Learn More About Microsoft Office Classes in Orlando
Microsoft Office—also called Microsoft 365—is a collection of software applications designed to enhance productivity. First released in 1990, it originally featured Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Today, it includes many more apps, like Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams. Office is used for a wide range of business tasks, ranging from bookkeeping to presentations. In 2013, Microsoft launched Office 365, a web-based version of its apps. In 2020, Office was renamed Microsoft 365 to emphasize that these apps are not just for office-based situations but can be used by individuals too. Today, Office has millions of subscribers worldwide.
What Can You Do with Office Training?
Office is a versatile group of applications that is not only useful but often a requirement in many different professional and academic settings. Educational company Pearson 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.” Office applications can help you work more efficiently and more effectively. With Word, you can create and share a variety of documents; Excel is a common tool for spreadsheet creation and data analysis, and 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.
What Will I Learn in an Office Class?
Excel
Excel is one of the most popular spreadsheet programs in the world. It is also one of Office’s most popular apps and is likely to be covered in an Office class. Excel can be used for a wide range of data-related tasks, including running complex calculations, managing sets of data, and creating charts and graphs. This app even has its own programming language, which is called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
Word
Word is another very popular Microsoft application, with a variety of uses. You can use it to make simple or complex documents, including things like letters, contracts, and reports. When you take an Office class, you’ll learn how to use some of the tools that this app includes so that you can get the most out of it.
Teams
Teams is a messaging app that allows people to participate in online meetings and share documents; it has millions of users. This popular app is widely used for work, education, and personal communication needs. It is likely to be covered in an Office class.
PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is a slideshow tool, and it has become an industry standard for creating presentations. With this application, you can design a presentation and deliver it live to an audience. Presentations can include graphics, animations, transitions, and other elements. Many Office classes cover PowerPoint.
Collaboration
A lot of the tasks that you can complete with Office involve collaborating with other people, and when you take a class, you’ll work on your collaboration skills in addition to your technical skills. Office apps have several tools that facilitate collaboration. For example, OneDrive allows you to save your work and share it with team members in real time.
How Hard is It to Learn Office?
The Office learning process is different for everyone, but most people find it relatively easy to learn the basics of these applications. Mastering more advanced features is likely to be more difficult; however, with time and dedication, almost anyone can learn Office. Many Office applications share some similarities such as their interface, so if you already know how to use one Office app, you’re likely to find it easier to learn another. Taking a formal class is also likely to ease the learning process since you’ll receive guidance from an expert.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Office?
Most people find that they can learn Office fairly quickly. It usually only takes days to master the basics. If you want to learn advanced features like analyzing data in Excel or designing custom features in PowerPoint, it is likely to take longer—usually weeks or months. A certification also takes more time. According to Microsoft, if you want to be ready for a certification exam, you should have about 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience.
Should I Learn Office in Person or Online?
In many cases, you may have the choice between an in-person and an online Office class. Each format has both advantages and disadvantages, and the choice about which one is best will depend on your unique situation. When you learn in-person, you’re in a classroom dedicated to learning, with minimal distractions. You also get face-to-face interaction with your instructor and classmates, which can enhance the learning process and lead to valuable networking connections. However, to learn in-person, you need to commute to a classroom, which can be inconvenient or expensive, depending on where you live.
If you don’t want to travel to a classroom, an online class is a good alternative. One type of class is a live online class, which takes place in real time—just like an in-person class—however, you attend by logging in on your computer. Since no commute is required, this format usually gives you more class options. A downside is that you’ll need to provide your own equipment and software. Another online option is an on-demand class. With this format, content is pre-recorded, and you work through it at your own pace, stopping and starting whenever you need. On-demand classes allow a lot of flexibility; however, they don’t include access to a live instructor. In addition, since you have so much control over the pace of your learning, you may find that a higher level of motivation is required.
Can I Learn Office Free Online?
The internet has many free Office resources, and if you’re trying to learn one of the apps in this suite, these resources can be helpful. For instance, Noble Desktop has a YouTube channel with a variety of short, free videos focused on many Office-related topics. You can use these videos to get a better understanding of how various Office tools are used and even to pick up a new skill or two. However, if you are serious about learning Office, you’ll probably find that free resources are not comprehensive enough. Instead, you may decide to enroll in a live class that covers all the fundamentals and is guaranteed to be accurate and up-to-date. Many live classes also include a certificate of completion, which can be a way to showcase your achievement to other people.
Industries That Use Office
According to the Orlando Economic Partnership, Orlando is ranked number two in the country for job growth, and you’ll find many different Office-related job opportunities in this large city. According to the Orlando Economic Partnership, major industries in Orlando include advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, digital media, life sciences and healthcare, FinTech, entertainment technology, and biotechnology. Orlando is also known for its tech scene. The Orlando Economic Partnership calls it, “The nation’s top metro for STEM job growth and one of the fastest-growing tech markets in the U.S.” In 2022, the Brookings Institute named Orlando a “Rising Star” for tech employment and job growth. Some people have even referred to this area as the next Silicon Valley.
Office Job Titles and Salaries
Financial Services
Office is a popular tool in the field of finance. Accountants, Financial Analysts, Data Analysts, and Business Analysts all use it to organize and analyze data, share information, and communicate with others. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS) is a federal agency that collects and analyzes U.S. job market information. It predicts that many of these jobs will see strong growth in the future. For example, between 2023 and 2033, the BLS expects 9 percent job growth for Financial Analysts, which is much faster than average. Data Scientists are predicted to see job growth of 36 percent over this period. According to Indeed, in Orlando, an Accountant earns about $60,000 per year, a Financial Analyst $68,000, a Data Analyst $63,000, and a Business Analyst $67,000.
Human Resources
Office applications such as Excel, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint are widely used in human resources for communication, organization, and collaboration. Human resources includes jobs like Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, and Human Resources Associate. Over the next ten years, the BLS predicts 8 percent job growth for Human Resources Specialists. It says, “Demand for human resources specialists is expected to be strong over the projection decade as more of these workers are needed to help meet strategic organizational priorities such as employee engagement and retention, diversity and inclusion, and remote work and return to office.” Indeed reports that in Orlando, the average salary for an Administrative Assistant is $52,000, for an Office Manager $65,000, and for a Human Resources Associate $49,000.
Project Management
Project Management jobs such as IT Project Manager, Construction Project Manager, and Project Manager often involve using Office to help with keeping track of information, planning, and communicating. According to the BLS, there will also be above-average growth in this field over the next decade; 7 percent is predicted for Project Management Specialists. The BLS says, “As organizations seek ways to maintain and improve productivity, employment of project management specialists is expected to increase. These specialists will be needed to help manage various business operations, ensuring that projects meet their goals and are completed on time and within budget."" Indeed reports that in Orlando, an IT Project Manager earns about $105,000 yearly, a Construction Project Manager $100,000, and a Project Manager $90,000.
Office Classes Near Me
The University of Central Florida offers Microsoft certification programs such as Microsoft Excel Certification Training. This class is designed to prepare students for the Microsoft Office Specialist Expert certification exam for Microsoft Excel. It covers creating, modifying, and formatting Excel worksheets, performing calculations, and printing. Students also learn many advanced features such as pivot tables, audit worksheets, data tools, macros, and collaboration methods.
Certstaffix Training was founded in 2008 and offers many different business and computer skills training classes, including for a variety of Office apps. For instance, for students who want to learn Word, Microsoft Word Level 1 covers beginner skills such as creating and editing documents, adding simple graphics, and customizing the user interface. There is also a class called Microsoft Word Level 2, which is focused on more advanced features such as creating and inserting tables and charts and collaborating on documents. Certstaffix also offers other Office classes including Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint.
ONLC Training Centers also runs a variety of Office classes. This school has been offering computer training classes for more than forty years. It has classes in Excel, Access, Forms, Outlook, Project, and other Office apps. In many cases, there are both beginner and more advanced class options. For example, for those people who want to learn Teams, there is Microsoft Teams Introduction, which covers basic skills like creating and managing teams, customizing, and working with documents. There is also a Microsoft Teams Intermediate Class, and one called Microsoft Teams Advanced.
Noble Desktop is a New York City-based school that was founded in 1990. It offers several Office classes, both in-person at its Manhattan facility, and in a live online format. This school is licensed by the New York State Education Department. Courses come with a certificate of completion and the option of refreshing your skills within one year with a free class retake. If you want to become proficient in several Office applications, you might be interested in Noble’s Microsoft Office Fundamentals Bootcamp. In this course, you’ll learn how to use Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. The class is designed for beginners and will take you to an intermediate level of proficiency. There is also a Complete Microsoft Office Bootcamp, which gets more in-depth on these applications.
Noble Desktop also offers several bootcamps focused on specific Office applications. For example, there is an Excel Bootcamp, which will take you from beginner to Pro. You’ll learn about calculations, basic functions, formatting, charts, and printing. You’ll learn a variety of intermediate skills including using Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, splitting and joining text, and sorting and filtering in databases. Finally, the class covers many advanced skills such as creating macros and using advanced database functions.
Another Noble Desktop option is a certification program, where you can gain a professional Office certification. The Excel Specialist Certification Program is designed to help you 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.
Office Corporate Training
Office is used on a daily basis in many organizations, which makes corporate Office training a valuable investment. Noble Desktop runs corporate Microsoft Office training either onsite or in a live online format. You can choose from preexisting courses or create a custom option to meet your needs. Instructors have a combination of teaching expertise and real-world Office experience, and can accommodate a variety of scheduling requests. They will also provide your employees with post-training support, including handouts and access to premium training videos.
Another popular training option is to buy vouchers for Noble Desktop’s regular group training sessions so that your employees can enroll in a class individually. Noble offers a discount with bulk voucher purchases. Contact Noble Desktop to get more information about corporate Office training or to schedule a free consultation.