A letter to Thang Long school’s IT class

Nhung was a long-term beneficiary of saigonchildren’s scholarship programme. She graduated from university in 2019, and was an incredibly hard-working student at school. Now, her drive continues to pushes her to seek opportunities for personal development, in order to create future opportunities for herself within her career. After learning about the free Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) class at our Thang Long school (Getting Ready for Work Programme), Nhung applied, and on successful completion became the highest scoring student with 750 points for MOS Excel, 871 points for MOS Word, and 979/1000 points for MOS PowerPoint.

Dear teachers and sponsors of Thang Long school,

Firstly I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and send my best wishes to you.

My name is Hàng Ngọc Phượng Nhung, and I was the fortunate receiver of saigonchildren’s scholarship through my school career. When I first heard about Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) course, and the full support that could be offered to me, I was inspired by the opportunity. Fully aware of how beneficial the course would be not only for my academics but also for future job prospects, I immediately applied at Thang Long school. I still remember how nervous I was at the office, but the lady who supervised me with my application was incredibly helpful, she asked me about my situation and gave me words of encouragement. It was a warming first impression.

Living in Thu Duc district, which is far from Thang Long school, coupled with my own health issues, meant accessing Thang Long for my classes was a challenge. However, on realising this, the staff supported me in creating a schedule that allowed me to thrive. That was my only difficulty, and it was overcome thanks to Thang Long’s impeccable support system. The course was straightforward and effective. The teacher was patient, and answered all of my questions, even giving me some IT tips for everyday use. At this point, I was already integrating what I learnt into my academic work and making good impressions on the teachers at my university.

However, midway into the course, I had an internship and the staff were kind enough to let me take a brief hiatus while I completed my internship. At the moment I can say that 50% of the goals I set for my experience of this course have been fulfilled, as I can apply the knowledge in my work. And the remaining 50% is the advantage this international certificate will bring when I apply for a job. I think this support, offered by saigonchildren is highly practical, as an IT certificate is always valued within the office environment. For a student like me, coming from a disadvantaged background, this will help me to close an inequality gap, gaining a competitive advantage in order to secure a better future for myself. Additionally, as university students, having a certification in Microsoft Office IT is a requirement for us to graduate. For people like me, obtaining all the three MOS certificates is not very financially viable, therefore many students bypass this issue this by undertaking a less valuable course from a traditional IT centre. With this in mind, I am blessed and incredibly grateful to have been offered this course, and supported with 100% of the examination fee.

After my internship, I completed the course and passed the three exams: 750/1000 points for MOS Excel, 871 for MOS Word, và 979 for MOS PowerPoint. I’m so thankful that all the effort from everyone who has contributed to my education has been worth it.

These days, Saigon reminds me of when I was still taking the course, as even on a rainy day, my teacher was already there waiting for me. That perseverance and reliability was a big motivator for me to study hard, in order to thank my teacher with my good results. Now with these certificates, I’m ready to conquer my future, eagerly awaiting what it has in store for me.