Incredible learning experience: Trophies, prizes, and a day at Disneyland are awaiting students at the 2022 Microsoft Office Specialist and Adobe Certified Professional World Championships.
From July 24–27, students from around the world will come together in Anaheim, California, to put their skills in Microsoft Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®; Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to the test.
In most countries and regions, students participate in a National Championship, and the winners move on to the World Championship. We spoke to the US National Championship winners and the Certiport team about their experiences and what happens next.
“I’m feeling pretty excited,” said Benjamin Rands, 16, from Twin Falls, Idaho, who won first place in PowerPoint 2016 at the US National Championship last month. “I’m also a little bit nervous, especially since there’s a wider range of people. They’ll be coming from all over the world, not just the United States.”
“Making it this far is a big deal,” said Craig Bushman, Certiport’s Vice President of Marketing. “Close to half a million students around the world qualify for this event, and only up to 120 students in total make it to the World Championships.”
A real-life learning experience
Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, welcomes students aged 13 to 22 to compete during the World Championships as an extension of their Microsoft Office Specialist and Adobe Certified Professional certification programs.
“My school has a required class that goes over the basics of Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel,” said Benjamin. “My teacher said: ‘There’s certification programs you can do, they look good on your résumé.’ Then when those results came back, she said, ‘Woah, you did pretty good at PowerPoint. You should keep trying at this.’”
The competition is in two parts—first, students will take a 50-minute exam and then receive a project similar to what they would encounter in the world of work. The goal of this experience is to showcase their skills, creating an engaging and vibrant experience for students designed for real-life impact.
Overcoming championship nerves
Competitors such as 18-year-old Tristan Pesqueira from Long Island, New York, who is this year’s PowerPoint 2019 US National Champion, are keeping a cool head. “There’s no need to stress. It’s about knowing how to follow instructions, and if you know most of the program, you’ll be all right.”
The Adobe US National Champion Avery Blanchard, 18, a graduating senior from New Jersey, says that confidence in your own work counts for a lot, “I’m excited to see what other countries have to offer in terms of their designs.”
An ambitious graphic design for a video game won Avery the US National Championship title. Being professionally qualified in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, Avery and the other Adobe competitors created their designs in six hours to a brief from non-profit Limbitless Solutions, which makes 3D-printed prosthetic limbs for children.
The non-profit featured for the project portion of the Adobe competition in Anaheim is a closely guarded secret. “Only three people know,” said Craig. “If it gets out, some students will research them and come prepared, giving them an advantage. So, they don’t know until the morning of the competition.”
Live-streamed awards ceremony
Those crowned the Microsoft Office Specialist and Adobe Certified Professional World Champions will receive a trophy and a grand prize check for $7,000 during a thrilling awards ceremony on July 27.
“It’s almost like watching an Olympics ceremony,” Craig said, “because you know all the work that went into getting them to that point.”
“It’s amazing to see the boost of confidence they get as they walk across the stage knowing that their hard work has paid off, and they’re being recognized for it,” said Dominique Delbar, Competitions Manager and Field Marketing Manager for Certiport, who is organizing this year’s event. “The students feel empowered, knowing that they can do incredible things. And it’s amazing to see their teachers tear up. They are so, so proud of their students.”
Craig feels great pride in seeing all the students from across the globe—some of whom are shy or super nervous—blossoming at the event, “You’ll see them return to their countries as conquering heroes. News teams will be at the airports; their friends and teachers and colleagues will be there to cheer them.”
Above all, it’s a lot of fun—both for Certiport and, of course, for the students. “We give a heads-up to the video crew at the awards so they can position themselves discreetly to capture the moment the winning student’s name is read out,” said Craig. “Everyone starts screaming! To see their student win, they go nuts!”
Watch the World Championship awards ceremonies live on July 27
- Adobe Certified Professional World Championship – 9:00 a.m. ET
- Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship – 1:30 p.m. ET
Hannah Crepeau is the Content Marketing Manager at Certiport, a Pearson VUE business.
