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Excel flair comes naturally for Microsoft top gun Jorja

Numbers come naturally to Australian Catholic University student Jorja Hammond who has soared to the finals of the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship.

The self-confessed “maths nerd” has a chance to win the $12,000 first prize for her Excel flair but the numbers that count are the career possibilities likely to arise from her progress through the global competition.

“It’ll look great on my resume,” said Jorja who will compete in the championship from July 27-30 in Orlando, Florida.

Each year the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship tests tens of thousands of students in a global competition to determine the most skilled practitioners in Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

To participate, students must be between the ages of 13 and 22, enrolled in an accredited academic institution, receive a passing score on a Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam, and submit their score to the World Championship. 

Only the top guns in each region or country qualify to contest the world championship.

Jorja did not even know the championship existed. It was merely an attempt at the certification exam as part of first-year study in pursuit of a Bachelor of Business (Administration)/Bachelor of Commerce degree at ACU’s Melbourne campus.

Needing 700 to pass, Jorja crushed the exam to score a perfect 1000 in the quickest time.

“I love numbers. I’ve always been a maths nerd so it’s come quite naturally,” they said.

“Mum’s a bit of an excel wiz so she taught me a few tricks as well.”

The Excel certification exam challenges students across categories such as formatting, formulas, displaying data, transferring data and transitioning data.

Part of the Federal Government’s  Job Ready Graduates package, the project is funded through the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF), and delivered through ACU's free industry certification scheme.

Past winners have emerged from the Czech Republic, Thailand, China, Romania, Vietnam and the US.

“The students that come here for this event, they have spent many hours, months, even years preparing for this event. But more importantly they’re investing in their digital future,” Microsoft general manager worldwide education industry Kate Maxwell said.

Media Contact: Damien Stannard, 0484 387349, Damien.Stannard@acu.edu.au