Master Microsoft Office through applied courses in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. These lessons focus on organization, reporting, and productivity for professional success.
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 collection of productivity applications that help you get work done, whether it’s for professional or personal betterment. Tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Teams are among the most commonly used and popular applications. Those who use Office applications frequently can work anywhere thanks to Office’s cloud-based features. As a result, Office makes it easy for colleagues to collaborate on projects and improve their workplace collaboration and communication.
Originally introduced in 1988, Office quickly became the most well-known collection of tools in the professional sphere. Over time, Microsoft tools became industry-standard, and even more tools were added such as Publisher, OneNote, and Defender. Whether you’re learning Office for professional or personal reasons, you’ll learn that it’s all for the betterment of workplace decorum and the improvement of productivity.
With Office training, you are going to set yourself up for working in the professional world. You’ll learn skills that will help you in various positions and industries—mainly because Office is used virtually everywhere. Whether you’re working in project management, marketing, finance, education, manufacturing, or retail, you’ll likely have to learn an Office application.
Not to mention, each Office application has a different purpose with unique tools, which means learning and using Office applications is a skill that can lead to a diverse range of daily career opportunities. For instance, your future position could require you to create and deliver exemplary presentations but also require documentation management and data analytics. In that case, you’d use applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The point is, every day could change, and you may need to use multiple platforms in any given week. You’ll enjoy the versatility of these skills and benefit from the ability to apply your skills in numerous situations.
The best part is that Office products are productivity tools first and foremost, which means they can help you in your day-to-day life just as much as your professional life. You can use Word to get your thoughts and feelings out by writing a journal. You could also use it to design a customized, professional-looking resume. On the other hand, you could design personalized slideshows in PowerPoint depicting pictures from a recent trip or event to serve as a fun reminder of your time. Excel is also useful for personal finance management such as budgeting and analytics to track your spending more effectively. All in all, knowing how to use Office gives you all kinds of tools to stay on top of things in your professional and personal life.
Each Office class will vary in depth, length, and subject matter. Whether your class focuses on one particular application or the entire Office suite, you will have to figure out which skills you want to gain. Below are a few of the most commonly used applications and skills learned in an Office class.
In a Word class, you’ll learn how to create and format professional documents like memos, invoices, reports, proposals, and letters. You’ll become more comfortable with tools like templates, tables, footnotes, and headers. You’ll practice using the toolbar to add multimedia, icons, graphs, and other elements. Knowing how to use Word is super beneficial in many jobs, and even required for many, so you’ll learn how to communicate, work with a team, and create polished documents that make a great first impression.
Excel courses will teach the most foundational accounting and finance skills while learning how to use Excel. You’ll learn how to balance a budget, analyze data, and track your expenses. You’ll learn how to manage, categorize, track, and analyze data as well as create charts, use formulas, and make smarter, more data-driven decisions. Excel is used in virtually every industry for these tasks, so learning it is essential if you want to work with numbers, money, data, or information in another professional setting.
If you’re interested in learning a skill like project management, you may want to consider learning Microsoft Teams, or better yet, Microsoft Project. These applications allow you to manage schedules, budgets, communications, and tasks while keeping up with project timelines and progress. Teams is great for communication and collaboration, while Project is useful for delegating tasks and changing schedules. If you’re planning a career in project management or a similar field, these courses will help you get started.
Access is one of the most powerful tools for data management. Across different Access courses, you may learn a series of skills such as designing databases and creating relationships between datasets. Moreover, you’ll likely learn how to generate reports and organize datasets. It’s a must-know for anyone working with data analytics or administrative roles since Access is such a user-friendly and beneficial skill to learn. It’ll help you keep information organized and accessible and make data management more efficient.
If your job involves making presentations for clients, stakeholders, or supervisors, then PowerPoint is an essential skill you’ll want to learn. In a typical PowerPoint class, you’ll learn how to create attractive, appealing, and engaging slideshows that use advanced tools and features like animations, icons, custom templates, multimedia, and audio. Whether you’re presenting to a team or one particular client, you’ll learn ways to use PowerPoint to your advantage.
Office can be fairly easy to learn, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few difficult parts either. Everyone learns at a unique pace, so what feels easy for one person might be tricky for someone else. The foundational tools and features in Office, like writing a Word document or making a basic Excel spreadsheet, are relatively easy. But mastering the more advanced features takes a lot more time and effort. Plus, there are so many applications to learn. If your goal is to master all the programs within Office, you can expect a substantial learning curve that will get smaller as you continue familiarizing yourself with your studies.
The hardest part about learning Office usually comes down to balancing the skills you learn in each application. For example, each program is unique in purpose and function, so some may find Excel harder to use than others. Similarly, some people feel like PowerPoint can be difficult because creative design is relatively hard to nail down. It mostly depends on what you find difficult, which is different for everyone. When it comes to learning Office, it is all about figuring out what’s tough for you.
If you’re curious about what it takes to learn Office, it all really depends on what you want to learn. A few days or weeks should do the trick when learning certain skills in specific applications, but if you want to learn the entire suite of productivity tools, you will have to spend a few weeks to a few months learning all the features of each. For example, mastering Word will take less time than learning all the complex features in Excel or PowerPoint. Typically, more advanced tasks take longer to learn, so plan accordingly.
When it comes to learning Office, you may wonder whether you want to learn in-person or online. There are numerous options, and each has different benefits and considerations. In-person options provide hands-on training in real time, allowing an instructor to offer feedback, advice, or encouragement. This method enables you to learn in a neutral environment that makes the experience less daunting. It may be important to consider the commute and your transportation, but if this is not an issue, an in-person class is a great option.
However, some people need more flexibility than others. If you want to learn in a more flexible manner but still benefit from hands-on, in-depth learning, a live online course is a great option. You still get expert instruction, but it may not feel as immersive, depending on your typical learning preferences. If you have a stable internet connection and feel like your learning space is adequate, you should consider a live online course.
The last option is one to be especially considerate about before choosing. Asynchronous classes are incredibly flexible, allowing students to learn at a pace that suits their needs but doesn’t require attending class or making a commute. This is great if you are busy and have a packed schedule, but since there’s no instructor present to help you out, it’s entirely up to you to stay motivated and to get questions answered. If you already have extensive experience in Office, this course option may not be a bad idea. However, if you need to start from the beginning and want to feel comfortable with the material at a professional level, a more hands-on training method will be better.
If you want to learn Office, you can start with free online resources from reputable organizations. For instance, training centers like Noble Desktop have resources like Free Seminar pages, YouTube channels, and blogs. You could also explore social media platforms, chat rooms, and discussion boards. However, if you want professional-grade skills, you will want to enroll in a more hands-on, immersive training method.
If you’re already learning Office, consider what other tools you may want to learn for your intended job title. For instance, if you want to work in finance or data analytics, learning Excel is essential. However, you may also want to check out Google Analytics, QuickBooks, Power BI, and Tableau for data management, financial tracking, and data visualization.
On the marketing side of things, you will likely study Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. However, learning Adobe Creative Cloud applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is useful for content creation. You can also learn social media tools like Facebook Ads and Google Ads that make campaign management and outreach much more possible. Learning these additional skills can be the difference between feeling inadequate and being a valuable asset to the team.
Office tools are used in a variety of industries, and that’s true in Virginia as well. Many of the state’s most prominent industries—from healthcare and education to agriculture and government—use these tools to keep operations moving smoothly. In the following sections, you can learn more about Office use in these industries and decide if one suits you best.
The agricultural industry plays a big role in Virginia’s economy, especially in rural areas where farming, livestock, and forestry are large contributors. The state’s agricultural industry includes everything from large-scale farms to smaller, more family-owned operations. Overall, it’s an important part of Virginia’s economy and therefore worth discussing.
Office products like Excel and Word are most commonly used in agricultural companies. They manage everything from crop data and financial reports to inventory management and budgeting. Word specifically helps with drafting contracts, reports, and memos. Outlook can also be useful for scheduling meetings with suppliers or partners.
Virginia is also home to a strong healthcare system with many major hospitals, companies, and research centers. Some of the best in the state include Inova Fairfax Hospital, VCU Medical Center, and Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital—all rely on Office products behind the scenes to keep things functional and operational. The state’s healthcare industry also includes numerous outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and treatment centers that contribute heavily to the state’s economy.
In healthcare, Office tools are used for managing patient information, creating medical reports, scheduling appointments, and collaborating with others in the department. For example, Word is used for writing patient documentation, creating medical reports, and preparing official communications. Excel, on the other hand, can manage patient data and analyze statistics to find trends. Likewise, PowerPoint can help break down complex concepts for patients or allow medical professionals to share their research projects during medical conferences.
The educational industry in Virginia is expansive, with some of the nation’s most well-known universities such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, William and Mary, George Mason University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, there are numerous K–12 schools, community colleges, and educational companies that call the state home. Education is a significant economic force in Virginia in terms of both student enrollment and the impact of research and innovation.
In education, Office tools are helpful for both students and faculty. Students can use these applications as study tools or ways to present projects, whereas faculty can use the tools to educate students. For instance, Word is frequently used for both prompts and assignments. PowerPoint can help teachers simplify complex information, whereas students can create slideshow presentations that show off their recent research findings. Outlook is also the preferred email method for many universities, schools, and training centers. Overall, Office is one of the most useful services for those working in education or pursuing an education.
With such close proximity to Washington, D.C., and numerous federal, state, and local government agencies such as the Pentagon, CIA, and other departments, government jobs in Virginia are widespread. From administrative roles to high-level policy-making positions, these jobs require the use of Office tools to keep up with documentation, data management, organization, and communication.
In government, Office tools like Word, Excel, and Outlook are essential for creating reports, managing data, and staying organized. Word helps with drafting official employee or governmental documents, memos, and proposals. Moreover, Excel is perfect for budgeting and data analysis. Outlook is great for scheduling appointments and managing calendars, whereas PowerPoint helps share ideas for new policies and departmental changes with others.
The sheer number of job titles out there that rely on Office tools is astounding and worth noting. This is especially true in a place like Virginia, where the top industries are supported heavily by Office apps. If you’re thinking about a career path where Office knowledge is foundational, consider reading below to learn more about the different ways Office skills can be used.
As an Administrative Assistant, you work as the office go-to person. You keep things running smoothly by organizing schedules, handling communications, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. In other words, you maintain the daily needs of the organization. You will likely use Excel to manage data and keep employee and company information organized. PowerPoint will help you create presentations that impress stakeholders and colleagues alike. You are most likely to use Word for report creation and Outlook to communicate with others in the company. An Administrative Assistant in Virginia earns nearly $52,000 per year, according to Indeed. However, some salaries can go as high as $72,000.
A Project Manager makes sure everything runs according to plan from start to finish. They are in charge of allocating and managing resources, tracking budgets, and delegating tasks. They often use Office tools like Excel to do this but also use Microsoft Project frequently. Other applications that may come in handy include Word or PowerPoint when sharing their findings or progress with others. In Virginia, Project Managers earn an average of $94,000. However, this number varies greatly depending on where you live in Virginia. For instance, Indeed reports that those in Arlington can earn nearly $103,000, whereas those in Woodbridge earn closer to $88,000.
Those employed as Data Analysts have one primary role: to uncover hidden trends and draw insights from them that could benefit the company or client. These professionals often use Excel to crunch numbers and create charts, and utilize Word to create documents and reports related to their findings. They will even use PowerPoint to provide data visualizations, all of which are incredibly easy to share. The average Virginia-based Data Analyst earns $87,000, according to Indeed, but this still varies based on location. In McLean, this number is closer to $105,000, whereas Data Analysts living in Norfolk can expect salaries closer to $75,000.
A Marketing Manager keeps track of all marketing campaigns and spreads the word about services and products. They help shape content creation, manage SEO, and use Office products to monitor budgets, write proposals, and present new ideas to clients and consumers. It’s all about generating visibility and making an impact, which can be done using these useful tools. In Virginia, a Marketing Manager earns around $70,000, according to data compiled from Indeed. Location plays a factor, however, as those in Chesapeake can expect salaries closer to $87,000, while those in Virginia Beach are looking at salaries closer to $62,000.
Students in Noble Desktop’s Microsoft Master Certification Program with Outlook course will learn how to use applications like Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook at professional levels. You will learn through seven group classes, six hours of one-on-one personalized training, and four certification exams. To support you throughout, you’ll listen to lectures and partake in hands-on practice and projects. You’ll receive a free retake of the exams and course and gain experience with everything including data analysis, document creation, slideshow design, and email management.
If you aren’t aiming for certification but still want an all-encompassing Office education, consider the Complete Microsoft Office Bootcamp from Noble Desktop. Here, you’ll learn the same skills and tools in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, but complete various projects that help sharpen your skills and provide you with real-world experience. You will learn how to create reports and spreadsheets and deliver stellar presentations. By the end, you’ll know how to use Office products for maximum efficiency and have a certificate of completion to show for it.
If you’d rather zero in on one particular application, you can do so as well. For instance, Noble Desktop has a Microsoft Access Bootcamp where students learn how to navigate the platform and configure their settings before working with data. Specifically, you’ll learn how to build databases, tables, and reports and query through data. You will also learn how to filter and sort through data before manipulating it. This bootcamp leaves you with a certificate of completion and a sense of accomplishment, knowing how to use the application confidently.
Some, however, aren’t ready for a bootcamp and would benefit more from a short course. In that case, the PowerPoint Level I class from Noble Desktop gives beginners the perfect space to grow. You will learn how to create and manage presentations as well as become more adept at delivering a presentation. You can choose to move forward in your learning journey or stop there—that’s the beauty of taking a short course.
Certstaffix Training offers classes in Glen Allen such as the Microsoft Office 365 (with Teams for Desktop) course. Here, students collaborate through the cloud and learn how to use tools like Yammer, Delve, and Planner. You’ll become more comfortable using Teams and Outlook by the end of this one-day course.
Students in the Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2019: Part I course from New Horizons in Richmond will learn how to create, design, and present customized slideshows that are professional, varied, and unique. Students will learn how to use SmartArt, insert shapes, add 3D models, and format characters. In addition, students will learn how to deliver an exemplary presentation.
New Horizons also offers one-day Outlook 2019: Part I and Part II courses that cover both the basics and more advanced skills for using Outlook. Students start by learning module development, email management, scheduling, and automation. They then move on to study inbox organization, user customization, and email encryption. These courses each take place over one day and provide students with a thorough understanding of Outlook and its functions.
If your employees have shown interest in corporate training for Office applications, consider the training offered at Noble Desktop. Your team could upskill in tools like Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook, to name a few. The lessons are customizable and flexible, catered to meet your needs. Your group will learn through hands-on training that offers project-based learning and direct instruction, so everyone learns at the same pace and alongside each other, enabling them to apply what they’ve learned directly back into the workplace.
Additionally, Noble Desktop offers organizations the option to purchase bulk vouchers at a discounted rate. This comes with several benefits. First, your organization is giving its employees the ability to continue enhancing their skills while relieving the financial burden. This means the company will benefit tenfold by having more productive and energized employees thanks to the care and effort brought on by additional training sessions. You can encourage your group to continue learning at a pace that suits their personal lives and see the benefits in real time in the workplace. If you’re ready to take the leap into corporate training, chat with Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com, where a representative will be happy to answer your questions and discuss pricing, scheduling, and training options.