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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 one of the most widely used technologies on the planet. Almost everyone has had some experience using one or more of these applications; Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook are some of the most common. These basic apps, plus other specialized ones such as Access, are essential for almost any office job. In fact, Microsoft Office is an integral part of any business, used for tasks ranging from bookkeeping to presentations. Whether individuals want to make their workflow more efficient with mail merge, learn complex functions or financial modeling in Excel, or make beautiful PowerPoint templates for professional presentations, learning how to use Office can vastly improve day-to-day productivity. All Microsoft tools are about efficiency, helping to make tasks easier and faster to complete.
Office was first released in 1990 and featured Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Today, it includes many more apps, like Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams. In 2013, Microsoft launched a web-based version of its apps, which it named Office 365. In 2020, Office 365 was renamed Microsoft 365. Microsoft explains the reason for the name change, stating, “[T]hese tools aren’t just for work, they’re for life.” While Microsoft began with a model where users purchased the product outright, with a one-time fee, it has evolved into a service where users pay a monthly subscription fee and always have access to the newest version of the app. Office has become very popular, with millions of subscribers worldwide.
Microsoft PowerPoint is a slideshow tool that has become an industry standard for creating presentations. With this application, users can design a presentation—which can include graphics, animations, transitions, and other elements—and deliver it live to an audience. PowerPoint is often used in educational and business settings. In addition, some people use it in a variety of personal settings. For instance, some parents say they have used it to teach their children new things.
Excel is one of the most popular spreadsheet programs in the world and is used by millions of people. It can be utilized for many different data-related tasks, including managing sets of data, running complex calculations, generating statistics, and creating charts and graphs. Excel is used by professionals in a wide range of industries, including for office jobs, data analysis, and finance.
Word is one of the most popular word-processing apps in the world. You can use it to make both simple and complex documents. It is commonly used by students. Professionals often use it too, to create things like contracts, reports, and letters.
Another popular Microsoft app is Teams, which is used for messaging. Teams has millions of users. It is widely utilized in education, for work, and for personal use. Users can participate in online meetings and share documents.
Access is a database management system. You can use it to store large amounts of data, write queries to retrieve the data that you want, and create a variety of reports and tables with that data. Access has a relatively simple interface that makes it a popular business tool.
One of the things that makes Microsoft Office so popular is its versatility; you can do many different things with it. Writing on LinkedIn, one contributor explains that learning Office can set you up for a wide range of different opportunities. He argues, “Learning Microsoft Office applications is a valuable investment in your personal and professional development. These skills open doors to opportunities, enhance your productivity, and improve your overall digital literacy. Whether you’re a student aiming for academic success or a professional striving for career advancement, Microsoft Office proficiency is a skill that will serve you well in a wide range of endeavors.”
Microsoft Office includes many different applications. With Word, you can create and share a variety of documents; Excel is a common tool for spreadsheet creation and data analysis; Outlook is a widely used email and scheduling app; PowerPoint is popular for creating many different types of presentations; and Access is used to create databases.
Another LinkedIn author argues that Microsoft Office has so many professional uses that by learning it, you’ll be gaining an in-demand skill that will help you stand out in many different types of careers. She writes, “Undoubtedly, proficiency in using Microsoft Office software has emerged as a highly sought-after and essential skill that employers seek in potential candidates…. It is imperative for job seekers to acquire a strong grasp of the diverse functionalities offered by Microsoft Office.”
What you learn in a Microsoft Office class will depend on the class that you pick. The most common classes focus on single applications; however, there are also courses that cover multiple Office apps. In general, you’ll learn how to navigate the interface of the particular application that you’re learning and how to set up a document or account in that application. After that, the class will probably focus on the basic features of the application. For example, if you’re learning Excel, you’ll learn how to enter and format data. After learning the basics, you may move on to more advanced features, which will vary by application. In the case of Excel, advanced features include macros and Pivot Tables. Finally, if you’re learning an application where you create documents, the class is likely to include tips on sharing and collaborating with other people.
Los Angeles is a cultural hub and one of the biggest cities in the country. It also boasts large companies such as the CBRE Group, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and AECOM. In the greater Los Angeles area, there are plenty of opportunities for professionals who know how to use Microsoft Office. According to the Economic & Workforce Development Department, “Los Angeles is a global economic powerhouse, boasting the world’s third-largest metropolitan economy. For generations, people from around the globe have come to Los Angeles to create the future and, in turn, helped build one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in history.” The County of Los Angeles says that if the Los Angeles area were a country, it would have the 19th-largest economy in the world. It adds, “It is home to more than 244,000 businesses, with more minority- and women-owned businesses than any other in the nation. It is the nation’s top international trade center and manufacturing center.” The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation finds that the leading industries in this city include aerospace, biosciences, entertainment, EV and advanced transportation, design, and IT.
One industry where Office is widely used is finance. There are many large financial companies in Los Angeles. In 2023, this city moved up to the number six position on the Global Financial Centres Index, which is a list of the world’s top financial centers created by Z/Yen Partners and the China Development Institute. Los Angeles also ranks in the top ten for FinTech.
Los Angeles is also a major tech hub. CBRE releases an annual Scoring Tech Talent report, where it recently ranked Los Angeles as a top tech market, placing it at the number fourteen spot on its list and reporting that the area added 36,650 tech jobs between 2017 and 2022. Top tech companies in Los Angeles include HG Insights, Sure, First Resonance, ServiceNow, and BCG X.
Being certified in Microsoft Office is not a requirement for most jobs; however, many people choose to get certified anyway because it is associated with some significant benefits. One major benefit of being certified is that it can give you an edge over your competitors. Testing provider Certiport, which administers exams for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification, points out that many Office-related jobs attract a large number of candidates. It says, “With over 3.9 million jobs every year requesting Microsoft Office skills (in the United States alone), those who take and pass MOS certifications are empowered to stand out in the competitive job market.”
Microsoft also discusses the benefits of certification. It says one benefit of certification is that it can help you get hired, explaining, “Certification validates your skills, which means you’ll have what you need to stand out as a great candidate. Employers regularly use certification as a criterion for hiring.” In addition, Microsoft maintains that certification can lead to promotion, stating, “Certification can distinguish you from other professionals and can improve your opportunities for advancement in your current role or organization. Certified employees are often entrusted with supervising their peers—putting them on the fast track for a promotion. In fact, employers regularly use certification as a criterion for promotion.” Finally, Microsoft says certification can be financially rewarding, reporting, “On average, certified employees earn 15 percent more than those without certification.”
Proficiency in Microsoft Office alone may not be enough to get you a job, but when paired with other skills, it can lead to many different careers. Microsoft Office is used by professionals in many industries—including finance, business, education, and technology—to communicate and analyze, and share information.
One field where Microsoft Office is often used is the financial services industry. For instance, Excel is used to organize and analyze financial data. Accountants, Financial Analysts, Data Analysts, and Business Analysts are all likely to use Office. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS) publishes statistics—including job projections—for some of these jobs, and predicts that several of them will see above-average job growth over the next ten years. It says that between 2022 and 2032, Financial Analysts are likely to see 8 percent job growth. The average U.S. job growth rate is only 3 percent. For Data Analysts, job growth is expected to be 35 percent, which is far above the average.
According to Payscale, a website that collects and reports on salary data for many different cities, an Accountant working in Los Angeles has an average salary of $63,000, and a Financial Analyst earns almost $73,000. It reports that a Los Angeles Data Analyst earns about $70,000 yearly, and a Business Analyst earns $78,000. According to the BLS, Los Angeles is a top employer among U.S. metropolitan areas for both Data Scientists and Financial and Investment Analysts, employing about 7,000 and 10,000 people, respectively.
Office applications like Excel, Teams, and SharePoint are widely used in human resources for communication and collaboration. This includes jobs like Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, and Human Resources Associate. Over the next ten years, the BLS predicts 6 percent job growth for Human Resources Specialists. It finds that Los Angeles employs more than 30,000 people in this profession. According to Glassdoor, which also posts salary estimates, a Human Resources Specialist in Los Angeles earns about $77,000 yearly. Glassdoor finds that an Administrative Assistant has an average salary of $52,000, and an Office Manager earns about $65,000.
Office is also commonly used as a project management tool in jobs like IT Project Manager, Construction Project Manager, and Project Manager. The BLS also predicts above-average growth in this profession. It reports that between 2022 and 2032, Project Management Specialist jobs will grow by 6 percent. It predicts growth to be particularly fast in computer-related jobs, explaining, “Demand for project management specialists is expected to be strong in computer systems design services. More project management specialists will be needed to manage the growing volume and complexity of information technology (IT) projects required to support expanded telework.” According to the BLS, almost 35,000 Project Management Specialists are employed in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Glassdoor reports that a Project Manager in Los Angeles earns $103,000 on average.
Because Microsoft Office is so widely used, most people say that learning it is definitely worth it. Educational company Pearson insists that fluency in Microsoft Office is a skill that can help students flourish in the real world and says that, in many cases, fluency is actually expected. It states, “[A]t technology-driven workplaces, employers expect employees to have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ensuring your students are taught how to use these programs will set them up for success when they enter the workforce.”
One reason for the popularity of Office is that it can substantially improve the work process by allowing you to be more efficient and productive. Writing on LinkedIn, one contributor insists, “Mastering MS Office can be a game-changer.” He says that one major benefit of learning Office is that it can improve your productivity. He states, “Learning MS Office helps individuals work more efficiently and accomplish tasks in less time. Features like templates, auto-correct, and advanced formatting tools in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can significantly boost productivity.”
Compared to some other skills, Microsoft Office applications can be learned relatively quickly. Many people say that you can learn most applications in a matter of days or weeks. If you’re trying to earn a certification, however, expect the process to take longer. Microsoft recommends that students have about 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience to be ready for a certification exam.
Enrolling in a Microsoft Office class is a good way to speed up your learning process because you’ll have an experienced instructor to guide you through the learning process, give you tips and shortcuts, and help you avoid common mistakes. For instance, if you enroll in Noble Desktop’s Microsoft Office Fundamentals Bootcamp, you can learn the basics of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook in just four days.
Practice is also an important part of the learning process. In a Harvard Business Publishing blog article, the author insists, “The reality is, the only way to learn something new is to practice.” She explains that simply being told how to do something is not enough; we need to actually spend a certain number of hours practicing that new skill to master it.
How hard it is to learn Microsoft Office varies from person to person; however, many people say that it is relatively easy to learn the basics of most Microsoft applications. Mastering the application may be more difficult, but it is definitely achievable for almost anyone who is willing to invest time in the learning process. If you already know how to use one Office application, you’re likely to find it easier to learn another.
As with learning any new skill, you’re likely to come up against challenges in the learning process. A manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning points out that it can be difficult to learn something new. She says, “Learning something new means being clumsy at it initially, making mistakes, course-correcting, and trying again. It’s uncomfortable.” To make the learning process easier, she suggests that students need to start by “be[ing] honest about the difficulty of learning something new… Expect mistakes.” In addition, she says that it’s often a good idea to start small, focus on mastering a limited number of new skills at a time, and commit to a certain amount of practice every week.
Some Office applications involve sharing information with other people. For instance, PowerPoint is used to create presentations that you can share, and Excel spreadsheets are often made for the purpose of sharing information with others. This means that public speaking can be a great complementary skill to master if you’re planning to use Office. According to one Indeed article, “At some point in your career, you’ll likely need to speak in front of a group of people. Whether you’re presenting a new project to your team members or pitching an idea to a client, it is important to have strong presentation skills.” Effective public speakers know how to share information in a way that is persuasive and easy for their audience to understand and remember. Effective public speaking is something that you can get better at over time. For instance, the Indeed author suggests watching experts to see what they do, trying to connect with your audience ahead of time, and using visual aids.
Many Office apps involve creating documents, and some of these documents contain a variety of features, including text and visuals. When you’re working with these types of documents, it can be helpful to have an understanding of the basic principles of design. By utilizing these principles, you can affect your audience in specific ways, such as persuading them or helping them remember certain information. Adobe explains, “You… need to develop an eye for what design decisions improve your work and what detracts from your message.” For instance, it says that alignment is an important part of making a design pleasing to the eye, and hierarchy can be used to help an audience focus on certain things.
Many of the tasks that you’ll accomplish with Office will involve collaborating with other people, so this is another valuable complementary skill. Office applications make collaboration easy; you can save work to OneDrive, and other team members can access it in real time. Microsoft explains, “If you want others to edit with you, you can easily share files and collaborate with trusted peers for a fresh perspective. When you work together this way, only those select people can access and edit shared files. Later, you can always share with a team when you feel like it’s ready!” As it has become more common for people to work remotely, this type of collaboration has become an everyday part of work for many people, making the ability to collaborate an asset in almost any career.
In-person and online courses are both very common ways to learn Microsoft Office. Each format has advantages and disadvantages. Some people like in-person classes because there is face-to-face instruction and interaction with the instructor and fellow students. Many people also find it easier to learn new skills in person, and some instructors find it easier to provide help in this format. Additionally, another benefit of learning in person is that you can get immediate answers to your questions. Finally, it can be easier to focus on the course content because you are in an environment that has minimal outside distractions. However, in-person learning also has some disadvantages. One of the biggest drawbacks is that you have to commute to class, and you are limited to classes in locations that you can travel to. If you don’t live in a large city with a lot of training centers, you might not have a lot of in-person class options.
Live online classes are popular because they solve the problem of commuting by taking place entirely online. Students attend by logging in on their computers. In some cases, the instructor can even see and control student screens if given permission. With a virtual class, students are still able to ask questions, get immediate feedback, and interact with fellow students. In addition, they have the benefit of more course options; they can attend a class in another city or state, or even another country. A drawback to this format is that students need to provide their own equipment. They may also have a higher chance of encountering technical problems when learning virtually.
A third class format is an on-demand class. With this option, students attend asynchronously and work through the material at their own pace. For this reason, on-demand learning is the most flexible format and is popular with students who have busy schedules. One thing that many students like about on-demand learning is that they can stop and start whenever they need to, rewinding content that they want to see again or skipping through parts that they have already mastered. However, there are also downsides to on-demand learning. One is that this format often requires more focus and motivation, so it may not be the best choice for students who are not good at working independently.
Noble Desktop, a New York City-based school founded in 1990, has different class options for learning to use Microsoft Office tools. You can learn how to deliver presentations effectively with advanced features in its PowerPoint Bootcamp. This is a two-day course where students start by learning basics like adding text, images, and shapes, and working with tables and charts. After that, instructors cover more advanced skills like adding animations and video, and managing large presentations.
Almost every office worker can benefit from knowing how to use all the features in Microsoft Excel. It’s essential for budgeting, data processing, and additional skills that are taught in Noble’s Excel Bootcamp course. This course takes students from beginner to advanced level. Covered topics include basic functions and formatting, PivotTables, and macros. There are a total of 18 hours of instruction. Students receive a certificate of completion and also have the option of a free retake within one year.
Noble also runs a four-day bootcamp that covers multiple Office programs. In the Microsoft Office Fundamentals Bootcamp, students learn how to use Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. This course is designed for beginners and takes students to an intermediate level of proficiency.
Noble Desktop also offers several Office certification courses. For example, the Excel Specialist Certification Program is popular. It is designed to help students earn the Microsoft Excel Certification. When you enroll in this course, you’ll take three Excel classes—fundamental, intermediate, and advanced—plus receive two hours of private training. After that, you’ll take the Excel Specialist Exam, with a free retake offered if necessary.
NYC Career Centers, a New York City-based school that offers business classes and corporate training, also runs Office classes. It offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced one-day classes in a variety of Microsoft applications. For instance, students who want to learn Outlook will find a class called Microsoft Outlook Level I. This is a one-day class where students learn to organize messages, schedule appointments, and create calendars. It also covers notes, tasks, and journal entries.
Chances are that your business uses one or more programs in Microsoft Office on a daily basis. Your employees may know how to do their work, but they may not be using the best techniques. Getting Microsoft Office training for your employees can help them become more efficient and help them produce a better product. Noble Desktop offers customizable Microsoft Office corporate and onsite training. It runs both live online and in-person instruction to give your employees the best possible experience. Instructors can provide training at your workplace or virtual training via a platform like Zoom. Noble also offers vouchers for purchase, so that you can let your employees choose their own training schedule. If you’re interested in getting training for your employees, contact a consultant with Noble Desktop to get started today.
Those seeking a chance to sharpen their skills in tech, design, business, or data can look no further than the opportunities in Los Angeles. The city is more than just Hollywood; it’s a collection of professional services and companies that stretch from the innovative companies in Silicon Beach to the more corporate areas of downtown L.A. Microsoft Office is one such skill that can be found across professions and industries. It's a suite of productivity tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) that enable users to create documents, analyze data, design presentations, and communicate quickly and easily throughout the organization. For those interested, Noble Desktop’s partner school, VDCI, offers classes taught by industry experts who are passionate, willing, and ready to impart their knowledge to students and professionals alike. They offer insight based on their real-world experience, which makes all the difference when learning a new skill from scratch or while looking to advance in your field.
Los Angeles-based learners can take advantage of the training at 3904 Groton Street, San Diego, California, located directly in the Point Loma neighborhood. Driving from Los Angeles, you’ll take I-5 South all the way. Those who prefer public transportation can hop on the Amtrak and commuter rail services connecting to San Diego from L.A., making it a quick way to access the campus. The facility is designed for interaction, offering students access to top-rated instructors and modern workstations.
With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Deanne Larson has built a reputation as a pioneer in the Los Angeles data science and analytics world. As the founder of Larson & Associates LLC, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies and FinTech firms to help shape AI strategies and implement solutions through machine learning. She’s worked with global enterprises, particularly in designing their data systems. Her accomplishments go beyond the norm, however, as she’s also been part of projects that serve 225 million customers worldwide and others that require developing cutting-edge data governance frameworks for cloud and blockchain technologies. She’s a seasoned instructor as well, having taught at City University of Seattle, where she mentored doctoral candidates and designed data analytics programs. She holds several doctoral degrees that, paired with her extensive experience, position her to teach subjects like AI, Python, data, machine learning, and project management.
Michael Wilson is a Licensed Architect in the State of California and an Autodesk Certified Platinum Revit Instructor, one of only 20 professionals worldwide to hold this title. With over 25 years of experience in architecture, Michael has contributed to award-winning commercial and municipal projects, including facilities for pharmaceutical companies and landmarks such as the El Cajon Animal Shelter and the Mission Hills Library. Michael teaches and develops Revit courses that emphasize real-world application through project-based learning. Over the past decade, he has trained thousands of students in the Los Angeles AEC community, helping them master workflows. Michael is also an Autodesk Certified AutoCAD and Revit Professional, specializing in Revit certification and interior design software.
John O’Malley is a Registered Architect with more than a decade of experience leading Los Angeles teams through all stages of design and construction. His professional background spans different sectors, where he has earned recognition for his technical precision and leadership. A licensed architect in California, John also holds LEED AP BD+C certification and is an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI Silver). Most recently, he teaches AutoCAD courses that prepare students to apply drafting and design principles in real-world settings. John is passionate about mentoring the next generation of design professionals, contributing to the ACE Mentor Program.