Register for EPCON
Student registration · Find your edge
Enter Zimbabwe’s National Student Technology Skills Championship — certify a globally recognized skill, build a real project, and pitch it. Choose the track (or tracks) you want to compete in.
We’ll confirm your entry and send next steps and payment details by email.
Zimbabwe's National Student Technology Skills Championship. Certify. Build. Pitch.
Enter the Intuit QuickBooks track at EPCON. Earn the QuickBooks Online Certified User credential, set up and run the books for a real small business, and compete for a place among the four QuickBooks finalists who pitch live to industry judges at the national finals on 3–4 December 2027.
Register for EPCONUS$100 · or 3 installments of $45 + $35 + $30
Set Up And Run The Books for A Real Small Business
Not a mock exercise. A real business, real transactions, real reports, judged by a national panel.
Every Business Needs Someone Who Can Read The Numbers
See what the EPCON QuickBooks season looks like, from your first practice test to the finals stage.
Three Things Employers And Universities Actually Look For
A degree gets you ready. A certification gets you called. EPCON leaves you with proof of skill that does both.
A Global Credential
QuickBooks Online Certified User, issued by Intuit through Certiport and recognized by employers worldwide.
A Real Set of Books
You don't just learn about ledgers. You reconcile real bank activity for a real business inside the software employers use.
Employer Exposure
Every capstone is judged by a national panel. The strongest four pitch live to industry judges at the national finals.
Your 2027 EPCON Season
One season, three stages, and a national stage at the end of it.
Certify
Prepare with LearnKey and GMetrix, then pass your QuickBooks Online Certified User exam by 17 September 2027, at school or a nearby Certiport Authorized Testing Center. Write it whenever you’re ready; retakes run until 1 October. Your first-attempt score sets your provincial and national ranking.
Build
Set up and run the books for a real small business, then submit your capstone online by 5 November 2027. A national panel judges every capstone.
Pitch
The four strongest QuickBooks capstones present their business’s numbers live at the national finals for Best Capstone.
Stand Out
Leave as a certified graduate with a live portfolio piece to show employers.
Decided by Your Exam Result
Only your first attempt counts. Highest score ranks first; on a tie, the shorter exam time ranks higher, following Certiport World Championship rules.
Decided by A National Panel
Every capstone is judged nationally online. Your exam score plays no part.
Real Business. Real Books. Real Proof of Skill.
Partner with a real small business, from a tuck shop to a family enterprise or a startup, and run its books in QuickBooks Online through the build window.
Set Up The Company
Create the company file, chart of accounts, products, services, customers and suppliers.
Record The Activity
Capture sales, invoices, expenses and bills as the business trades.
Reconcile
Match the books to the bank and keep every account clean and accurate.
Report
Produce the profit and loss, balance sheet and cash position.
Advise
Turn the numbers into practical recommendations for the business owner.
Submit
Submit it online by 5 November 2027. If it’s shortlisted, you present the business’s story in numbers to industry judges in December.
Individual capstone. Need a business to work with? Companies can post briefs through EPCON, and our team will help match you.
Everything You Need to Certify And Compete
$45 + $35 + $30
This Is What You'll Walk Away With
Every certified graduate earns an official Intuit QuickBooks Online Certified User certificate, recognized by employers and recruiters worldwide.
Sample shown for illustration. Your certificate carries your name and certification details.
Press Play. Join The SkillHackers.
QuickBooks Is Step One on Your Intuit Certification Pathway
After EPCON, stack more Intuit credentials to stand out even further.
Certified Bookkeeping Professional
Accounting basics, reconciliations and financial statements.
Design for Delight Innovator
Customer empathy, rapid experimentation and creative problem-solving.
Personal Finance
Budgeting, credit, saving and investing.
Going through A Tough Season? Apply for Sponsorship.
EPCON sponsorship is for students who are financially disadvantaged or going through a rough patch. When you apply, describe your financial situation honestly so sponsors can understand your need.
Applications go to external sponsoring organizations, who make the final decision. Submitting an application does not guarantee sponsorship.
A Transparent Process
Two Divisions, One National Stage
Junior Division · Ages 13–22
Secondary and early tertiary students competing for national rankings, Best Capstone and People’s Choice.
Open Division · Up to Age 25
University students and recent graduates competing for national rankings, Best Capstone and People’s Choice.
Open to students in all 10 provinces. No provincial rounds and no travel: you write at school, or at a nearby testing center we arrange where a school has no computer lab. Rankings are published online and all awards are presented at one national ceremony on 3–4 December 2027 at St John’s College, Harare. Parent or guardian details are required for entrants under 18.
Coach This Track? Get Certified Free.
When at least 5 learners from your school or club register and pay for the Intuit QuickBooks track, the teacher who coaches them gets a complimentary bundle: LearnKey materials, a practice test, the certification exam and a retake. One bundle for every 5 paid learners, up to 3 per track per school, for registrations by 31 March 2027. Schools and clubs entering 10 or more learners on one invoice pay US$90 per entry.
Take It with You
The Choose Your Track guide helps families and schools decide; the information pack covers the whole season. Share them with your parents, your school or your company.
Before You Register
What is EPCON?
EPCON is Zimbabwe's national student technology skills championship. Every competitor certifies and builds a capstone. The strongest capstones in each track pitch live at the national finals on 3–4 December 2027 at St John’s College, Harare.
Which certification does this track include?
Intuit QuickBooks Online Certified User. The exam runs about 50 minutes with around 40 questions.
Do I need to be certified before the finals?
Yes. EPCON is certification-first: you must pass your QuickBooks exam by 17 September 2027 (retakes until 1 October) to compete.
How are rankings decided?
All rankings come from your certification result and follow Certiport World Championship rules: the highest score ranks first, and on a tie the shorter exam time ranks higher. The top 10 in each province are published online, the provincial #1 wins a prize, and the national top 3 win prizes at the national ceremony.
Who pitches at the finals?
Every capstone is judged nationally online. The four strongest QuickBooks capstones are shortlisted to pitch live at the national finals on 3–4 December 2027, and one Best Capstone winner is chosen. Your exam score plays no part in capstone judging.
What is the People’s Choice award?
The four QuickBooks finalists go up for an online community vote on EPCON, EPCON SkillHack and EdgeCircle. One vote per track per verified account. The winner is revealed at the awards ceremony.
Do I need to find my own small business?
You can bring your own, such as a family business or a local shop. If you can't find one, companies post briefs through EPCON and our team will help match you.
Do I need accounting experience?
No. LearnKey and GMetrix prepare you from the basics, and capstone support guides you through the build.
Can I get help paying for registration?
Yes, if you're financially disadvantaged or going through a rough patch. Register for this track, then apply for sponsorship from your EdgeCircle profile and describe your financial situation. Sponsoring institutions choose directly from the applicant pool and we don't influence their decisions, so sponsorship isn't guaranteed. We recommend paying the $45 installment deposit so you can start preparing early. If you're selected, we refund you.
Can my school or club register a group?
Yes. School and club entries are invoiced, and schools and clubs entering 10 or more learners on one invoice pay US$90 per entry. When at least 5 learners from a school or club register and pay for a track, the teacher who coaches them gets a complimentary bundle for that track: LearnKey materials, a practice test, the certification exam and a retake. One bundle for every 5 paid learners, up to 3 per track per school, for registrations by 31 March 2027. Request a school invoice on WhatsApp and our team will set up your learners.
Is there a discount for entering more than one track?
Yes, for one student entering different tracks: 10% off two tracks and 15% off three or more, when you pay for them in full together. Installments are paid per track and aren’t discounted. The group rate and the multi-track discount don’t combine; each learner gets whichever is better.
What if I don’t pass my exam the first time?
Rankings use your first attempt only, so prepare well before you sit. If you don’t pass, you can retake for US$25. You can retake any time before 1 October 2027, even before the 17 September exam deadline. Pass the retake and you are certified, so you can still build, submit your capstone and pitch if you are shortlisted. Registered students can pay for a retake online.
Can our school club enter as a team?
Yes. Many clubs make their capstone the club’s project for the year. Every team member registers and certifies in the track by 1 October 2027, when teams are locked, and teams follow the track’s format. A club can enter several teams in different tracks. Rankings stay individual, and the strongest club in the country wins Club of the Year at the national finals.
Who works with learners, and how are they kept safe?
Teachers, club patrons, mentors and judges. Partner mentors and judges work with learners only through their school or club, with a teacher or patron present or copied in, and never ask learners for personal contact details. Learners keep ownership of their capstone work unless their school agrees otherwise. Parent or guardian details are required for entrants under 18. Learners under 18 should approach companies through their school or club, with a teacher or patron copied in.
Is there somewhere to study if I don’t have internet or power at home?
Yes. Registered students can use an EPCON study lab for US$15 a month, whenever no classes are running. Use one of our computers, or bring your own laptop and use our internet. It’s there for students without internet at home or affected by power cuts. Book a slot on WhatsApp first and we’ll confirm your nearest lab: +263 781 004 006. Registered students can pay for lab access online.
Where do I write the exam?
At your school. Where a school has no computer lab, we are arranging Certiport Authorized Testing Centers (CATCs) nearby, and students not in school write at the nearest CATC. There are no provincial rounds and no travel.
Your EPCON Season Starts Here
Certify. Build. Pitch. Run the books for a real business and leave as a certified graduate.
US$100 · installments available · multi-track discounts · schools are invoiced