Xavier Diebold, a 19-year-old from near Chicago, Illinois, won silver at the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championships last July, held at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in Florida. He represented the US in the Excel track, creating documents for Limbitless Solutions, a non-profit that makes 3D-printed bionic arms. Xavier earned $4,000 and the title of one of the world's best spreadsheet users.
From Google Sheets to Excel champion
'I was familiar with Google Sheets, but Excel was a completely different world, and I was amazed by its capabilities,' Xavier said. 'Over time, I became obsessed with learning every little bit of the application until I felt fluent in it.' He brought his girlfriend to the championship, calling it 'a trip I'll never forget.'
Competition details
The MOS World Championships, now in its 24th year, sees students aged 13 to 22 compete in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe skills. Tasks involve creating projects for a non-profit within 100 minutes. This year's event starts Tuesday at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel and Spa in Anaheim, California, with 190 competitors from 46 countries.
'What really stuck with me was seeing kids from around the world proudly representing their countries,' Xavier said, 'which in turn made me more competitive and prouder to represent mine.'
More than just office boredom
Xavier noted that Excel skills involve finding functions on the fly. 'It matters less whether you already know something and more if you can figure out how to find it on the fly,' he said. Organisers emphasise that proficiency in Microsoft 365 is more than a CV booster. 'These competitors are proving they can apply those skills under pressure and move one step closer to achieving the life they imagine for themselves,' said Ty Kentoworth, business development lead at Pearson.
Other winners
Eleni Karakasidou, 19, from Thessaloniki, Greece, won gold in PowerPoint. She first tried the software in primary school, making presentations about her family tree. 'I was absolutely fascinated by how you could bring seemingly cold, static words and images to life,' she said. Hallie Mitchell, 22, a graphic designer from Bristol, won silver in the Adobe round. She taught herself Photoshop at college and created posters for Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). 'I think having an eye for the little details is so valuable,' she added.
Advice for aspiring champions
Xavier, who first loaded Excel while working towards a certificate at school, now receives messages asking for advice. 'Don't spend the whole trip stressed out about the competition; just qualifying is a huge achievement, and opportunities like this don't come around often, so enjoy it,' he said. 'And of course, make sure to review your pivot tables!'
