Adam Drummond, a 15-year-old from the Isle of Man, has won $1,500 for coming third in the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship. Drummond secured a place in the final which took place in Orlando, Florida, after winning the UK and Ireland title in June. This was the 17th MOS World Championship which tests students’ skills with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It attracted 760,000 applicants from 116 countries – a 35% increase on last year.
Discussing the event, Drummond said:
“Coming third place in the whole world was an amazing feeling and an outcome I could never have expected when taking part in the MOS Test Fest at school.
Taking part in what I originally thought would just be one simple MOS exam has led to many things, from representing the Isle of Man in London and the World Championships in Florida, to making many new friends and informing them all about the island. These are skills and experiences that will stay with me for life. Having all of this on my CV will inevitably help me to stand out above the rest.”
For its part Microsoft, via Anthony Salcito, VP of Worldwide Education at Microsoft, said:
“We are very impressed with the winners of the MOS World Championship and grateful to meet so many young people who have realized the power of Microsoft Office skills for productivity and employability. MOS certification gives students tangible proof they know how to use Microsoft Office tools in academics and on the job from day one.”
The competition will take place in the New York Marriott Marquis in New York next year between July 28th and July 31st. It is open to any student between the ages of 13 and 22 who takes the MOS exam in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, entrants have to pass through a qualifier round, to enter the national MOS Championship, where they must succeed again to enter the World Championship.