Improving your digital capabilities and skills is one of the most effective ways of progressing your career.
A new project is underway that supports people at Durham to improve their digital capability and career development by gaining internationally recognised digital qualifications. Dialogue spoke to Michelle Taylor from HR-OD and Debbie Robson from CIS.
If you’re not currently certified in using systems such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, the Microsoft Office Specialist course is here for you. If you’ve learned how to use them as you’ve gone along, the certificates will help you validate your knowledge and continue to learn by filling in any knowledge-gaps or just boost your understanding.
“We’re offering University staff and students the chance to gain free Microsoft Office Certificate qualifications,” said Michelle.
“The certificates will not only support you to develop new skills that may help you in your role or studies, they’ll also give you the chance to demonstrate and enhance your existing capabilities and help grow your career. However, if you really don’t feel confident to take a test, you can still access the learning or improve your confidence with practice tests.”
Debbie said: "The Microsoft Certification programme is part of a wider project to improve the digital capability of staff and students, and details of the Jisc Building Digital Capability Service and Discovery Tool will be sent out later in the year.
Digital capabilities continue to be in high demand and whatever your current or future role, you can improve your existing digital capabilities by completing modules to gain a Microsoft-accredited qualification. There are three modules available including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Michelle continued: “As a University, one of our values is to create opportunities and support people to become the best they can, now and for the future. This includes offering everyone the chance to challenge and develop ourselves, both for our work and home life.”
Debbie added: “Building digital capability means different things to different people and this is just the start of our project.
“As an important element of the University’s drive to improve colleagues’ digital capabilities, in 2023 we’ll launch the Digital Capabilities Hub. As part of this we’ll introduce the Jisc Building Digital Capability Service and Discovery Tool which will help members of staff to self-assess their digital capabilities and access learning resources to improve, enhance and develop digital capabilities.”
Michelle concluded:
By offering the free Microsoft Certification and developing the Digital Capabilities Hub, we’re starting the journey to provide all staff and students with access to resources to help them to flourish in a digital-driven economy. I think this is a great opportunity so have a look to find out more.
If you’re interested in the Microsoft Certification, you need to be quick. Exam slots are only available until 26 May and spaces are limited.
Log onto the intranet page to sign up.