1. Introduction
1.1 Importance of Free Excel Certification
Microsoft Excel is one of the most commonly used business applications used worldwide today. Using Excel, anyone can create basic file lists, detailed management reports, charts and graphs, maintain complex data, and perform various functions and formulas. However, despite using Excel on a regular basis, many users are not fully acquainted with its advanced functionalities that can further enhance their productivity and analytical capabilities.
A Free Excel Certification is a validation of your Excel skills, it can boost your professional career drastically. By obtaining a certification, you illustrate to your current and potential employers that you possess the necessary skills. Besides, you gain an edge over your colleagues or peers by proving your dedication and commitment to learn and adapt to new technologies. Free Excel Certifications can open doors to promotions, increase job security, or provide greater opportunities when seeking new job roles.
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1.3 Objectives of this Comparison
This document aims to provide a detailed comparison of a selection of Free Excel Certifications available online. This includes providing a brief introduction for each course, enlisting its pros and cons. The intention is to enable individuals to make an informed decision about the most suitable Excel certification course for their specific learning needs and career aspirations. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or an expert user of Excel, this comparison will guide you to find the perfect course that matches with your skill level, learning pace, and personal schedule.
2. Great Learning Excel for Beginners Certificate
The Great Learning Excel for Beginners Certificate course is designed to start you off on your journey of data analyzation and presentation using Excel. This fully online course provides beginners with the foundational knowledge of this popular tool. Through easy to understand video lectures, practical questions, and supplemental resources, this course lays the groundwork for complex data manipulation and advanced Excel explorations.
2.1 Pros
- Beginner Friendly: The course is crafted with beginners in mind, with simple language explanations and practical exercises.
- Flexibility: Since the course is entirely online, learners can study at their own pace and in their own time.
- Comprehensive Coverage: The course covers all the necessary basic areas of Excel needed for students to properly grasp the concept.
- Interactive Learning: The course not only offers video lectures but also provides quizzes and assignments to validate the understanding.
2.2 Cons
- Lacks Advanced Topics: This course caters primarily to beginners. Hence, it may not provide enough depth for intermediate or advanced Excel users.
- May Lack Individual Attention: Some learners may find that they struggle to understand concepts without one-on-one teacher support.
- No Certified Credential: Although it’s a free great learning course, it does not offer an official certification upon completion.
3. Simplilearn Solutions Free Online Excel Course with Certificate
Simplilearn’s Free Online Excel Course is designed for those who want to boost their Excel capabilities. The course offers extensive coverage of Excel’s numerous facets, with a focus on helping learners gain a practical understanding. Learners successfully completing this course are awarded with a certification from Simplilearn.
3.1 Pros
- Wide Coverage: The course covers a broad spectrum of topics, making it suitable for users of all experience levels.
- Practical Approach: The course emphasizes hands-on learning, with many practical assignments and real-world examples.
- Certified Course: Upon successful completion, a certificate is granted which can be a big boost to your CV.
- High-Quality Content: The coursemanterial is well-structured, organized and easy to follow.
3.2 Cons
- Course Length: Some learners might find the course quite lengthy and time-consuming.
- No Personal Tutor Support: The course does not have an option for personal tutor support, which may make learning difficult for some individuals.
- Basic Certificate: While the certificate is an advantage, it is quite basic and may not hold as much weight as those from more recognized institutions.
4. Alison Free Online Excel Courses with Certificate
Alison’s free online Excel courses are structured to cater to learners at all stages, whether beginners, intermediate users, or experts. These courses are focused on imparting practical knowledge to enable effective use of Excel in real-world scenarios. Completing the course provides learners a certificate, affirming their competency in the subject.
4.1 Pros
- Comprehensive Content: The course offers modules for learners at all stages, making it a versatile option.
- Practical Orientation: Examples and assignments are based on real-world scenarios, promoting practical knowledge.
- Certification: Alison provides a course completion certificate, adding a valuable credential to your CV.
- Self-Paced: The course allows learners to study at their own pace, providing flexibility.
4.2 Cons
- Cost for Certificate: Though the course is free, there is a fee charged for the certification.
- Limited Interaction: The course’s self-paced nature may seem isolating to some learners as there is limited interaction with the course tutor or other learners.
- Variable Quality: Due to the wide range of topics covered, the quality of instruction may vary across different modules.
5. Saylor Academy Free Online Excel Courses with Certificate
Saylor Academy offers a free online Excel course with an accompanying certification. The course aims to equip students with essential Excel skills, with a focus on real-world, practical applications. Learners are expected to gain a strong knowledge foundation of Excel, culminating in a certificate to showcase their competency.
5.1 Pros
- Free Certification: In contrast to many other free courses, Saylor Academy offers a free certificate upon completion.
- Flexible Learning: The course is available online and can be completed at the learner’s own pace.
- Practical Approach: The course applies the knowledge learners gain to real-world scenarios, aiding practical understanding.
- Comprehensive Content: The curriculum covers a wide range of Excel features, proving satisfactory for learners at different levels of knowledge.
5.2 Cons
- No Personal Guidance: The course, being self-paced and online, does not provide personalized guidance from a tutor.
- Basic Certification: Although a certificate is granted, it might not hold as much weight as from renowned institutions.
- Learning Interface: Some students may find the online learning interface less engaging than traditional classroom settings.
6. PwC via Coursera Excel Certificate
Provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) via Coursera, this Excel course aims to enhance the data analysis ability of learners. This certification course covers techniques used by professionals for business analysis and decision-making purposes.
6.1 Pros
- Professional Course: The course is created by PwC professionals, ensuring industry relevance and quality.
- Data Analysis Focus: The course content revolves around tools and functions useful in data analysis tasks.
- Real-world Scenarios: The course methodology uses real-world challenges and data to create meaningful learning experiences.
- Certification: Successful completion earns a certificate from Coursera and PwC, both highly recognized globally.
6.2 Cons
- Cost: Although it is a well-structured professional course, it is not entirely free. The certificate requires a payment.
- Complex Content: The content may be difficult for absolute beginners as it assumes a certain level of familiarity with Excel.
- Peer Assessment: Grading often relies on peer assessments, which can sometimes be inconsistent or subjective.
7. University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera Excel Course with Certificate
The Excel course from the University of Colorado Boulder offered through Coursera focuses on everyday applications of Excel. It emphasizes learning through practice and real-life scenarios. On successful completion, learners earn a certificate from the university.
7.1 Pros
- Real-World Applications: Course content revolves around everyday uses of Excel, making learning relevant.
- University Certification: A certificate from a recognized university adds substantial value to your professional profile.
- Flexibility: As an online course, it allows learners to access material and complete assignments on their own schedule.
- Good Pedagogy: The course is well-structured and follows an effective learning approach with assessments following each module.
7.2 Cons
- Payment Required for Certificate: While the course material can be accessed for free, there is a cost for the certification.
- Less Technical Coverage: The focus on “everyday” applications might limit the depth of technical skills learned.
- Time Commitment: The course requires a significant time commitment to complete all modules and scored assessments.
8. Davidson College via edX Excel Course with Certificate
Davidson College offers a comprehensive Excel course in partnership with edX. This course is tailored for beginners and aims to provide a firm grounding in the basic concepts. The course material covers Excel’s essential features, allowing learners to competently use this popular software in their work.
8.1 Pros
- Holistic Coverage: The course provides a broad overview of Excel, ensuring learners have a comprehensive understanding.
- Beginner-Friendly: The curriculum is designed to be easy to follow for beginners, starting from basic operations and gradually moving towards more complex features.
- Reputation: The course is administered by Davidson College, which is a highly respected institution, adding credibility to the acquired certification.
- Self-Paced Learning: The course allows flexibility in learning at one’s pace, making it an excellent option for those with other commitments.
8.2 Cons
- Fee for Certificate: Gaining the certification associated with the completion of the course requires a payment, despite the course content being accessible for free.
- Lack of Advanced Concepts: The curriculum is designed primarily for beginners, and lacks in-depth coverage of advanced Excel concepts and techniques.
- Impersonal: Given the online nature of the course, some learners may miss the interpersonal interaction and immediate support of a classroom setting.
9. Bond University via FutureLearn Excel Course
This FutureLearn Excel course offered by Bond University is designed specifically to equip learners with data analytics skills using Excel. The course teaches essential aspects such as data cleaning, data visualization, and data analysis. It is suitable for beginners looking to leverage Excel in their data analysis tasks.
9.1 Pros
- Application-Oriented: The course is designed with a keen focus on practical applications, specifically data analytics.
- Quality Content: The course curriculum is well-organized and structured, making it easy for learners to understand the concepts.
- Expert Instructors: The course is led by industry experts from Bond University, which ensures the teaching quality and relevance.
- Interactive Learning: The course includes quizzes and assignments to validate the understanding and enhance the learning experience.
9.2 Cons
- Limited Coverage: While it specializes in data analytics, it might lack broader coverage of other aspects of Excel.
- Fees for Extended Access and Certification: While some components of the course can be accessed for free for a limited period, a cost must be incurred for extended access and certification.
- Requires Consistent Commitment: The course requires regular participation, which might be challenging for those who prefer an absolute self-paced learning approach.
10. Skillshare Microsoft Excel Course Certificate
Skillshare’s Microsoft Excel course is aimed at assisting learners in mastering this popular software. The course offers a practical approach, with real-world applications included in the teaching process. Upon completion, Skillshare awards learners with a course completion certificate verifying the acquired skills.
10.1 Pros
- Practical approach: The course puts a high focus on the practical application of knowledge, which is helpful in real-world situations.
- Accessible learning: The course is available online, allowing learners to study at their own schedule.
- Project Based: Contains several projects that help you apply and understand the Excel features.
- Certification: Offers a course certificate upon completion, which adds value to your professional profile.
10.2 Cons
- Requires Premium Subscription: To access this course, students need to subscribe to Skillshare’s premium plan, which comes with a cost.
- Course Variety: Being a platform with various courses taught by different instructors, the quality of teaching might vary.
- Limited Instructor Interaction: The platform doesn’t provide much opportunity for student-instructor interaction, which could hinder learning for some.
11. Macquarie University Excel Skills for Business Essentials Via Coursera
The Excel Skills for Business Essentials course offered by Macquarie University via Coursera is crafted to meet the needs of individuals seeking to enhance their Excel skills for business applications. The course covers essentials of Excel and provides all essential skills needed to work with spreadsheets effectively in a business environment.
11.1 Pros
- Industry Relevance: The course content is focused on skills essential in the business realm, making it highly relevant for professionals.
- Highly Rated: The course enjoys positive reviews and high ratings from past learners.
- Comprehensive Curriculum: The course takes users from the basics to the advanced portions of Excel to ensure a deep understanding of the subject.
- Earn a Certificate: A course completion certificate from a recognized institution provides added value to your CV.
11.2 Cons
- Course Fee: While Coursera offers some learning content for free, gaining certificate requires purchasing the course.
- Complex for Beginners: The course quickly moves into complex business-centric applications of Excel, which might be difficult for beginners.
- Time-Intensive: The extensive content of the course requires a significant time commitment to cover all areas effectively.
12. Summary
12.1 Overall Comparison Table
| Certification | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Great Learning Excel for Beginners Certificate | No specific requirements, meant for beginners |
| Simplilearn Solutions Free Online Excel Course with Certificate | No specific requirements, course is comprehensive for all levels |
| Alison Free Online Excel Courses with Certificate | No prerequisites, although completion fees apply for certification |
| Saylor Academy Free Online Excel Courses with Certificate | No prerequisites, course is suitable for all levels |
| PwC via Coursera Excel Certificate | Basic familiarity with Excel; course fee applies for certification |
| University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera Excel Course with Certificate | No specific prerequisites, certificate available for a fee |
| Davidson College via edX Excel Course with Certificate | Basic understanding of Excel, course fee for certification |
| Bond University via FutureLearn Excel Course | No prerequisites, full course access and certification for a fee |
| Skillshare Microsoft Excel Course Certificate | Premium Skillshare subscription, course is project-based |
| Macquarie University Excel Skills for Business Essentials Via Coursera | Some familiarity with Excel is beneficial; course fee for certification |
12.2 Recommended Certification Based on Various Needs
If you’re just starting out with Excel, courses like the Great Learning Excel for Beginners Certificate, Simplilearn Solutions Free Online Excel Course, and Saylor Academy Free Online Excel Courses are suitable due to their beginner-friendly content. If you’re looking to enhance business-related Excel skills, PwC via Coursera and Macquarie University’s courses will be ideal. For data-centric skill enhancement, considering Bond University via FutureLearn Excel Course would be beneficial.
13. Conclusion
13.1 Final Thoughts and Takeaways for Choosing a Free Excel Certification
In conclusion, there is a multitude of free Excel certification courses available, allowing you to choose one that perfectly fits your requirements and learning goals. When selecting a course, it is crucial to consider factors such as your current knowledge level, the time you can dedicate, professional application, and the relevance of course content. Free Excel certifications can be a significant leg up in your professional career, enhancing your productivity and creating opportunities for advancement.
Despite the cons associated with each course, the advantages outweigh the downsides. It’s about finding a course that aligns the most with your needs and goals. Primarily, with any course, the outcome heavily depends on the effort input. Embrace the learning journey, apply the knowledge gained and leverage your certification to its maximum potential. You have taken the first step by considering a certification, now venture out there and conquer Excel!
Author Introduction:
Vera Chen is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, which provides a wide range of products, including product to repair MDF databases.