Completing Microsoft courses gives an IT job seeker an edge over the competition. Particularly those courses that lead to industry certification make a resume stand out from the rest. Many computer technology students begin with passing one or more of the Microsoft Certified Office Specialist (MCOS) exams. Once they have some more experience, there is the option to take a course to prepare for one of the more comprehensive Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certifications. Due to the popularity of these certifications, plenty of courses are available for them both online and in the classroom. With so many course choices, it can seem overwhelming to decide which format is right for each individual; both online and classroom training have advantages and disadvantages.
The Microsoft Corporation itself has a thorough training program for these certification courses. After creating an account, IT students can choose from a wide variety of offerings. While performing searches for classroom training by subject is an option, some of these classes are not available in all areas. The first advantage of an online course is that it brings this training to students who may live too far away from a training centre. A drawback to classroom learning is that many courses are short-term, which can sometimes be more challenging for students who may need extra help with the material.
IT students taking a Microsoft course in the classroom have more readily available access to help by asking questions of the instructor. If the same questions arise in an online course, these need to be emailed to a course instructor who may not be available to answer them right away. When deciding whether to take a certain course online or in the classroom, one thing to consider is prior familiarity with the subject matter. Students with a bit of background in a specific technology often have an easier experience taking an online course.
A positive aspect of online courses is that many of them are self-paced. Learners who already have full-time jobs in the industry can fit the additional training into their own schedules. The Microsoft training course catalogue even features a tool that groups recommended courses together by specific IT job role. An additional advantage is that many online courses, especially those for office software, have hands-on practice simulations that can be done as many times as needed.
Taking Microsoft courses is a beneficial IT career move, whether to gain some experience with office software or to learn more advanced technologies such as server configuration. Passing a certification exam demonstrates definite competency to current and future employers. To gain the most from the course material, prospective students should examine their existing subject knowledge, their schedules, and how a specific course could enhance their area of expertise. These factors help determine whether an online or classroom-based course is the best choice.
Author Resource:-
James Copper writes articles for CompuTeach where you can find out about the MCSE and mcsa certification
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