Certiport Inc. is a business based in American Fork that makes the Microsoft Office User Specialist certificate exams more commonly known as MOUS. The company reported that business is booming and said there are over 20,000 certification recipients worldwide each month.
The Microsoft Training and Certification Web site states that MOUS is a comprehensive performance based certification program used to validate desktop computer skills using the Microsoft Office programs. In other words, it is a series of exams that proves a person is well trained in Microsoft programs such as Word or Excel.
"The company currently employs over 100 employees in Utah alone," John Pilmer, a spokesperson for Certiport, Inc, said. He also said that since the company began administering the MOUS exams, Certiport has delivered over half a million certificates to validate people's productivity in Microsoft Office applications.
Scott Dutcher, 22, a student studying business management, said these computer certificates may be just a pricey piece of paper, but they will help students get jobs. Dutcher is an Information Systems 201 TA at BYU, and is involved with teaching students how to use different Microsoft applications.
Dutcher said that it always looks good to be certified. "A lot of people say they know how to use Word, but being certified lets people know that you really do know how to use Word."
Pilmer said that MOUS exams are tests that evaluate real life scenarios. "You are working through a problem that you would have in one of the Microsoft Office programs," said Pilmer.
"I like the tests and think they are a fair assessment of a student's skills," Dutcher said. He also said his only concern about the exams is that they are a bit pricey for college students.
There are many different exams that cover a range of Microsoft products. The Microsoft Training and Certification website states that to get a MOUS Master Certificate for Office XP a person must pass a total of five tests.
"The tests retail for $89 per exam, but actual cost varies among the different locations the tests are given," Pilmer said.
The exams are given across the world in places called "iQcenters." The Certiport Web site lists four iQcenters that are within 15 miles of the BYU campus.
Students that want to take the exams can find local centers that administer the tests for less than $89. An employee at Integrated Global systems located in Provo said they give each exam for $60.
Dutcher said that part of his job last summer was to help restructure the curriculum of the classes he helps teach and he was looking at different options to test the students. "I was hoping to be able to work a deal where all of our students come in for $50 and take as many (MOUS) exams as they want," Dutcher said. "Right now we do test the students so that they will be competent in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. However they don't have the certificate to prove that."
Pilmer said that Certiport has iQcenter partnerships with many universities including TCU and Pepperdine who require MOUS certification for business school graduates. Dutcher said he hopes BYU will work with Certiport to come up with a way that will make tests more affordable to students.
For those interested in taking the exams, the website, http://dtiq.safeshopper.com, offers recent certification packages that could help students save some cash.
Copyright Brigham Young University 5 Apr 2002
