While young people are generally better educated today than ever before, recent graduates tend to lack practical skills -- especially digital skills. Certification programs offer one effective way to address this digital skills gap. They give learners a way to gain the skills they need to compete, and also to demonstrate credibly that they possess those skills. This allows employers and educators to confidently assess a candidate's ability, and therefore their suitability as an employee or student. Microsoft Office Specialist is a certification program provided by Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, and officially sponsored by Microsoft. It appraises students' and professionals' understanding of the Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. It is offered all over the world, through a global network of more than 15,000 Certiport Authorized Test Centers. The program aims to guarantee employers and educators that anyone who holds a Microsoft Office Specialist certification has successfully demonstrated the ability to command the full features and functionality of the relevant Microsoft Office application, and is prepared for future academic or workforce opportunities. This report summarizes evidence that supports the validity, reliability, and fairness of the program in assessing these qualities. In addition, the way an assessment is implemented has as much influence on its efficacy as its design, so the report also includes first-hand testimonials from people and organizations who are using Microsoft Office Specialist in real life settings.