Amanda Oliver | April 2019 Graduate of the Microsoft Office Professional Program
Published by Alliance Career Training Solutions | April 18, 2019
Program: Microsoft Office Professional
Start Date: 11/31/18
Graduated: 4/02/19
“After being a student at Alliance, I can now say with confidence that I feel more qualified to get the job I need because of the new knowledge and skills that I learned through the Microsoft Office program.”
Amanda Oliver struggled for years with finding the right job. She knew she was a great worker, motivated and eager to learn more, but was never given the chance because of her minimal qualifications. With a son at home to support, Amanda knew she needed to go back to school, expand her career training, and learn a whole new skill set.
“I’ve worked with several different companies before within the administration field, but barely had the skill set and qualifications needed to do the job efficiently,” said Oliver. “I knew how to navigate a computer, but honestly didn’t know much more than that.”
After making the decision that she needed to go back to school, she learned about one of Alliance Career Training’s programs from the local employment center, America’s Job Center of California, Monterey County, and quickly enrolled to be a student in the Microsoft Office Professional Program last year.
“If I was going to go back to school, I needed to go during the day and be close to home,” she said. “Only having class from 8 o’clock a.m. to 12:30 p.m. was perfect for me. I was able to come to class in the morning and be there for my son and any other personal needs throughout the rest of the day.”
Amanda admitted that she was nervous when she first started the program. “I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she confessed. “I was slightly overwhelmed the first couple of days but realized that this is where I needed to be and that I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from graduating.”
When asked about her favorite part of the program, she quickly said Excel. “One of the sections that I was really nervous about learning was Excel, but it actually ended up being my favorite part of learning Microsoft Office.”
Amanda not only uses her new skills in the classroom but also uses them at home when she’s crafting. “Now that I know how to use these different Microsoft Office programs, I’ve really enjoyed making flyers and creating fun activities that I can do with my son at home.”
After 18-weeks of hard work and determination, Amanda’s instructor and classmates congratulated her as she received her Microsoft Office Certification in PowerPoint and graduated from the Microsoft Office Professional Program on April 2, 2019.
“I really wish I didn’t even have to leave,” she laughed. “If it hadn’t been for my classmates, instructor, and the staff at Alliance, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. The friends and the people that I’ve met here have been incredible. The staff and instructors really do everything they can to understand and work with you to accomplish all your goals. They truly are so compassionate and helpful.”
One thing she enjoyed most about being a student at Alliance was the work readiness portion. “It’s so great that they offer work readiness at the end of the program. It really helped me get started on where to look for jobs, what to say and what not to say during an interview, and much more. I felt a lot more confident going out into the job search than before.”
Looking Forward
Overall, Amanda now feels much more hopeful when it comes to searching for a new job. “I finally feel more qualified, confident, and happier than I was before becoming a student at Alliance. I feel way more confident knowing that I am now proficient in Microsoft Office and can use these skills in any type of job.”
