The Value of Microsoft Training and Certification

Whether you’re actively searching for a new role or pursuing professional development, Microsoft Certification Training is a lucrative asset for your career. 

Many recruiters actively headhunt IT professionals that have invested in and completed official Microsoft Training. These certifications show that an IT professional has taken time and effort outside from their working hours to educate themselves further and develop their skillsets within their chosen profession.

Furthermore, Microsoft is one of the most trusted IT brands in the world, with 85% of Fortune 100 companies using their cloud software, and Office 365 used by over 1 million companies across the globe.

In today’s economy, IT jobs are very much in demand, with hiring managers and recruiters actively searching to find the best candidates available. In the U.S alone, there are currently over 500,000 IT job openings and in September 2020, more than 700,00 IT job posted on LinkedIn for the EMEA region. 

With the recent pandemic causing disruption and a new approach to remote teams, IT and cloud computing have become vital for businesses as they work remotely, moving their infrastructures online.

In this post, we’ll discuss the advantages of obtaining Microsoft Certification and Training, focusing on four key stages to achieving success. 

Plan

Before you embark on your career-bolstering Microsoft Certification journey, make sure you choose a Microsoft learning path that complements your job-role.

Microsoft recently rolled out specific role-based certifications, grouping them into buckets, and creating four distinct career pathways.

• Apps and Infrastructure

The Apps and Infrastructure path contains a range of Azure-focused certifications. If you’re an IT professional looking to validate your skills in securing, building, and developing Azure solutions and infrastructure, this pathway is ideal for developing your skills.

• Data and AI

For business analysts and data scientists, the Data and AI path is perfect, especially for those who work with data using Microsoft Azure.

• Modern Workplace

The Modern Workplace path helps professionals to excel in operational collaboration and efficiency in modern organisations. This path has certifications covering products such as Office 365, Azure AD, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint.

• Business Apps

The Business Apps path is ideally suited to functional consultants that utilise various apps from the Microsoft Dynamics 365 family.

No matter how experienced or skilled you are, industry-recognised Microsoft certifications help to demonstrate your achievements and advance your career. Microsoft training and certification validates your skill set to employers, recruiters, and industry colleagues, working as your licence to success in the tech industry.

Equip

Once you’ve chosen the best Microsoft Certification to complement your career, at LLPA, we offer free online support content and virtual or instructor-led training to help you achieve your goals.

We have partners in over 55 countries and have helped over 100,000 individuals sharpen their Azure skills and hundreds of thousands of businesses to advance their digital transformation processes.

This year, we proudly announced our success in being named Learning 2020’s Microsoft Partner of the Year. This award highlights our determination in helping to equip professionals with all education, motivation, and materials that they need to thrive in today’s IT industry.

LLPA members provide a range of solutions designed to suit your learning needs. This summer, our members can offer you up to 30% discount on role-based courses. We also provide access to Microsoft Learn, which hosts excellent free resources available on demand.

Microsoft Learn can help you to master core concepts at a pace that suits your schedule and preferred learning habits. It’s used by thousands of people to explore related modules and topics or learn more about the modules they are studying.

Prepare

With your Microsoft Certification chosen and your LLPA support network in place, it’s time to prepare by completing bootcamps and training modalities to familiarise yourself with key concepts related to your certification. Many of our award-winning LLPA members have created bespoke modules that can be accessed virtually or in-person depending on availability.

You may be wondering how you are going to finance your Microsoft Certification and Training.

Below, we’ve created a quick guide on ‘How to Request Training from your Boss’, this will provide some pointers if you’re unsure on how to access financial support in your company.

Reviving funding or remuneration for training is a fantastic way to gain professional development without dipping into your paycheck.

Some organisations may actively promote professional development as part of their ethos, while others can be slow to part with cash. 

Access Your Companies Training Policy

Start by accessing your companies training policy; this could be outlined in your staff handbook, your business intranet, or amongst HR materials.

Your organisation may provide a set budget for staff training annually. In this case, try to put in your request around the time budgets are replenished.

Additionally, send an email to whoever is in charge of signing off any staff training as this could be beneficial to your request.

Do Your Research

If you need to present an argument in favour of your Microsoft Certification and Training, make sure you have all the information at hand concerning the course and the costs. Be prepared to answer any questions, and remember, this is world-class training that is beneficial to the company as a whole. Microsoft Certifications are globally recognised and respected; they show dedication, expertise, and intelligence.

Build Your Case and Pick the Right Time

If you need to build a case to secure financial support for your training, time your requests in line with budgets, and focus on how the training will benefit the organisation as a whole.

Benefits that Microsoft Training and Certification can bring to your business include:

• Increased productivity
• New knowledge and skills to share across your team
• An ability to accept new challenges and responsibilities.
• You can add value by taking new approaches to IT work.
• The team will have Microsoft-certified staff, which looks great to prospective clients.
• The team will be able to stay ahead of competitors.
• Your organisation will save money as they no longer need to outsource or hire new staff.
• You will be able to take new approaches to IT challenges.

Additionally, make sure that you put your request into writing and be prepared for all possible outcomes.

Achieve

Microsoft certifications are some of the most well-respected, highly regarded qualifications in the IT industry. 

In an increasingly digitised economy, with more and more people completing degrees, these certifications give you the competitive edge.

Once completed, these certifications are a globally-recognised badge of honour, illustrating your commitment to your profession, validating your skills, and showing dedication to professional development.

Microsoft Certifications are a great way to climb your career ladder. A 2012 study revealed that 91% of hiring managers thought certifications were an essential part of the criteria when recruiting senior staff.

If you’re currently looking for work, these certifications will put you at the top of the resume list with any tech-savvy recruiter. Make sure you add them to your LinkedIn profile so that headhunters notice your skillsets and add you to their hotlist.

Click here to find out more information on how fully-supported, end-to-end training and certification solutions from LLPA and its members can help you and your organization achieve more!