6 Great Learning Academy Pro+ Courses With Microsoft To Build Job-Ready Skills
Academy Pro+ is focused on building practical skills aligned with real workplace tools.
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Hiring trends across industries show a clear shift toward practical, hands-on skills. Employers increasingly assess whether candidates understand how tools operate inside real workflows rather than whether they recognize tool names. This has shaped how many learning platforms design longer, structured programs instead of short, isolated tutorials.
Great Learning, a leading online learning platform, introduced Academy Pro+, a structured online learning offering designed to help professionals build in-demand skills and prepare for career opportunities. The platform combines structured courses, guided projects, and AI-powered career tools to support practical skill development and job readiness.
Academy Pro+ is designed as a structured learning pathway focused on building practical skills aligned with real workplace tools. The structure emphasizes guided progression, practical exercises, and alignment with Microsoft technologies commonly used in enterprise environments. Learners who complete these programs receive a co-branded certificate from Microsoft and Great Learning that reflects verified skill attainment rather than attendance alone.
Below are 6 relevant skills developed through Academy Pro+ courses, explained in terms of how they are used at work and why learners often choose these programs.
Advanced Excel for business analysis & automation
Excel continues to play a central role in business analysis, especially in finance, operations, and reporting teams. Modern Excel work extends beyond formulas into data ingestion, transformation, structured analysis, and automation. Features such as Power Query, pivot tables, and dashboards form the core of many operational workflows.
The 10-hour Excel Training program moves through these layers in sequence. It starts with foundational concepts and progresses into advanced analysis, reporting structures, and automation-related features. The curriculum reflects how Excel is typically used to move from raw data exports to decision-ready summaries.
Why learners choose this program
The course structure mirrors real Excel usage rather than isolated feature demonstrations. Learners build skills gradually, which reduces gaps between basic familiarity and practical competence. The Microsoft and Great Learning certificate supports roles where Excel proficiency remains a baseline expectation.
SQL & Excel combined for end-to-end data analysis
In many analytics roles, SQL and Excel operate together. SQL retrieves structured data from databases, while Excel supports analysis, validation, and presentation. Understanding this workflow improves speed and accuracy.
The 8-hour Master Data Analytics in SQL and Excel program focuses on this combined approach. Learners practice writing SQL queries for data extraction, then analyze the results in Excel. The emphasis stays on logical flow, joins, aggregations, and translating database output into usable analysis.
Why learners choose this program
Rather than treating SQL and Excel as separate skills, the program reflects how analysts work across tools. This approach supports reporting and analytics roles where both tools appear together in daily tasks. The co-branded certificate provides external validation for this blended skill set.
Excel-driven analytics for reporting & insight generation
Some roles rely primarily on Excel for analytics, especially in teams without a dedicated BI infrastructure. These roles require deeper analytical reasoning within Excel rather than surface-level spreadsheet usage.
The 5-hour Master Data Analytics in Excel program focuses on analytical techniques using Excel as the primary platform. It covers data cleaning, advanced formulas, pivot analysis, dashboards, and business-focused scenarios. The emphasis remains on interpreting data and presenting insights clearly.
Why learners choose this program
The program suits those who want to strengthen analytical thinking without moving immediately into programming-heavy roles. It focuses on how Excel supports decision-making, not just calculation. The certificate aligns well with Excel-centric analyst and business roles.
Data visualization and reporting with Power BI
Power BI has become a common enterprise reporting tool, particularly in organizations using Microsoft ecosystems. Effective Power BI work involves more than building charts. It includes data modeling, report structure, interactivity, and controlled sharing.
The 7.5-hour Data Visualization with Power BI program introduces these concepts through hands-on dashboard building. Learners work with data connections, visual selection, layout decisions, and interactive elements that support business questions.
Why learners choose this program
The program emphasizes reporting clarity and usability rather than tool navigation alone. Learners develop an understanding of how dashboards support decision-making in operational and management contexts. The Microsoft and Great Learning certificate aligns with organizations where Power BI forms part of the standard reporting infrastructure.
Cloud fundamentals with Microsoft Azure
Cloud platforms now underpin data storage, analytics, and application delivery. Even non-engineering roles benefit from understanding how cloud services function and interact.
The 9.5-hour Azure Cloud Essentials program introduces foundational cloud concepts using Microsoft Azure. Topics include compute, storage, networking, security basics, and cloud architecture. The course focuses on understanding system behavior rather than configuration depth.
Why learners choose this program
The program provides cloud literacy without requiring a prior technical background. It supports analytics, operations, and support roles that interact with cloud-based systems. The co-branded certificate reflects familiarity with Azure concepts commonly referenced in enterprise environments.
Azure managed services & operational awareness
As organizations adopt cloud platforms, managed services handle monitoring, scaling, and reliability. Understanding these operations helps professionals work effectively within cloud-based environments.
The 6-hour Azure Managed Services and Operations program focuses on operational concepts such as monitoring, incident response, performance management, and system reliability. Learners gain visibility into how production systems remain stable and secure.
Why learners choose this program
Operational awareness adds context to technical and analytical work. This program supports roles that intersect analytics, IT operations, and platform support. The Microsoft and Great Learning certificate indicates exposure to real operational considerations rather than theoretical cloud concepts.
How Academy Pro+ fits into career development
Academy Pro+ aims to balance structure with practicality. They extend beyond short-form tutorials by offering guided progression, hands-on exercises, and alignment with tools widely used in enterprise settings. The collaboration with Microsoft ensures platform relevance, while Great Learning’s instructional design emphasizes clarity and applied understanding.
Moreover, their Academy Pro+ subscription provides access to 500+ courses across domains such as Generative AI, Data Science, Cloud Computing, and analytics tools, allowing learners to build diverse technology skills..
Career preparation tools further strengthen the learning experience. The AI-powered resume builder helps create ATS-optimized resumes, while AI-assisted mock interviews allow learners to practice real interview scenarios and receive feedback. Learners can also access AI mentor guidance to support their learning journey.
After course completion, learners receive a co-branded certificate from Microsoft and Great Learning, validating applied, job-relevant expertise.
For learners, these programs often serve as a step between introductory learning and role-specific application, supporting smoother transitions into analytics, reporting, and cloud-adjacent roles.
Taken together, these six skills reflect how modern teams work across data analysis, visualization, and cloud platforms. They also highlight why structured, tool-aligned learning paths remain relevant for developing practical job-readiness.