IT channel is under pressure to implement modern technologies as effectively as possible.
A critical part of this is the continuous upskilling and reskilling of the workforce through innovative training platforms, says Jaco Malan, service delivery director at Westcon-Comstor Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Of course, the channel and training are familiar bedfellows. Vendor partners have always had to know the solutions they are selling inside and out while working closely with distributors to keep in touch with the latest trends,” he adds.
Certification reflects the extent to which a partner meets the required level of competency to sell and implement a particular solution. “The difference now is the speed at which change is happening, due to the normalisation of a distributed workforce,” he says.
There has been a concerted effort, for some time, to move channel training into a digitally-led environment. Going online negates the need to physically go to training centres, eliminating travel expenses, particularly for partners based in outlying areas.
According to Malan, the past 16 months have given channel partners the catalyst needed to embrace digital training platforms wholly. While some businesses have adopted hybrid work environments where employees rotate in and out of traditional offices, many will still need to work remotely for some time, and organisations must adopt solutions that equip their employees with tools and training to work from home.
Like so many other industries, training is receiving the overhaul needed to be more agile for connected landscapes, says Malan.
Another advantage of digitising available training courses is being able to scale these to meet the specific needs of a partner or customer. Whether it is an SME looking to certify one or two people, or a large multinational maintaining the expertise of thousands of specialists, online training caters for most requirements.
Digital environments provide virtual laboratories that can simulate real-life scenarios, safely. “This means any use case or problem area can be thoroughly tested, giving the employee the level of confidence needed before rolling anything out into a client environment.
“For the channel, training is no longer just a partner certification must, but a necessary part of the customer delivery cycle,” says Malan.
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