Q & A
EDITOR’ S
SOURABH SIKDAR, CHANNEL MANAGER, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, LIFERAY
As demand for scalability, complexity, and personalisation in the digital space grows, channel ecosystem leaders must prioritise the continuous development of skills and certifications within their teams. Vendors must play a crucial role in providing the resources needed for partners to stay ahead in this rapidly changing environment.
Effective channel training and certifications help partners stay informed about new trends, product innovations, and industry best practices – critical for maintaining a competitive edge.
For channel partners, technology certifications are essential to ensure both internal teams and external partners have the expertise needed to deploy, manage, and optimise the latest technologies. Vendor partners typically offer role-specific training to deepen understanding of their product offerings.
Beyond vendor-specific certifications, it
In cybersecurity, things do not stay still for long. Threats evolve, technology advances, and customer expectations grow sharper. Because of this, channel partners cannot afford to rely on yesterday’ s knowledge; they need to build internal teams that are constantly learning, adapting, and certified to deliver value beyond just product sales.
Beyond certifications, there is a growing
need to train teams in network automation, cloud security, SASE, SOC operations, OT security, and now AI. These are areas where customers are demanding expertise and guidance. Hands-on training, vendorled workshops, and access to real-time environments make a real difference. is also critical for partners to pursue thirdparty certifications in broader technology domains such as AI, ML, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and more. This broader technological expertise allows partners to offer a more comprehensive approach to digital transformation, integrating solutions from multiple domains to meet clients’ evolving needs and staying competitive in the rapidly changing technological landscape.
In addition to certifications, vendors offer incentive programmes that reward partners for achieving business milestones. These programmes not only recognise sales achievements but also encourage continuous learning and skill development.
Tiered rewards system, Silver, Gold, Platinum, motivate partners to invest in growing capabilities, offering benefits
SHANE GRENNAN, SENIOR CHANNEL DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST AND TÜRKIYE, FORTINET
Technical skills are just one aspect. For customer-facing teams, it is just as important to understand compliance frameworks, risk conversations, and business impact assessments.
Hiring skilled talent is another challenge, especially in markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia where localisation goals are shaping business priorities. For many, this is also helping with long-term retention and team development. The most proactive partners may choose to do a regular skills audit with their vendor teams, making sure they are ready not just for the present, but for what is next: AI-driven security, quantum resilience, and real-time response frameworks.
Fortinet’ s NSE Certification Programme is one example that many partners in the region lean on, not because it is a nice-to-have, but because it offers a clear structure for upskilling across roles. From entry-level awareness, NSE 1 – 3 to expert-level certifications, NSE 7 and 8, it helps partners build deep technical knowledge while also staying aligned with Fortinet’ s technology roadmap.
like financial rewards and joint marketing initiatives. This ensures partners are incentivised to stay engaged, deepen their expertise, and drive business growth.
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