We all like to have something to prove that we know something – in other words a certification!
The Information Technology world is full of certifications to choose from – they are aimed at technical knowledge.
Not something that you or I are interested in.
The good news – there are three options to prove your skills and knowledge with applications.
European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)

The first one to consider is the ECDL (now being called ICDL (Internal Computer Driving License)).
It focuses on computer skills and doesn’t refer to a specific suite.
Modules:

- IT user fundamentals
- Internet and email
- Word processing
- Spreadsheet software
- Presentation software
- Database software
- Online collaboration
- Improving productivity
- Project planning
- IT security for users
For more information have a look at the office ICDL Europe site.
Internet Core Computing Certification (IC3)

Similar to the ECDL, IC3 also focuses on computer skills rather than a specific suite.
The key difference between them is that the IC3 requires just 3 exams to complete.
Modules:
- Fundamental concepts and essential components.
- Working knowledge of each of the seven skill groups.
- Advanced understanding of digital literacy.
Check the details Certiport website (direct link) for information on IC3.
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

As the name suggests, this one is specific for Microsoft and the programs in their Office Suite.
You select the specific software, the version and the level you want to prove.
Exams:
- Word Core
- Word Expert
- Excel Core
- Excel Expert
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
- Access Expert
The Certiport website (direct link) also has details on MOS.
In some of the future blogs, I’ll be looking into each of these in more detail and looking at the pros and cons of them.
Sharing information and offering suggestions for those who want a certificate and if so, which one could work best for you.
Latest Posts
- Copilot Knows Less About You Than You’d ThinkCopilot work account data is the handful of details from your Microsoft account that Copilot uses to personalise answers. It’s far less than you might expect. On the Copilot Basic licence that comes with a business plan, mine showed my office location and nothing else. The paid Premium licence adds a little more, but not… Read more: Copilot Knows Less About You Than You’d Think
- 3 Quick Ways to Take Control of Copilot MemoryCopilot memory is the set of details Copilot automatically saves from your conversations, and there are three quick ways to take control of it: ask what it knows about you, tell it what to remember, and delete anything that’s wrong or out of date. It takes a couple of minutes, and it’s worth doing every… Read more: 3 Quick Ways to Take Control of Copilot Memory
- Copilot Custom Instructions: Say It Once, Get Better AnswersIf you keep typing the same things into Copilot every time (make it shorter, make it friendly, use UK spelling), there’s a setting that does it for you. It’s called Copilot custom instructions. You save details about yourself and how you like responses written, and Copilot applies them to every new chat. It takes about… Read more: Copilot Custom Instructions: Say It Once, Get Better Answers
- What’s Actually in Your Microsoft 365 App Launcher?Open your Microsoft 365 app launcher and you’ll find more than 20 apps staring back at you. You’ll only use a small handful of them regularly. The rest fall into “useful sometimes” or “you’ll probably never touch this” territory. This post has Microsoft 365 apps explained in plain English. Each one is grouped by how… Read more: What’s Actually in Your Microsoft 365 App Launcher?
- The OneNote Feature I Rely On More Than Any OtherIf you’ve ever typed a search word into OneNote, you’ll know the feeling. Every relevant note appears, no matter which notebook it was buried in. That’s why so many people ask how to search across notebooks in OneNote in the first place. Being able to search across notebooks in OneNote is, for me, the single… Read more: The OneNote Feature I Rely On More Than Any Other





