Press release
Enhanced certification programs, revamped PartnerDirect portal and training offerings to help partners increase skills and profitability
BRACKNELL - 28 May, 2009 - Dell has today announced a number of enhancements to its PartnerDirect Program in Europe, including updates to its existing certification paths in Enterprise Architecture (EA) and SME, a webcast infrastructure and new face to face training programs. These updates give partners access to beneficial pricing, support, training and tools to help them build even more profitable businesses around Dell technology.
"We've had very positive feedback from partners on our accreditation programs in Enterprise Architecture (EA) and SME, most recently at our second annual Partner Advisory Council in London," said Kathy Schneider, Dell's Channel Marketing & Programs Director, EMEA. "Based on this feedback, we've developed more robust and value-added offerings to give partners greater support and enable them to broaden the solutions they can offer. Empowering our partners with the skills and knowledge to help their customers transform their IT operations is a vital part of the PartnerDirect vision."
Enterprise Architecture Accreditation
The updated Enterprise Architecture (EA) program will consist of three certification streams for individuals - EA Certified Storage Specialist, EA Certified Server Specialist and EA Certified Partner. Individuals receive the EA certification status and its additional benefits, such as discounts, when they have completed both specialist streams.
- EA Certified Specialists are required to meet the individual requirements of a Technical Competency in Servers, Storage or Networking and may meet one or more Solution Competency requirements. EA Certified Specialists get all the benefits associated with particular Technology Competencies.
- EA Certified Partners are required to meet an annual run rate, complete Foundations training and meet the Technical Competency requirements in Servers, Storage and Networking as well as one or more Solution Competency program requirements. EA Certified Partners get full certified level benefits including discounts, training and marketing collateral.
Small Medium Enterprise Accreditation
Partners looking to achieve SME Certified Partner status will now be offered a broader range of Foundation Certification courses covering 6 modules: Welcome to Dell, Poweredge, Powervault, Latitude, EqualLogic and Pro Support. Dell has also opened up the individual skill training / certification criteria to include valid MCSE, MCTS, CCNA or VMware (VCP) qualifications, recognising the increasing breadth of skillsets within SME partners.
Training
Alongside the new accreditations, Dell is strengthening its existing training offerings with:
1. The rollout of face to face training programs delivered by specialist consultants certified by Dell. Training offerings will cover technology areas such as Data Centre, Storage, Microsoft, Virtualisation and Service Management. These courses will initially be delivered in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London and Paris with more venues to be added later in 2009.
2. An all-new partner training homepage accessed through a redesigned PartnerDirect portal. Partners will have even greater access to training materials, including a NetExam facility which provides a repository for course materials and an online training calendar.
3. Online Solution Broadcasts for certified partners. Separate broadcasts will be targeted at sales and technical professionals and will focus on specific technology tracks. Attendees will benefit from getting the latest news and developments from senior Dell Channel and Product Marketing figures.
Stuart Rae, Managing Director, Nviron said, "As a partner, working with Dell has been very rewarding for us. Their commitment to minimising cost and getting the most out of technology both for us and our customers makes Dell an extremely attractive proposition. These new accreditations, flexible online tools and in-depth training look set to make their PartnerDirect programme even more crucial to our business" he continued.
Dell PartnerDirect's certification program is now available in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UK. For more information about PartnerDirect and the certification program, please go to http://www.dell.co.uk/partnerdirect
