Author: Eduardo Kassner
One of the biggest challenges many partners face is finding and retaining employees who have the critical technical skills needed to create and deliver the IP solutions and services customers demand.
According to Global Knowledge, 68% of IT companies say they are encountering a lack of skilled individuals. They struggle with providing the training programs their employees require.
77% of partners lack a formal training department and rely on other sources, including Microsoft, to deliver the readiness content their employees need.
Traditionally, Microsoft has provided product training from multiple sources and offered broad product certifications that required individuals to study for skills that aren’t directly relevant to their job.
That, however, begins to change today. This morning at Ignite, Microsoft announced a new approach to training and certifying customers and partners – Microsoft Learn.
START LEARNING. STAY LEARNING.
Microsoft Learn is the place for your team to start building the skills they need to create and deliver Microsoft solutions and prepare for certifications. And because learning is individual, Microsoft Learn allows you to choose how you want to learn – through bite-sized tutorials, longer, structured learning paths or in-person courses delivered by a certified Microsoft Learning partner. Regardless of which modality you choose, all options provide the readiness you need to prepare for the new role-based certifications.
Microsoft Learn helps employees learn Microsoft technologies and practical job skills most relevant to their role within your organization, using innovative and proven training methods, including:
- Step-by-step, bite-sized tutorials by product, skill level, and job role
- Hands-on learning with interactive browser-based scripting environments
- Role-based learning paths aligned to certifications
- Free trial accounts to easily test-drive products and services
- Task-based achievements that reward practical skills
- Immediate assessment via knowledge quizzes
TRAINING THE WAY PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN
In addition to bite-sized tutorials, Microsoft Learn connects individuals to other training options:
- Pluralsight learning paths: Pluralsight Role IQ measures proficiency in the collection of technology skills required to succeed in a specific Azure role. Each Skill IQ identifies an individual’s skills gaps and recommends courses to prepare for an Azure role-based Pluralsight offers self-paced, guided courses that provide a clear path toward those role-based certifications, all for free.
- Massive Open Online Courses: MOOCs also are available for those who prefer deeper, highly structured training courses.
- Learn from the experts: Microsoft Learning Partners offer in-person and online-blended learning to suit your style.
Microsoft Learn is designed to evolve over time, adding new skills and tutorials to ensure your workforce has the skills they need for their future. You can learn more about the features and the longer range roadmap of Microsoft Learn in this blog from Jeff Sandquist
CERTIFICATION BASED ON ROLE
Today, Microsoft launched new Microsoft Azure Apps and Infrastructure certifications:
- Azure Administrator: For those who manage the cloud services that span storage, security, networking, and compute cloud capabilities, with a deep understanding of each service across the full IT lifecycle
- Azure Developer: For those who design and build cloud solutions including applications and services and participate in all phases of development
- Azure Solutions Architect: For those who advise stakeholders and translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions and have advanced experience and knowledge across various aspects of IT operations
Additional roles and certifications will launch over time. You can learn more about the new approach to training and certification in Alex Payne’s blog. In coming weeks, we will provide specific details on how these new certifications will impact competencies.
EMPOWER YOUR TEAM. EMPOWER YOUR BUSINESS
A lack of continuous training opportunities impacts a company’s ability to retain employees, cutting their tenure to less than 4 years, according to MDC Research conducted on behalf of Microsoft. Microsoft Learn is a valuable asset that you can use to efficiently train and certify your employees. With the right approach to learning, and the right partner, you can train your employees with valuable skills – and keep them.
Explore Microsoft Learn
Read Jeff Sandquist’s
Read Alex Payne’s training and certification blog
