The teachers of the Business Information Management 1 classes now offer Microsoft Office Specialists certifications.

To earn a certification, students need to sign up for the BIM class, taught by computer science teacher Lance Culbert and Dawn Welch. The certification exam, usually $100, is provided free of charge to students. The CHS Business and Computer Education department purchased a district license which provides unlimited tests. As a class, students have earned 40 certifications.

“We started this year offering the certifications just because it’s a real world credential that can follow students,” Culbert said. “We purchased training software that simulates the test very closely. We have the students prep in GMetrix, which is the training software.”

After excelling in GMetrix, students take the actual test. Forty students have received Microsoft Office Specialist certifications this year.

“You can put this credential on job applications, on college applications and scholarship applications,” Culbert said. “It’s just something to build up a student’s market ability when they leave the class. It’s proof that they’ve taken a Microsoft test that Microsoft designed. This says the people who have done this are good with our software. It’s kind of like, you can drive a car without a license but you know you have minimal skills until you’ve passed a driving test.”

Senior Trevor Fleeman took the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint tests. Now, he is practicing for his Excel test.

“The certifications look good on resumes so I could possibly get a job,” Fleeman said. “Because of what I learned, I was able to use Microsoft Word to make propaganda for English.”

Freshman Josiah Dye, who earned the PowerPoint certification, said the skills he learned in class has helped him with his homework.

“I would recommend this class,” Dye said. “It’s very helpful with learning how to use a computer. Computers are used a lot these days because technology is advancing.”

Culbert said students may not use everything they learned in BIM but will improve in their technology skills.

“BIM is one of those classes that anyone who takes it is almost immediately using it in other classes,” Culbert said. “We really take the time to use those programs well. We teach Excel, which is used heavily in business classes, some math and science classes at the collegiate level. We do PowerPoint, which is very common across a lot of different classes. Really, if I could require every student to take it, I would.”