Coleg Ceredigion’s Aberystwyth campus is a Microsoft Imagine Academy (MIA) and licensed Certiport Test centre. The Academy offers participants the opportunity to learn and to stay up to date with the latest Microsoft Office programs, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. This exciting resource is a real advantage to students as certification is proven to increase employability.

This is a valuable opportunity, given that BLS Employment Projections predicts that 73% of new jobs in the next five years will require technology skills. This guarantees that every certified user has demonstrated the ability to command the full features and functionality of Microsoft Office, preparing them for future academic or workforce opportunities.

The ability to prove higher ICT skills in industry-standard software is going to be a real differentiator when entering the job market. Microsoft Certification is especially valuable since it is so widely recognised in the business world. It’s not only beneficial for our students, enrolling on our Academy courses is a great way for members of the wider Ceredigion community to improve their employability, and should also be attractive to local businesses with ambitions to raise standards in productivity and efficiency within the workplace. The Academy delivers the latest, most effective learning methods, combining face-to-face contact with instructors and self-directed study online.