our accelerated course. Learn everything from the basics of creating presentations to more advanced features like custom themes, animations, and managing large presentations.
Learn basic through advanced Outlook skills, including contact and group creation, calendar management, working with mailboxes and activities, and using automations.
Learn essential Microsoft Word skills, from basic formatting and text editing to advanced features like mail merges and custom templates.
Learn all the Microsoft Office programs in-depth in this bootcamp. This package includes three levels of Excel, two levels of PowerPoint, two levels of Word, and two levels of Outlook classes at a 15% discount.
Learn the fundamentals of the essential Microsoft Office programs in this 4-day bootcamp. This package includes our beginner Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook classes at a 15% discount.
Boost your resume with a Microsoft Excel Certification. Our program offers three courses, private training, the Specialist Exam fee with free retake, lifetime access to Excel video courses, and free exam proctoring.
Prepare for the Microsoft Excel exam and become an Excel expert with our certification program. Learn formulas, functions, Pivot Tables, charts, and more through group classes, private training, and an exam with a free retake.
Enhance your resume with the Word Specialist Certification package, featuring Microsoft Word training and certification at an affordable price. Includes exam costs, proctoring, and benefits like free class retakes, private tutoring, and the official study guide.
Advance your Microsoft Word skills with the Microsoft Word Expert Certification Bundle, which includes both Level I and Level II classes. Prepare for the official Microsoft Word Expert Exam with included free retakes, private tutoring, and exam proctoring.
Prepare for the PowerPoint Specialist Certification Exam with our comprehensive certification program. This package includes group classes, private training, and the exam with a free retake, along with study materials.
Get certified in Microsoft Office suite with this comprehensive program: group classes, private training, and exams in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. The affordable price includes 7 group classes, 6 hours of private training, and 4 certification exams. Free retakes, MOS study guides, and instant digital certificates are included.
Microsoft Office is a suite of applications often used for professional and academic purposes to complete daily tasks at home, work, or anywhere you can access a computer. Microsoft Office has been around since its release in 1990, but in 2022, it changed from Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 has some of the familiar applications that were brought on with Microsoft Office, and some more cloud-based features to keep up with technology. Applications like Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint are among the most popular. Microsoft 365 also has applications like Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams.
Most people are familiar with some of the most commonly used Office programs, and some might even have preferences. For example, some prefer Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations. Many use this program to create slide show presentations for either work or school, and it can even be utilized to create posters. PowerPoint is one of the most well-known applications. Microsoft Excel is used to make and edit spreadsheets. These spreadsheets can then create graphs and charts using the data entered into the cells. Others also use Excel to organize and track information, either for personal or professional use. Microsoft Word is the most used and most popular Microsoft tool. It is a word-processing application that is utilized to create text documents. From a cover letter to a business summary, almost anyone can find a use for Microsoft Word. It can be used for simple or more complex formatting using various headers or charts. Microsoft Access, another part of the Office suite, is a database software program that allows users to interact with data quickly. Finally, Microsoft 365 applications like Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams help individuals connect and collaborate via email, shared documents and spaces, and video calling. While it is a commonly used program, there are different levels of expertise in Microsoft Office, and depending on how in-depth a person would like to go, their level of knowledge can carry them into various careers.
According to the Financial Post, over one billion people worldwide will use Microsoft Office in 2021; it is safe to assume that number has increased with time. With that many users, having some form of Microsoft Office experience is not only worth it but likely required. As a student, many components of Microsoft Office will be expected to be necessary, such as Word for word processing, PowerPoint to complete required course presentations, and Outlook could be a primary email source to maintain communication with professors. From a career standpoint, most employers require basic knowledge of most Office programs and will name specific programs requiring job expertise.
Microsoft has additional benefits to learn. For example, Microsoft Office 365 has many features that help with work collaboration. Using Teams, SharePoint, or OneDrive allows team members to collaborate seamlessly and in real-time. Being well-versed in Microsoft Office is also great for improving the creativity of various projects. From PowerPoint to Excel, multiple Office applications can be used to enhance presentations, graphs, and even flyers. When exploring Office applications, some can also increase efficiency and productivity for personal and career projects. Overall, Microsoft Office has its benefits, and learning the various applications can increase job opportunities, improve academic success, and take multiple projects to the next level.
Many people use some components of Office in the most basic way without any formal training. Some open a Word document to take quick notes or write a short paper. Other people might find themselves creating a simple PowerPoint Presentation using context clues and trial-and-error methods without unlocking the shortcuts or other uses of the program. Most Office programs are easy to learn because of their simplicity and easy navigation. However, taking a course allows learners to learn efficient and effective ways to use the many intricate pieces of some of their favorite programs. It is generally easy to understand Microsoft Office; for some, it can take about three days with professional training. It is essential to keep in mind that your prior knowledge and end goal can make the learning process more complex.
Online courses continue to grow in popularity, particularly after the COVID-19 shutdown. Many students find value in taking classes or obtaining full degrees online instead of traditional in-person learning. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2021,1.9 million remote learners attended nonprofit institutions. As online learning continues to be an option, students continue to use this tool to help improve their success. It is a personal preference when considering the best course choice; this includes taking Microsoft Office courses.
There are a few advantages of online courses over in-person courses. First, taking a class online offers greater flexibility. If it is a live online course, the course must be attended during course hours, but students can log in from anywhere. This is incredibly convenient as it accommodates work schedules or other time constraints. If it is a self-paced course, there are even more possibilities when you watch lectures or work on course assignments. Another advantage of taking a course anywhere is that there is no commute! No need to worry about adding in commute time when signing up for a course. The lack of commute also opens up options regarding what courses you can take at various schools. An online course in Chicago can be accessible to anyone, anywhere.
On the other hand, flexibility could also have disadvantages when considering online classes versus in-person classes. An in-person course provides a certain level of structure with time and location requirements. Students know they need to be in their classroom at a particular time and can focus on the coursework. This can limit distractions and help students get into the mindset required to concentrate on their coursework only. While both in-person and online courses offer interactions with peers, they are different. An in-person course allows you to interact with your classmates directly, which increases the connection. An online course provides a broadening network because you can meet students from all over the country. Some participants could be local, and others from across the country.
When it comes to deciding between in-person and online courses for Microsoft Office, both options are valuable. It is important to consider learning needs and time. For example, an in-person course is an excellent option for students seeking more hands-on and one-on-one learning. On the other hand, if a student has a tight schedule and limited availability, consider an online course with either a live instructor or a self-paced course that allows for flexibility in completing work. Finally, consider what tools are needed to learn Microsoft Office effectively. Some in-person courses offer access to computer labs and Microsoft 365 while registering for the course. This can be helpful for students who don’t already own the program.
In Chicago’s fast-paced professional environment, Microsoft Office remains an essential tool across nearly every industry. From multinational corporations to local businesses, employers expect candidates to be familiar with core programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Many Chicago-based companies—including United Airlines, McDonald’s, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and Exelon—rely on Microsoft Office to keep their operations efficient and their teams connected.
Microsoft Word continues to be one of the most widely used applications in Chicago’s offices. Professionals in fields such as finance, healthcare, and web development use Word to draft proposals, document processes, and organize project information. Companies like Northern Trust, AbbVie, and Morningstar depend on clear written communication, making proficiency in Word essential. Administrative and support roles—such as those at Northwestern University or Rush University Medical Center—also rely heavily on Word for correspondence, documentation, and recordkeeping.
PowerPoint plays a major role in helping Chicago businesses communicate ideas visually. It’s commonly used in marketing, education, engineering, and corporate training. At organizations like Leo Burnett, Salesforce’s Chicago hub, and the University of Chicago, PowerPoint is a go-to tool for designing presentations that engage clients, students, and internal teams. Human Resources professionals across the city also use PowerPoint to create training materials, share company updates, and introduce new initiatives.
Outlook ties it all together by helping Chicago’s professionals stay organized and connected. Whether it’s managing project communication at Motorola Solutions, coordinating schedules at McDonald’s, or sending client updates at BMO Harris Bank, Outlook is the backbone of daily operations for countless teams throughout the city.
These days, Microsoft Office experience is required for almost all careers that involve office work. You’ll see different requirements depending on your profession and industry. Some jobs that require Microsoft Office experience explicitly include Administrative Assistant, Project Manager, Market Researcher, and even Data Analyst. For example, analysts have to have advanced knowledge of Excel, professors who teach large lecture classes can benefit from PowerPoint skills, and people working in administrative positions should have at least an intermediate understanding of Microsoft Word and Outlook. In any case, a background in Office is a supplementary ability—it’s essential to bring industry-specific knowledge to the table, too.
As the third-largest city in the U.S. and the site of countless businesses, Chicago is a great city to use your Microsoft Office skills. Since Office usage is common across industries, it’s hard to gauge precisely how much people using Office applications make on average here. That said, some careers that rely on a heavy understanding of a particular Office application are known to come with high salaries. If you’re a Chicago-based Business Analyst who uses Excel regularly, you can expect to make around $85,000 a year. Project Managers in Chicago can earn anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000.
There are also jobs available as an Executive Assistant at various Chicago-based companies. The average salary for an entry-level Executive Assistant is about $75,000, which accounts for skills, experience, and education, with most positions requiring future employees to possess advanced skills in Microsoft Office. Various HR positions require Microsoft Office expertise. In Chicago, these jobs can pay about $81,000 for an HR Specialist position, and pay also varies based on additional training, years of experience, and education. These are just a few examples of careers in Chicago that can benefit from a potential employee who is well-versed in Microsoft Office.
Noble Desktop’s live online Complete Microsoft Office Bootcamp is designed to help you gain comprehensive mastery of the entire Microsoft Office suite. This 54-hour program includes three levels of Excel training, two levels each of PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. Covering everything from beginner to advanced skills, the course prepares you for a wide range of professional roles, including Administrative Assistant and Project Manager. Plus, you’ll have the option to retake the class for free within one year to reinforce your learning and sharpen your skills.
NYC Career Centers offers a three-day Microsoft Excel Bootcamp aimed at teaching participants beginner, intermediate, and advanced Excel courses in one detailed bootcamp. Students can expect to cover the basics of Excel, learn more intermediate functions and data validation, and then advanced expert-level skills like PivotTables functions. Field experts teach the course and aim to give students the skills they need to feel comfortable with Excel.
Microsoft Office courses can offer a variety of topics as the Office suite houses a host of applications. The typical and most commonly used applications include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Teams. With various programs and levels of expertise, options are available when it comes to classes related to Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office courses can vary based on learning for personal or professional use. There are also courses specific to the program of choice. There are introductory courses for Office 365 that teach how to use Office 365, work with documents using OneDrive, provide an overview of using Outlook, and work with Teams.
A Microsoft Excel course would cover the basics, like navigating and using Excel commands, then move into performing calculations, like creating worksheet formulas and inserting functions. The course could also go into detail on formatting, modifying, and printing worksheets. A Microsoft Word course typically covers formatting, lists, tables, and inserting graphics, and a more advanced course could cover managing longer documents and using mail merge. These are just two examples of what could be covered in Microsoft Office classes. Another popular course that many find helpful is a PowerPoint course. Students commonly use PowerPoint throughout their academic careers, providing value in beginner-level courses. A beginner-level course typically covers topics like navigating PowerPoint, inserting images, icons, shapes, and formatting options. Finally, all of this beginner-level information leads up to how to apply transitions and deliver an effective PowerPoint presentation.
Microsoft Office is home to numerous programs requiring technical skills, creativity, and organization. Programs like Excel and PowerPoint, to name a few of the Office applications, require attention to detail as an additional skill. When inputting formulas, setting tables, designing presentations, and creating informative infographics, it is important to pay attention to the details of projects to ensure they are clear and concise. Additionally, basic computer skills are critical when operating all Microsoft Applications. While programs like Word and PowerPoint can be straightforward, other programs like Excel, Teams, and Outlook might require additional steps within some basic computer skills, amplifying the importance of knowing things like opening an application, saving a file, and moving between programs before embarking on the educational journey of Office.
Learning the various applications of Microsoft Office can be a task. The many applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel can be layered and complex, depending on how much knowledge someone is looking to gain. On average, popular applications like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint can be learned in a day each for more beginner-level courses. Mastering these programs could take longer and vary based on previous experience.
Companies find value in their team being well-versed in Microsoft Office, so if your workplace uses Microsoft Office, corporate training could benefit you. It is an excellent opportunity for team-building and a great way to get your employees up to speed on commonly used applications like Word and Excel. Hosting a training as a team-building event is a simple process to organize. Noble Desktop has onsite and corporate Microsoft Office training that can be tailored to the needs of any company.
Employers can choose to schedule private classes onsite with a live instructor or a virtual option for employees to complete together in the office or in their individual spaces. Either way, Noble’s instructors will lead your employees in hands-on activities that will give them a better understanding of Office software. If the team has difficulty finding a time that works to involve everyone in the process, another option for corporate clients is purchasing a bundle of vouchers for Noble Desktop’s open enrollment classes, which come with a discount. Regardless, Noble Desktop will host and provide an excellent educational opportunity. There are also options for creating custom classes, which a representative from Noble Desktop can support. To create customized training or learn about more opportunities, email Noble Desktop, and someone will help with the process.
In the heart of the Midwest’s finance capital, there’s opportunity everywhere. From tech startups in Fulton Market to powerhouse Fortune 500 firms in the Loop, Chicago offers a virtually endless array of ways to level up your skills in tech, business, data, and design. The city thrives on bold ideas, making it the perfect place to grow a career that is not only lucrative but also makes a real impact. With expert instructors with decades of experience, you’ll learn more about the subjects you’re interested in, all while receiving hands-on training. These instructors live and breathe to explore and work within their field, meaning they don’t just teach; they mentor, guide, and connect you to the heart of Chicago’s many successful industries and direct you to the most meaningful path to help you achieve your goals.
Noble Desktop’s partner school, Practical Programming, has state-of-the-art facilities conveniently located in downtown Chicago’s iconic Hayworth Building at 29 E. Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60602. It’s an easy-to-find location for students from across the city to attend. The campus is modern, equipped with the necessary tech and tools you may need, and provides resources like Wi-Fi, comfortable workstations, and expert instructors and staff ready to help you learn. Getting there is simple, whether you’re commuting from the Loop, River North, or surrounding areas. The school is easily accessible from the CTA trains and buses, with nearby stops for major lines like the Red, Blue, and Brown. If you’re driving, you can park nearby at various parking decks and metered spots within walking distance. The central location means you won’t have to stress about making it to class, and that your training sessions can fit into any schedule with ease.
Microsoft Office remains a cornerstone of productivity throughout Chicago’s workplaces. Instructors at Noble Desktop have years of experience helping students develop strong skills in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel through clear, task-based lessons.
Henry Gonzalez is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 30 years of experience in the federal government, leading engineering, program management, and acquisition initiatives in naval warfare, air traffic management, and homeland security. A retired senior executive, Henry now serves as a part-time instructor in Chicago, where he teaches project and program management, leadership, and strategic planning to professionals of all kinds. He holds the highest level of federal certification one can hold for acquisition program management and systems engineering. In addition, Henry was part of the core team that updated the Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management. Henry is also a certified Balanced Scorecard Professional and holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University, along with a dual Master of Science in Ocean Engineering and Ocean Systems Management from MIT.
Robert Simon is a highly accomplished financial management professional and educator with more than four decades of federal and private sector experience. As a Financial and Management Curricula Instructor at Graduate School USA since 2007, he teaches courses in financial management, federal travel regulations, and organizational leadership, both virtually and in person. Prior to his teaching career, he held senior roles at the General Services Administration, overseeing a six-state regional budget of approximately $100 million, and at the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management Service, where he led national training initiatives on electronic banking. Robert’s background spans accounting, budgeting, and program analysis, holding certifications as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager.
Edward (Scott) Dillion is a seasoned financial expert with over three decades of experience in the Department of Defense, where he specialized in a range of financial management areas like budgeting and auditing, as well as performance-based management and cost analysis. He holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Grove City College. After retiring in 2014, Scott pivoted to a second career in education and consulting. He teaches project management and marketing at Graduate School USA and has also taught courses in federal budgeting. Additionally, Scott serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Management Concepts Inc., where he helps develop financial management course materials. He also has a lifetime membership with the American Society of Military Comptrollers, holds a Top Secret security clearance with the Department of Defense, and is a recognized Tier 2 instructor at Graduate School USA for his wealth of experience.