Y9080 - Excel for work: spreadsheets, charts and data part 1 (level 2)

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Start Date: 28/09/2026      End Date: 16/11/2026        Start Time: 18:00      End Time: 20:15        Hours per Week: 2.25      No of Weeks: 9
Fees:      £35.00 (tuition)     £259.00 (overseas)     £10.00 (concessionary)
Tutor: Jagdeep Chatha        No of Places: 13
Idea Store Whitechapel

Course Overview

Course Overview
If your job involves numbers, budgets, reports or data of any kind, this course will transform how you work.
This evening course focuses entirely on Excel - going much deeper than our general Microsoft Office course. You'll learn to build spreadsheets that actually do useful work for you at your job, from tracking budgets to analysing results and creating charts for reports.
Held at Idea Store Whitechapel on Tuesday evenings - right opposite the Town Hall - this course is designed for people who are already in work and want to build skills that lead to better opportunities.

What will you learn and be able to do?

What will you learn and be able to do?
* Build structured spreadsheets for real workplace tasks so you can manage information at work more efficiently than on paper - such as creating a project budget that tracks spending against targets, a staff attendance log that calculates totals automatically, or a stock inventory for a small business.
* Use formulas and functions to do calculations automatically so the spreadsheet does the maths and you can trust the results - such as working out the total cost of an order, the average score from feedback forms, or the percentage difference between this month's sales and last month's.
* Sort, filter, and organise large amounts of data so you can find what you need without scrolling through hundreds of rows - such as taking a list of 500 customer records and quickly finding everyone in a particular postcode, or sorting invoices by date so the most recent appear first.
* Create clear, professional charts and graphs so other people can understand your data quickly without reading every number - such as turning quarterly figures into a bar chart for your manager's report, or a line graph showing change over time.
* Use Microsoft Copilot or a similar AI assistant to help with a real task so you understand how AI is changing the way people work in offices and can start using it to save time - such as drafting an email, summarising a long document, or suggesting a formula for a spreadsheet problem.
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Entry requirements

Entry requirements
This course is for learners who are already confident using a computer and have some experience with spreadsheets - for example, from our Word, Excel and PowerPoint for work course, or from using Excel at work.
You should be comfortable with entering data, formatting cells, and using simple formulas.
This is an evening course designed for people who are currently employed, self-employed or looking to improve their skills.
Prosp User 8

Equipment required

Equipment required
Please bring to every lesson:
A folder
Pens and pencils
Lined A4 paper
A smartphone (if you have one)
A reusable water bottle
You will also need a personal Gmail account to access Google Classroom. If you don't have one, your tutor will help you set one up.
Prosp User 9

How will you know you are making progress?

How will you know you are making progress?
Your tutor will give you regular feedback on your work. You'll complete a portfolio of advanced tasks demonstrating your skills across all four Office applications.
You need to attend at least 80% of your classes.
Prosp User 12
Prosp User 11

Progress opportunities - your next steps

Progress opportunities - your next steps
Other courses you can do after this course include:
Excel for work: spreadsheets, charts and data (level 2) - go deeper into data analysis
Start or grow your business with digital marketing (level 1–2) - evening course
Write and design the student newsletter - develop communication and design skills
Get ready for work in the NHS and council: admin and digital skills
Please ask your tutor for more information or contact us at: digital.ideastore@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Prosp User 10

Other info

Other info
One of our aims is to help you make progress in work or future studies. We also want to help you participate in your communities and become an active citizen. In our classes, you will develop important skills that employers value and that will help you in everyday life. Here’s what you will learn:
Communication Skills: You will learn to speak and write more clearly and confidently. This includes practising conversations for work, writing emails, and filling out forms.
Decision-Making: You will learn how to make good choices by evaluating different options and thinking critically about situations.
Teamwork: You will learn how to work well with others.
Problem-Solving: You will develop the ability to identify problems and find effective solutions, useful in both work and daily life.
Time Management: You will practice managing your time effectively, including setting goals and meeting deadlines.
By improving these skills, you will increase your chances of finding a job, advancing in your career, and becoming an active member of your community.
Prosp User 13

Extra Support

Extra Support
We can help you if you tell us you have a learning difficulty, disability or other support needs. Please tell us when you enrol or in your first class.
Prosp User 14