Whether you work in the public or private sector, your Excel, Word or PowerPoint skills can be showcased on your CV and in your professional networks. All you need to do is pass an international certification such as Tosa® or ICDL. Office automation trainer François Olivier explains everything.
Can you tell us what Tosa is?
Tosa® (Test on software applications) is an international certification for IT skills.
More specifically, it is an assessment standard for office automation (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, VBA, etc. and LibreOffice), DTP, CAD/CAM (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, AutoCAD), digital (WordPress, Microsoft 365, DigComp, etc.) and programming (Python and PHP).
Used by 7,000 companies, schools and organisations in 58 countries, Tosa® certifications are officially recognised by the French government and listed in the Répertoire spécifique de France Compétences.
What's more, Tosa® offers assessment tests to determine your level before you enter a training cycle, so you can see how much progress you've made and how effective the training has been.
These exams can be taken online or at one of the Tosa® approved centres, such as ORSYS Paris La Défense at the Grande Arche.
What are the differences between Tosa and ICDL?
Formerly known as PCIE (European Computer Skills Passport), ICDL certification is also an office automation, design and digital certification like Tosa®.
There are 16 modules in all:
- 6 in office automation (spreadsheet, word processing, presentation, database, collaborative tools, project management, etc.) on leading software such as Excel, Word, Google Sheets, PowerPoint, LibreOffice Calc, etc.
- 4 in design (image editing, 2D CAD, 3D CAD, DTP) on Photoshop, AutoCAD, Revit 2021, InDesign...
- 6 in digital and web (website publishing, database, cybersecurity, digital marketing, coding, knowledge of the web...) on Access, WordPress...
The ICDL is in MCQ format only, with 36 questions divided into 3 levels of difficulty, and you have 35 minutes to complete it. You need to answer 27 questions correctly in order to obtain a score of 75 % correct answers and pass the certification. If you don't get this score, you can retake your module twice, but if you fail the third time, you have to retake the module again.
The Tosa® certification exam lasts between 30 and 60 minutes for 15 to 35 questions, depending on the module. There is no notion of pass or fail, as the score obtained indicates your level out of 1000. What's more, it's an adaptive test: after the first five questions, the following ones are adapted as closely as possible to your level. The questions take a variety of forms: MCQs and case studies.
Who is Tosa designed for? What are the benefits?
Tosa® certification is aimed at all types of person. Private or public sector employees, jobseekers who want to be able to prove their level of software use...
This test assesses concrete knowledge of software functions, based on real-life use cases. That's why it's so popular with employers.
What's more, with the reform of the training system, companies that want training that is eligible for the CPF can combine taking the exam with a training course, and thus contribute to the professional development of their employees.
What advice do you have for taking the Tosa and ICDL tests?
The teaching approach is based on practical cases, practical cases, practical cases (2/3 practice, 1/3 theory) because Tosa® certification is based on how people use it in their working lives.
In fact, very simple things that we don't do automatically:
- You have to manage your time efficiently to respond, taking your time without forgetting the limit imposed. Remember that you can't skip a question and come back to it later!
- Reread the questions twice.
- All questions must be answered.
- And secondly, remember that the questions are adapted to your level, so you'll probably find them difficult, and that's normal: very few users have a comprehensive understanding of the software.
With the right preparation, you'll improve your skills in a range of software applications, which will make your day-to-day work easier. What's more, you'll be able to validate these skills and add them to your CV, thereby boosting your employability.
All our certifications :
*François OLIVIER
An office automation trainer, he is Microsoft Word and Excel certified, and the company he runs is authorised to administer the Tosa® and ICDL tests.
