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Business Upturn
30-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Young, Certified, and Winners: Pearson's Certiport Announces 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist World Champions
ORLANDO, Fla., July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pearson is proud to recognize the winners of the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship, announced by Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, and the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate academic and career opportunities for learners. Now in its 23rd year, the annual competition challenges students from ages 13 through 22 around the world to demonstrate their skills in Microsoft Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint®. To enter, students completed a qualifying MOS certification exam to demonstrate their mastery of Microsoft Office technology. Regional competitions were held worldwide, and over 190 finalists qualified to compete in the final round of competition, the World Championship, held in Orlando, Florida, from July 27 – 30, 2025. Certiport and Microsoft presented awards to the highest-ranking student competitors at the MOS World Championship Award Ceremony with the first-place winners receiving $8,000, and second- and third-place recipients receiving $4,000 and $2,000, respectively. The 2025 MOS World Champions are: Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: Hai Long Do, Vietnam Second place: Kyriaki Pesta, Greece Third place: Samantha Elizabeth Rojas Romero, Ecuador Microsoft PowerPoint® (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: Eleni Karakasidou, Greece Second place: Sio Pui Lei, Macao, China Third place: Santiago Gabriel Higuera Rodríguez, Dominican Republic Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: In Iat Li, Macao, China Second place: Yiu Man Raymond Mak, Hong Kong, China Third place: Son Tung Luong, Vietnam Microsoft Word (Office 2019) First place: Tony Jin, USA Second place: Ornella Corio, Brazil Third place: Gerardo Antonio Delgado Amaya, El Salvador Microsoft PowerPoint® (Office 2019) First place: Tsan Ying Wong, Macao, China Second place: Paula Cazco Chuquimarca, Ecuador Third place: Lucas Natal, Brazil Microsoft Excel® (Office 2019) First place: Maria Abi Khalil, Lebanon Second place: Xavier Diebold, USA Third place: Amelia Ortiz De Santiago, Puerto Rico In the concluding round, competitors participated in an exam that tested their Microsoft Office knowledge, application skills, and creative talents. For the third consecutive year, finalists were required to complete a free-form challenge project. This year's challenge asked competitors to create a series of documents for Limbitless Solutions a non-profit organization creating 3D printed bionic arms for children and adults. 'Partnering with Certiport at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship has been an incredible opportunity for Limbitless Solutions,' said Matt Dombrowski, Creative Director, Limbitless Solutions. 'This year, student competitors are using Word, PowerPoint®, and Excel® to design real materials that share our story, from impactful presentations and training documents to clear and informative data visuals. It's inspiring to see these tools in the hands of students who care about making a difference. Their creativity and precision help bring our mission to life and expand awareness for children with limb differences around the world.' 'This event marks 23 years since the Microsoft Office Specialist competition began in 2002. We are exceptionally proud of what we have managed to achieve, through our partners around the world, in providing young people with a platform such as this to learn, compete, and gain valuable skills that will help them in their future careers,' said Dr Gary Gates, Managing Director, Pearson VUE. MOS is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally and serves as a powerful instrument for assessing learners' skills and preparing them for real-world application of their knowledge. 'The Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship continues to inspire and challenge the next generation of global talent. These competitors are passionate and dedicated learners who have the skills and competitive drive to succeed in anything they do. At Microsoft, we know this experience will prepare students to demonstrate valuable digital skills in a real-world work environment,' said Christina Thoresen, Director of Worldwide Education Industry Sales Strategy, Microsoft. Certiport will host the 2026 MOS World Championship at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim, California, from July 26-29, 2026. Learn more about the MOS World Championship here. See what our competitors and other news outlets are saying by searching the event hashtag #MOSWC on social media. About Certiport Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, is the leading provider of certification exam development, delivery and program management services delivered through an expansive network of over 13,000 Certiport Authorized Testing Centers worldwide. Certiport manages a sophisticated portfolio of leading certification programs including: the official Microsoft Office Specialist certification program, the Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification program, the Microsoft Certified Educator program, the Adobe® Certified Professional certification program, the Autodesk Certified User certification program, the Intuit certification program, the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) certification program, the Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate certification program, the App Development with Swift certification program, the Project Management Institute Project Management Ready certification program, the Unity Certified User certification program, the Communication Skills for Business certification program, the IC3 Digital Literacy certification, and the Entrepreneurship and Small Business certification program. Certiport reliably delivers over three million tests each year throughout the secondary, post-secondary, workforce, and corporate technology markets in 148 countries and 29 languages worldwide. For more information visit or follow Certiport on X at 'Certiport' is a registered trademark of NCS Pearson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. About Limbitless Solutions: Limbitless Solutions is a non-profit research facility at the University of Central Florida (UCF) dedicated to increasing accessibility and empowering children and adults in the limb-difference community. Through personalized, creative, and expressive bionics provided without financial burden, Limbitless empowers using innovative technology and interdisciplinary collaboration to address accessibility issues. Limbitless develops and evaluates muscle-based biosensing technology, including multi-gesture bionic arms, a hands-free wheelchair control device, and interacting video game training – all currently in national clinical trials. Limbitless accessibility technology uniquely leverages video game-based training that converts muscle flexing into the video game character's actions, led by UCF faculty members Matt Dombrowski with UCF's School of Visual Arts and Design and Peter Smith with UCF's Nicholson School of Communication and Media. Founded in 2014 and located in UCF's Research Park in Orlando, Florida, Limbitless combines engineering and art to promote access and engagement in STEAM learning experiences for a more accessible future. Undergraduate students from various academic perspectives engage in project-based learning, professional development, and research experiences where students put academics into practice in an environment focused on making a difference and professional and technical development. Visit to learn more. Press Contact: Greg Forbes, [email protected] +44 782 431 3448 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Toronto Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Young, Certified, and Winners: Pearson's Certiport Announces 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist World Champions
ORLANDO, Fla., July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pearson is proud to recognize the winners of the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship, announced by Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, and the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate academic and career opportunities for learners. Now in its 23rd year, the annual competition challenges students from ages 13 through 22 around the world to demonstrate their skills in Microsoft Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint®. To enter, students completed a qualifying MOS certification exam to demonstrate their mastery of Microsoft Office technology. Regional competitions were held worldwide, and over 190 finalists qualified to compete in the final round of competition, the World Championship, held in Orlando, Florida, from July 27 – 30, 2025. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Certiport and Microsoft presented awards to the highest-ranking student competitors at the MOS World Championship Award Ceremony with the first-place winners receiving $8,000, and second- and third-place recipients receiving $4,000 and $2,000, respectively. The 2025 MOS World Champions are: Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: Hai Long Do, Vietnam Second place: Kyriaki Pesta, Greece Third place: Samantha Elizabeth Rojas Romero, Ecuador Microsoft PowerPoint® (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: Eleni Karakasidou, Greece Second place: Sio Pui Lei, Macao, China Third place: Santiago Gabriel Higuera Rodríguez, Dominican Republic Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft 365 Apps) First place: In Iat Li, Macao, China Second place: Yiu Man Raymond Mak, Hong Kong, China Third place: Son Tung Luong, Vietnam Microsoft Word (Office 2019) First place: Tony Jin, USA Second place: Ornella Corio, Brazil Third place: Gerardo Antonio Delgado Amaya, El Salvador Microsoft PowerPoint® (Office 2019) First place: Tsan Ying Wong, Macao, China Second place: Paula Cazco Chuquimarca, Ecuador Third place: Lucas Natal, Brazil Microsoft Excel® (Office 2019) First place: Maria Abi Khalil, Lebanon Second place: Xavier Diebold, USA Third place: Amelia Ortiz De Santiago, Puerto Rico In the concluding round, competitors participated in an exam that tested their Microsoft Office knowledge, application skills, and creative talents. For the third consecutive year, finalists were required to complete a free-form challenge project. This year's challenge asked competitors to create a series of documents for Limbitless Solutions a non-profit organization creating 3D printed bionic arms for children and adults. 'Partnering with Certiport at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship has been an incredible opportunity for Limbitless Solutions,' said Matt Dombrowski, Creative Director, Limbitless Solutions. 'This year, student competitors are using Word, PowerPoint®, and Excel® to design real materials that share our story, from impactful presentations and training documents to clear and informative data visuals. It's inspiring to see these tools in the hands of students who care about making a difference. Their creativity and precision help bring our mission to life and expand awareness for children with limb differences around the world.' 'This event marks 23 years since the Microsoft Office Specialist competition began in 2002. We are exceptionally proud of what we have managed to achieve, through our partners around the world, in providing young people with a platform such as this to learn, compete, and gain valuable skills that will help them in their future careers,' said Dr Gary Gates, Managing Director, Pearson VUE. MOS is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally and serves as a powerful instrument for assessing learners' skills and preparing them for real-world application of their knowledge. 'The Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship continues to inspire and challenge the next generation of global talent. These competitors are passionate and dedicated learners who have the skills and competitive drive to succeed in anything they do. At Microsoft, we know this experience will prepare students to demonstrate valuable digital skills in a real-world work environment,' said Christina Thoresen, Director of Worldwide Education Industry Sales Strategy, Microsoft. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Certiport will host the 2026 MOS World Championship at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim, California, from July 26-29, 2026. Learn more about the MOS World Championship here. See what our competitors and other news outlets are saying by searching the event hashtag #MOSWC on social media. About Certiport Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, is the leading provider of certification exam development, delivery and program management services delivered through an expansive network of over 13,000 Certiport Authorized Testing Centers worldwide. Certiport manages a sophisticated portfolio of leading certification programs including: the official Microsoft Office Specialist certification program, the Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification program, the Microsoft Certified Educator program, the Adobe® Certified Professional certification program, the Autodesk Certified User certification program, the Intuit certification program, the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) certification program, the Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate certification program, the App Development with Swift certification program, the Project Management Institute Project Management Ready certification program, the Unity Certified User certification program, the Communication Skills for Business certification program, the IC3 Digital Literacy certification, and the Entrepreneurship and Small Business certification program. Certiport reliably delivers over three million tests each year throughout the secondary, post-secondary, workforce, and corporate technology markets in 148 countries and 29 languages worldwide. For more information visit or follow Certiport on X at 'Certiport' is a registered trademark of NCS Pearson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. About Limbitless Solutions: Limbitless Solutions is a non-profit research facility at the University of Central Florida (UCF) dedicated to increasing accessibility and empowering children and adults in the limb-difference community. Through personalized, creative, and expressive bionics provided without financial burden, Limbitless empowers using innovative technology and interdisciplinary collaboration to address accessibility issues. Limbitless develops and evaluates muscle-based biosensing technology, including multi-gesture bionic arms, a hands-free wheelchair control device, and interacting video game training – all currently in national clinical trials. Limbitless accessibility technology uniquely leverages video game-based training that converts muscle flexing into the video game character's actions, led by UCF faculty members Matt Dombrowski with UCF's School of Visual Arts and Design and Peter Smith with UCF's Nicholson School of Communication and Media. Founded in 2014 and located in UCF's Research Park in Orlando, Florida, Limbitless combines engineering and art to promote access and engagement in STEAM learning experiences for a more accessible future. Undergraduate students from various academic perspectives engage in project-based learning, professional development, and research experiences where students put academics into practice in an environment focused on making a difference and professional and technical development. Visit to learn more. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Press Contact: Greg Forbes, +44 782 431 3448 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Scoop
16-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Kiwi Students Excel On The Global Stage
ACE Training is delighted to showcase the outstanding achievements of three talented students from Avondale College, who have earned their place at the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship, taking place this July in Orlando, Florida. These students demonstrated exceptional digital skills in Microsoft Office applications, achieving top scores in the national competition: Karthik Padma – 980/1000 in Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft 365 Apps) Finn McGregor – 957/1000 in Microsoft PowerPoint® (Microsoft 365 Apps) Dominic Colaco – 940/1000 in Microsoft Word® (Microsoft 365 Apps) The MOS World Championship, presented by Certiport, Inc., brings together students aged 13–22 from around the world to compete in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It's a unique opportunity to demonstrate real-world digital skills, connect with peers globally, and compete for scholarships of up to $8,000 USD. 'These students are a shining example of the digital talent emerging from New Zealand schools,' said Zeph Morgan, CEO at ACE Training. 'They should feel rightly proud of their achievements and the dedication they've shown in mastering these essential tools.' As a partner in education, ACE Training is committed to supporting schools like Avondale College, who are invested in fostering digital confidence and capability among their students. This collaboration reflects a shared belief in the power of technology to unlock opportunities and prepare young people for success in a tech-driven world. 'We are incredibly proud of Karthik, Finn and Dominic for earning their place on the world stage,' said Principal Lyndy Watkinson. 'Their success reflects not only their talent and dedication, but also the strength of the digital learning opportunities we're committed to providing at Avondale College.' This celebration of student success aligns with ACE Training's broader mission: to empower learners of all ages with the skills they need to thrive in today's innovation economy. About ACE ACE is one of New Zealand's most established training companies with over 35 years of specialist training expertise. We've upskilled more than 450,000 Kiwis, delivering personalised services that ensures our clients' training investments are in safe hands. Our mission is to make technology accessible and user-friendly, driven by our 'better every day' philosophy. This keeps us focused on what truly matters to our people and clients. With dedicated training centres in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch, along with our seamless Live Virtual delivery, ACE delivers applications, technical training, and certification to world-class standards.
Hans India
14-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Microsoft Extends Office App Support on Windows 10 Until 2028
Microsoft has officially extended support for Microsoft 365 (Office) apps on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, reversing an earlier decision that would have ended updates by October 2025. Initially, the tech giant announced that Office apps would stop receiving updates on Windows 10 once the operating system reached its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025. However, in a quiet update to its support documentation, Microsoft now says it will continue delivering security updates for Microsoft 365 apps for three more years beyond that deadline. This move is aimed at easing the transition for users and businesses still operating on Windows 10, many of whom are not ready or able to migrate to Windows 11. 'To help maintain security while you transition to Windows 11, Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support,' reads the updated support note. These updates will come through standard channels and continue until October 10, 2028. While the core functionality of Microsoft 365 apps will remain intact during this period, Microsoft still encourages users to switch to Windows 11 to avoid potential performance or compatibility issues over time. Earlier in January, Microsoft had taken a much firmer stance, stating that Microsoft 365 would require Windows 11 going forward. The softened position suggests Microsoft is responding to slower-than-expected adoption rates of Windows 11. At CES 2025, the company declared this year would be 'the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh,' though many users remain on Windows 10. For those who choose not to upgrade, Microsoft will offer Extended Security Updates (ESUs). Individual users can purchase an additional year of updates for $30, while businesses can buy up to three years of extended support, providing added flexibility during the transition period.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Mountain students shine at statewide competition
A Blue Mountain ninth-grader recently became the district's first student to earn top honors in a statewide Microsoft Office academic competition, while three other students from the district earned top 10 finishes. Hundreds of students from dozens of school districts across the state competed in the 2024 Fall Qualifier Microsoft Office Specialist Pennsylvania State Championship. They took tests on specific Microsoft Office programs, with their scores then compared to their competitors to determine who did best. The four Blue Mountain students who earned top 10 finishes in their categories are freshmen instructed by Tom Kanger, lead teacher in the high school business department. They are Logan Bachert, who finished first in the Microsoft 365 Apps category, Nicholas Smith and Evan Bixler, who finished fourth and ninth in that category, respectively, and Krash Long, who finished sixth in the Office 2019 category. Students aged 13 to 22 were eligible to participate in one of six competition tracks by submitting a qualified, passing score on certification exams, meaning the Blue Mountain students are all now certified in those programs. 'We have seen amazing results from the Microsoft Office Specialist program at our school as students learn and validate key workforce skills,' Kanger said. 'We are proud of these students who have proven to be the best in our state. We know they will go on to make us proud.' Competition organizers said that the skills the students earned in preparation for the competition will serve them well in both their academic and career pursuits. Bachert said that his first-place finish makes him more confident that he'll be able to overcome future challenges as well. 'It's really cool knowing that I'm an official Microsoft Word specialist, because it really let me prove to myself that I have the ability to do well with this, and many other things,' he said. Smith admitted to some early nerves while taking the test but said he was able to overcome them. 'I was nervous at the beginning, but it got easier after starting the test and it is good to know I can pass a national certification exam,' he said. Kanger, who has been teaching business at Blue Mountain for 20 years, said that his students put a lot of work into preparing for their tests and to compete against students from across Pennsylvania. Bachert and Smith both finished with perfect scores in their categories, he said, but Bachert earned first for finishing the exam more quickly. 'These are really important certifications, and they all did extraordinary,' he said. 'I'm not sure that they like all of those hours or work, but when they did well on their exams, they got happy. They're good kids. I'm proud of them.'
