Forum Discussion
Challenges with the availability of Applied Skills Assessments for TSPs
Hi team.
I’d like to raise a critical issue impacting TSPs concerning the Applied Skills Assessments.
According to the latest Courseware Title Plan (tab 'Applied Skills Assessments'), 17 out of 31 non-retired Applied Skills Assessments are currently offline—more than 50%. For ILT providers, this presents a significant challenge, as these assessments are a vital component for students who opt for paid instructor-led training over the free Microsoft Learn-based alternatives.
The unavailability of these assessments undermines the value of our ILT offerings. Students enrolling in these courses expect access to assessments to validate their knowledge. Without this, their incentive to choose a paid option diminishes, forcing us to reconsider offering these courses altogether.
Key questions we need clarity on:
- Why have these assessments been taken offline?
- Why hasn’t this been proactively communicated to TSPs?
- Is there a timeline for their return?
This lack of visibility and communication complicates planning and makes it harder for us to deliver a consistent, valuable experience to students. Clear updates and transparency on this issue would greatly help TSPs align with Microsoft’s strategy while ensuring student satisfaction.
I’d appreciate hearing from others facing similar challenges and any insights from the team regarding next steps.
Kind regards,
Marnix Wolf
Hi Marnix. I share your frustration and have shared this feedback broadly to aid in our process improvement.
The good news is that in the last several weeks we have made improvements to the number of online assessments, yet not all of them are currently available. There are differing reasons for this, but the main theme is ensuring the security of the platform.
Additionally, I want to ensure you see the Applied Skills update that Mindy posted yesterday. This was the incoming update she was referencing on the December Community Call. I bring it up as these changes arose from a shift in the way that we're bringing Applied Skills (and assessments) to market. Much of that work will happen in Microsoft's Q3 and I expect better dependability as we exit that development period.
I know that may not help you today, but I wanted you to be aware that we recognize the issue and are making changes to address. Thanks for highlighting it on the forum.
Dan
- DanDonohue
Microsoft
Hi Marnix. I share your frustration and have shared this feedback broadly to aid in our process improvement.
The good news is that in the last several weeks we have made improvements to the number of online assessments, yet not all of them are currently available. There are differing reasons for this, but the main theme is ensuring the security of the platform.
Additionally, I want to ensure you see the Applied Skills update that Mindy posted yesterday. This was the incoming update she was referencing on the December Community Call. I bring it up as these changes arose from a shift in the way that we're bringing Applied Skills (and assessments) to market. Much of that work will happen in Microsoft's Q3 and I expect better dependability as we exit that development period.
I know that may not help you today, but I wanted you to be aware that we recognize the issue and are making changes to address. Thanks for highlighting it on the forum.
Dan
- JillArmourMicrosoft
Community Manager
DanDonohue can you help? Thank you.
