Microsoft Office Specialist

Dev.burlesque

I have a girl working for me at the minute and we are looking to get some training for her as an Office Specialist. Word 2010 to be exact. She has already sat and passed her ECDL and has about 2 years professional experience of using word on a daily basis.

She's very insistant that if I supply the books, she will study in her own time instead of a course. Which is all the cheaper for me, so Im not complaining. But at the same time, where could she sit the exam? I have being told to contact FAS as they run this course, but I imagine they have their own testing facilities and might not allow her to come just for a test.

Any insights into this would be wonderful.

derra

You can search through this link for exam centres.
http://www.prodigy.ie/locateATC.cfm

FAS have a 10 week night course for €300 which i probably would recommend.
The books will show her different ways of doing things and in the test she might do it a different way even though she achieved what she was supposed to and be marked incorrect. (like that in the ECDL FAS exams and could be the same regarding the MOS) So a bit of guidance might be best.
https://jobbank.fas.ie/servlet/Watis?SESS=4860_20&SERVICE=CRITERIUMBROWSE&COURSE_CODE=Q26&TEMPLATE=WWW_JS_TRAIN_CRITERIUM_BROWSE.HTM&ROW=56&BACK=TEMPLATE%3DWWW_JS_TRAIN_CRITERIUM_OVERVIEW.HTM

Practice tests available on 2007 here..
http://gmetrix.com/gmxproducts.htm

Dev.burlesque

Hi Derra, thanks for the reply. I was quite suprised when you mentioned

The books will show her different ways of doing things and in the test she might do it a different way even though she achieved what she was supposed to and be marked incorrect

So maybe we will have to see about a course afterall. We talked to FAS already (Dundalk branch where shes based) and they dont have Specialist courses until January- and even then it will only run providing there is a sufficient demand. Thats what prompted her desire to undertake the studying on her own.

Im just after having a thought. Surely if she got an "official" study book, and learned the procedures step for step, they couldnt fail her? Im not trying to undermine you or debate what you have previously said, thats just a genuine thought and question.

seamus

derra wrote: »

The books will show her different ways of doing things and in the test she might do it a different way even though she achieved what she was supposed to and be marked incorrect.

I'm not sure if that's quite case with the MS exams anymore. The last time I did any kind of Microsoft "practical" exam, the simulator was basically locked down to the parameters of each question, so it was very difficult to apply any roundabout way of getting the right answer. If there were three or four ways of getting a result, they would generally all be available and they would all score marks. That is, if there is an "unapproved" or undocumented way of getting the result, you find that the simulator doesn't allow you to get there.

derra

Dev.burlesque wrote: »

Hi Derra, thanks for the reply. I was quite suprised when you mentioned



So maybe we will have to see about a course afterall. We talked to FAS already (Dundalk branch where shes based) and they dont have Specialist courses until January- and even then it will only run providing there is a sufficient demand. Thats what prompted her desire to undertake the studying on her own.

Im just after having a thought. Surely if she got an "official" study book, and learned the procedures step for step, they couldnt fail her? Im not trying to undermine you or debate what you have previously said, thats just a genuine thought and question.

Seamus replied there while i was writing mine, as i said , hear more opinions first.

As always, wait till you hear some more opinions and then see.
Check out the prodigy.ie site for packages that include the courseware and maybe the choice of doing the exam also included.
http://www.prodigy.ie/index.cfm?level=page&type=page&pageid=494&category_key=29&pagename=Microsoft%20Office%20Specialist%20%28MOS%29&isRoot=true
She could easily do it with books i would just prefer to have the guidance of the tutor and to find out what ways to do tasks for exam purposes.
Maybe you could use alternative wasy in the MOS exam to do things, i would just like the benefit of an expeienced tutor.

Weigh up the costs etc , the price of book and exam against the FAS price etc.

Microsoft still might do second shot, whereas ya pay for exam and get a second chance for free if ya fail first time.

just do a bit of research anyway to find what suits best.
Best of luck to her anyway.

coolpix23

Fair play to you for looking for information to help an employee to get ahead.

I'd say the FAS evening cources are prety good, they seem to have external instructors and FAS usualy apply proper standards to EXTERNAL instrustors.

The MOS is harder than you'd think, it seems Excel is the problem... there's 5 ways to do something in Excel and no sane person would do it this way !!! but Microsoft might ask how on the exam!

Have her look at brouchers from FAS and training firms in Louth and Dublin and see what she thinks,,,, she probably knows what's appropiate for her.

Also check out slightly higher certs from Microsoft.

Make sure she trys!!!

Patrick

Shane O' Malley

Correct me if i am wrong but FAS do not do Word 2010, only 2003 and 2007