The tech talent shortage has resellers in the EMEA channel scrambling to ensure that employees brush up on the latest skills and technologies that facilitate business agility . Industry pundits share tips for fruitful partner training , certifications , reskilling and crosstraining as resellers look for solutions to bridge the skills gap and build the next generation of channel leaders , writes Manda Banda .

Prashant Menon , Channel Manager – UAE , Check Point Software Technologies

Bob Aoun , Regional Sales Director , MEA , Poly , said the role of channel leadership is steadily gathering momentum in the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) mostly due to the fact that the region-specific business environment has forced marketing channels to move towards vertical integration and long-term relationships with channel members . Aoun said regional resellers are now moving with speed to ensure that they quickly identify and single out any imminent deficiencies that might impede channel members ’ perceptions , motivation , abilities and environmental conditions that could adversely affect their overall performance .

“ That said , channel partner programmes should be designed so participants of all sizes can easily deliver the most compelling and customised solutions to their customers . A good partner programme recognises and rewards achievement that extends beyond revenue generation , ensuring it is not only the largest partners that benefit ,” he said . “ Training , reskilling or upskilling should not be left to one party . It ’ s a shared responsibility with all the parties ( vendors , distributors and resellers ) involved playing a crucial part in ensuring that channel talents acquire the right skills set to meet emerging needs of the consumer and market trends .”

Resellers , globally not just in MEA , should go above and beyond to create successful and sustainable partnerships . Top on the

agenda should be to foster stronger and mutually beneficial collaboration .

Finding and retaining the right IT talent by resellers is hampering partner training and certification and the trickle-down effect is being felt and mirrored by the not-sorosy sales figures . To remedy this situation , solution providers should , among other things , re-evaluate their channel training needs . Different categories of resellers need different types of training to market their products better . By determining what type of training works best for different resellers , vendors and distributors can help their partners to overcome any challenges .

Prashant Menon , Channel Manager – UAE , Check Point Software Technologies , Middle East , said Check Point Software offers a wide range of professional certification training courses . Menon said these training courses are available from

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