If you had told 14-year-old Ashley Masters that one day she would be giving a speech in front of an audience of more than 500 people, she would not have believed it, \u201cI had absolutely no confidence when I walked into high school,\u201d she admits. However, things would change after she earned her first Microsoft Certification as part of a required class. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashley would go on to compete in two Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) U.S. National Championships. She also won first place nationwide for Word and Excel at a Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competition. During her senior year, she received an invitation to become a Student Ambassador for the 2018 MOS World Championship<\/a>, and it was there that she addressed a room full of participants from 52 different countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After she won her first competition with the FBLA, she was offered a full-time job at just 15 years old<\/strong>, \u201cThankfully, my dad and my grandpa drove me to work every day for the month and a half that I didn\u2019t have my driver\u2019s license and I was able to work at that job for almost two and a half years. And so, before I left for college, I got two and a half years of real-world experience and started building my confidence and my network.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, at age 19, Ashley landed her dream job at Microsoft<\/strong>, working full-time while she continued her education at Washington State University. She would later graduate with a master\u2019s degree in business administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In college, a lot of my friends would say \u2018How do you set yourself apart during an interview?\u2019 or even on a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 because some people don\u2019t even get to do the interview. You have to find what sets you apart, and Microsoft Certification is exactly that.<\/p>\nAshley Masters, MBA, Student Ambassador, 2018 MOS World Championship\u00a0<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Ashley is now part of a growing number of students, educators, workers, and employers who have recognized the significant impact of certifications, not just during interviews but throughout a person\u2019s entire career, leading to more recognition, improved job satisfaction, and better performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You, too, can become job-ready and future-proof by unlocking essential skills in data, AI, and other in-demand skill sets. Go to Microsoft Learn<\/a> to start expanding your skill set today and visit Microsoft Credentials<\/a> to get your skills validated.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nEarning verified expertise for in-demand jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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