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Marine Corps Community Services
Microsoft Office Specialist program Improves Military Retention and Civilian Readiness
"The purpose of our program is to make military personnel more job-ready and more attractive to the prospective employer"
says Dennis Warren, the Transition Program Analyst for Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), Career Resources office.
"Even having one Microsoft Office Specialist Certification under their belt will greatly benefit them in their job search".
The MCCS Career Resources office is focused on providing 13,000 military and civilian government employees and their spouses
with community support programs and services.
"We were using another skills assessment program before working with Certiport, but it didn't hold as much weight in the
market as the Microsoft Office Specialist program" said Dennis. "Telling a prospective employer that you're 'Microsoft Office
Specialist certified' means a lot these days". Since initiation of the MOS program, the Career Resource Office has become the
third highest successful Microsoft Office Specialist certification provider in the state of California.
Because the Career Resource Office covers the cost of the Microsoft Office Specialist exams, they only offer the exams to
active duty marines, navy sailors, family members, and government employees on the base. The Microsoft Office Specialist
program helps everyone improve their software proficiency, particularly military personnel as they transition out of the
military. The Career Resource Office has received several success stories from family members and military personnel who have
used their certifications to further their military career or gained employment after becoming a civilian.
Improving Marketability using Microsoft Office Specialist
Monica Brady, who is now the Acting Director for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, on Okinawa, Japan states, "When I
first heard about the 'free Microsoft certifications' through the Career Resource office, I figured it wouldn't hurt to look
into it. I have always worked on computers, but have never had the certifications to prove my proficiency. I spent the summer
in Twentynine Palms going through all of the lessons and practice tests. In just a couple of months, I had completed all seven
of the tests and obtained my Microsoft Office Specialist Master Certification".
Later that year, when I moved to Okinawa, Japan with my husband. I found the job market on Okinawa to be extremely competitive.
I sent in my resume and a copy of my Microsoft Office Specialist Master certificate for a job announcement and got the job a few
weeks later. After I started working, I found out that my computer skills weighed heavily in my favor during the selection board
and Directors hiring decision. The Microsoft Office Specialist Master Certification has done everything to help me in my career
endeavors".
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