MICROSOFT BUILDS A BETTER MOUS TRAP FOR CAPE

A new program at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School could give job applicants an edge over their competition.

The vocational school is one of 24 Missouri schools selected to receive more than $1 million in equipment and materials to set up training and testing centers for the Microsoft Office User Specialist, or MOUS, training certification program. Missouri is the first state to join the initiative to certify a worker's proficiency in the Microsoft Office software, which includes Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.

Training sites were selected so that residents would have to drive no more than one hour in most cases to participate. Other regional MOUS training sites are in Ironton, Doniphan, Washington, New Madrid and West Plains.

Every school district in the state received free training vouchers to distribute within their district to people interested in raising their proficiency in various applications and becoming certified as proficient, master or an expert.

"This is a partnership among local schools, the state and Nivo International to raise the computer skills of Missouri teachers, students and workers," said Camila Holbrook, MOUS administrator at the vocational school. "More and more, employers are looking for certification skills that says a person has met certain levels of proficiency."

Through the MOUS certification program, participants can take online, performance-based exams to demonstrate their skill level in Microsoft Office software. Exams for MOUS certification are offered in Word and Excel at the proficient level, and in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access at the expert level. People who pass all four expert level exams earn the MOUS Master certification.

Participants may take an exam without receiving training. However, they must present a voucher for each exam taken.

Once they are certified, they are better able to market themselves to employers and human resources directors, said Holbrook. This will be especially beneficial in Southeast Missouri, where the majority of local employers utilize Microsoft software and will benefit from employees with more skills.

"I'm not one to push Bill Gates at all, but it's hard to turn down $1 million, and especially when people trained to use the software are in such demand," she said.

The local program officially started Dec. 1 and will continue through Dec. 31, 2000. People interested in receiving MOUS certification must first receive a free training voucher from their school district.