Microsoft Office Certification Changes: The Quick Download

Last Updated on June 19, 2019

A prime example of what makes Microsoft certifications so prestigious and valuable to employers is the fact they are routinely updated to reflect current technology disciplines. These routine updates make Microsoft certifications tougher to obtain and to maintain, therefore conveying to employers one’s ability to learn new skills and remain up-to-date with the industry. To help maintain expert credentials, let’s look at a selection of upcoming changes for the Microsoft Office Certifications.

• During late 2018, Microsoft announced it will be reformatting certifications to require a more role-based approach. IT professionals have been saying for years there is a disconnect between the skills they need to fulfill their duties and the material covered on certification exams. In 2019, Microsoft will work to fix this problem by rolling out new certifications which contain content unique to specific IT roles. The first of these new certifications will focus on the integration of Microsoft Azure and O365.

• Microsoft will also be retiring several exams and certifications to support their new role-based philosophy. This will mainly include 0365 and Windows 10 exams. These topics will be included in Azure based exams which will include the integration between Office 365 and desktop operating systems. Test-takers will only need to pass one exam instead of two, in order to earn Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate Certification.

• Three new role-based certifications which pertain to O365 are Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals, Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, and Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator Expert. As with other past certifications, these certificates build on one another starting with fundamentals, then associate, and finally culminating with the administrator cert.

Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals

Fundamentals is the first-level credential in Microsoft’s new role-based certifications. You only need to pass one exam to earn this certification. Earning a Fundamentals certification confirms you have relevant cloud-based knowledge and skills, plus provides a solid foundation to further one’s status to Microsoft Advanced and Expert certifications.

For this certification, test-takers will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the available options in Microsoft 365 and the benefits offered by moving to the cloud. The cert also covers Software as a Service, the cloud model, and implementing the cloud service.

Modern Desktop Administrator Associate

Cert holders will need to master the concepts involved in configuring, deploying, managing, securing, and monitoring enterprise client applications.

Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator Expert

As the name suggests, this certificate will prove to employers that one can design, plan, deploy, and manage Microsoft 365 enterprise applications and services.

As a result of the old Azure based exams and certifications being retired, new transition exams will be offered for students who were on those tracts and failed to complete their certifications before December 31, 2018. This will allow students to keep their credits and transition to the new Microsoft 365 Certifications.

The biggest Microsoft Office Certification change for 2019 surrounds older exams and certifications being deprecated in favor of more role-based certifications. These certifications are brand new, meaning there aren’t a lot of good study materials available yet. The best way to prepare for any type of Microsoft Certification exam is to receive help from a professional training company such as ONLC. ONLC has more than 300+ remote learning facilities throughout the country. Chances are good there is a location nearby where students can learn in a convenient, distraction free environment. If visiting a physical location doesn’t fit into one’s schedule, ONLC offers a variety of instructor led and self-paced online learning opportunities. Learn more from ONLC online today.