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.
Popular Office Apps
PowerPoint
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
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 office jobs, data analysis, and finance.
Word
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.
Teams
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
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.
What Can You Do with Microsoft Office?
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 Will I Learn in a Microsoft Office Class?
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.
Microsoft Office Industries in Los Angeles
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, 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.
Will I Need to Be Certified in Microsoft Office to Get a Job?
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.”
Careers That Use Microsoft Office
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 this 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.
Is It Worth It to Learn Microsoft Office?
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.”
How Long Will It Take to Learn Microsoft Office?
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 Is It to Learn Microsoft Office?
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 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.
Complementary Skills
Public Speaking
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.
Basics of Design
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.
Collaboration
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 to 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.
Should I Learn Microsoft Office In-Person or Online?
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.
Can I Learn Microsoft Office Free Online?
If you’ve started looking at Office classes, you may have come across several free learning resources online. As a result, you may be wondering whether it is possible to learn Office for free online. Free classes can be a valuable resource, particularly if you want to learn a specific skill or troubleshoot a problem. However, paid classes are usually a superior way to learn Office. With a paid class, you get a structured and comprehensive learning experience. In contrast, many free online courses are incomplete or lacking in depth. This can mean that not only do you miss important topics, but you can spend a lot of time searching online for content. When learning through a paid class, you also have the benefit of getting guidance and feedback from an expert and won’t have to navigate the learning process alone. Finally, with a paid course, you can get certified, while most free classes don’t lead to any kind of recognized certification or certificate.
Microsoft Office Classes in Los Angeles
Many people gravitate toward in-person learning because this format allows them to interact with an instructor in real-time. In-person classes often yield quick answers to student questions and include a mentor to hold individuals accountable. Yet, not all in-person classes are the same; read the fine print to ensure the class is exactly what is needed.
ONLC Training runs several different Office courses. SharePoint for Power Users is a beginner class with four sessions. Tuition is $2,395. Students learn how to create sites, create and manage webpages, and work with apps. They also learn about customizing security, working with search, and enterprise content management. Another ONLC option is Office 365 Power User, a one-day class that covers the core features of Teams and other Office 365 apps. Students learn a wide range of skills, including managing documents with OneDrive, using Outlook, and keeping track of tasks with Planner. This class costs $395. ONLC Training is a computer training school that was founded in 1983. It is one of the largest privately held IT training companies in the country.
Training Connection also runs in-person Office classes in Los Angeles. Microsoft Excel Level 1–Introduction is a one-day class that costs $395. Students learn how to create, format, modify, and print worksheets. Covered skills include entering and formatting data, functions, formulas, creating charts, outputting worksheets, and shortcuts. Training Connection also offers Microsoft Word Level 1, which is also a one-day class. In this class, students learn how to work with the Word interface, create a document, and use editing and formatting techniques. The class also covers working with illustrations, formatting pictures, adding tables, and printing and sharing Word documents. Tuition is $395. Training Connection is based in Los Angeles and offers a variety of computer and business skills training classes both in-person and in a live online format.
If you want to learn Excel, Los Angeles City College offers a Microsoft Excel Series, which is a two-session course for $169. The course covers worksheet navigation, techniques for data entry, cell references, and using command groups and settings. In addition, students learn about charts and graphs, formulas and functions, and simple database operations. They will also receive an overview of Excel's many formulas and functions. Los Angeles City College is a public community college located in East Hollywood. It was established in 1929 and offers more than a hundred vocational and professional programs.
LA City College Extension also runs Excel classes. For instance, Microsoft Excel for Windows, Level 1 is a short class that costs $99. Covered topics include worksheet navigation, entry techniques, using command groups and settings, cell references, and formulas and functions. In addition, students learn about charts and graphs, and simple database operations. LA City College Extension also offers several other Excel classes such as a Level 2 class. This school is an extension of Los Angeles City College and is located in East Hollywood.
Ledet Training is based in Atlanta and offers a variety of different computer training classes in many locations across the country in addition to in a live online format. It offers Excel classes in Los Angeles. Microsoft Excel 101–Microsoft Excel Introduction is a one-day course that costs $399. Students learn to set up and manage spreadsheets and organize and analyze data with tables. They also learn to manage multiple workbooks and switch between them. In addition, the class covers formatting, moving from one part of the worksheet to another, and repeating values. Ledet Training also offers intermediate and advanced Excel classes.
Sonic Training also runs Microsoft classes in Los Angeles. Microsoft SharePoint Training: Introduction/Intermediate is a two-day class that costs $595. Students learn to access and navigate SharePoint team sites, work with documents, content, and libraries—including uploading documents and searching for files—and work with lists. They also learn to configure a SharePoint Profile, update and share profile information, share and follow content, and create a blog. In addition, the class covers integration with Microsoft Office, including accessing and saving documents, managing versions, and sharing data from Outlook. Finally, students learn how to work remotely and offline, including from a mobile device. Sonic offers small classes, with no more than eight students.
Virtual Microsoft Office Classes
Virtual learning is an excellent option for non-traditional students or busy adults. Remote learning allows individuals to learn from home, the office, or anywhere convenient. Most classes are held live online, taught by an instructor who can answer questions at the moment or hold learners accountable. Virtual training is great for career changers, upskillers, and people looking for a replacement for college.
Noble Desktop, a New York City-based school founded in 1990, has different options for learning to use Microsoft Office tools in a class. 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. Tuition for this class is $399.
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 a beginner to advanced level. Covered topics include basic functions and formatting, Pivot Tables, and macros. There are a total of 18 hours of instruction, and tuition is $549. 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. Tuition is $749.
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. This course costs $899.
Accelerate Computer Training offers live online Office classes. Excel Pivot Tables: Data Summarization and Analysis is a three-hour class focused on using Pivot Tables in Excel. Students create Pivot Tables and learn how to summarize data by multiple categories, rearrange columns and rows, and apply filters, slicers, and groupings. They also learn to apply built-in calculations and create custom calculated fields. Tuition is $129. In order to take this class, students should have already taken a beginner Excel class or have been using Excel for a year or more.
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. This class costs $249.
If you want to learn PowerPoint, you’ll find an online class offered by the Digital Workshop Center. Microsoft PowerPoint for Beginners (Level 1) has two sessions and costs $349. In this class, students learn to create and format a presentation, modify objects on slides, add tables and charts, and work on basic animations and transitions. They also learn about delivering a presentation. The course comes with a certificate of completion, a professional textbook, one month of technical support, and a free retake within one year.
The iKnowledge School also runs short Office classes. Microsoft Excel for the Workplace is a three-hour virtual class that costs $47. Students learn basic terminology, how to create a budget, formatting and editing tables, quick tools, conditional formatting, and changing cell styles. Instructors also cover several advanced functions and features.
Corporate Microsoft Office Classes in Los Angeles
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.