Towson College, positioned in Towson, Maryland, is a public establishment with a wealthy historical past relationship again to its institution in 1866. The establishment is famend for its various educational packages spanning schooling, enterprise, well being professions, liberal arts, and sciences. It caters to a broad spectrum of scholars and is acknowledged as one of many nation’s greatest public universities.
One of many bigger departments on campus is the Division of Enterprise Analytics and Expertise Administration, which is devoted to making ready graduates with invaluable analytical and technical abilities by means of packages in enterprise analytics, enterprise useful resource planning (ERP), undertaking administration, and supply-chain administration. The curriculum is employer-focused, offering college students with the important abilities to navigate enterprise processes, know-how, and other people in in the present day’s aggressive panorama.
Validating Microsoft Workplace abilities for a data-driven future
The division adopted Microsoft Workplace Specialist certification in 2015, once they wished to transform their curriculum to organize college students for the info pushed economic system and analytical careers. Native companies and the advisory board performed a pivotal position on this choice, expressing a necessity for people with experience in Microsoft Workplace Excel and knowledge analytics.
Dr. Chaodong Han, Chair of the Enterprise Analytics and Expertise Administration division, defined the shift in focus: “We created new packages and a brand new enterprise analytics main, shifting away from conventional warehousing and labor-intensive job features to totally assist the mission of making ready college students for the brand new economic system.”
As a part of this refocus, the division adopted Certiport’s Microsoft Workplace Specialist Excel certification, acknowledging that Microsoft Excel™ abilities function the bedrock for the programs throughout the curriculum. The certification examination grew to become a prerequisite for upper-level enterprise programs, guaranteeing that each pupil in this system can develop and validate these important abilities. Because of the significance of validating Excel abilities, taking and passing the certification examination grew to become a requirement for graduating and incomes a enterprise diploma.
Implementing MOS Excel certification
Lynnwood Cook dinner, one of many important instructors educating the important Excel programs, brings a wealth of company expertise to the classroom. As a former Chief Govt, he focuses on constructing upon the important thing ideas of Microsoft Excel to empower his college students to use crucial pondering to enterprise questions and issues. He incorporates group tasks and simulates enterprise situations to assist his college students be capable to make the most of Microsoft Excel in a real-world setting.
“I’ve been utilizing Microsoft Excel for nearly 40 years. There have been occasions I needed to practice my staff on how you can use Excel and sadly, a few of them have been unable to study a number of the parts that I wanted them to grasp,” he defined.
To raised equip his college students for the calls for of the workforce, he stresses the significance of studying Microsoft Excel and likens it to studying a language. By way of understanding the “verbs, nouns, and pronouns” (formulation and features) of an Excel spreadsheet, people are in a position to make sentences and paragraphs that find yourself making a story by means of knowledge.
He {couples} this project-based studying strategy with Certiport’s CertPREP Apply Checks, powered by GMetrix, to assist his college students totally grasp the functionalities of the software program. This strategy additionally helps college students take and move the Microsoft Excel certification, as it’s a project-based examination that’s “Stay-in-the-Software.” Together with his methodologies, Towson College has seen a big improve of their certification move charges.
Cook dinner celebrates college students who move the MOS Excel certification, showcasing their achievement on an Excel Olympians wall divided into bronze, silver, and gold classes. This visible illustration reinforces the constructive affect of adopting MOS certification on his college students and programs.
The transformative affect of MOS Excel certification
The affect of MOS Excel certification on the Enterprise Analytics and Expertise Administration division has been substantial. Since its introduction, the establishment has noticed greater employment charges amongst graduates, a stronger division with elevated pupil move charges, and enhanced confidence amongst college students pursuing internships and jobs.
The certification has supported college students in pursuing careers in numerous fields, together with human sources, aerospace and protection know-how, laptop data, undertaking administration, operations, and provide chain administration.
Moreover, the certification program has allowed Towson College to remain agile and attentive to evolving trade wants, fostering a dynamic studying surroundings. The implementation of the certification not solely bridges the hole between academia and trade but in addition contributes to the lifelong studying journey of their college students.
