RapidScale and Igel have launched new online learning platforms designed to help partners become experts on cloud technologies.

RapidScale’s Technology Leadership Academy (TLA) is a self-paced online learning center with video-based training for sales and cloud professionals. The platform features three certification tracks that go over how to sell some of the most prominent cloud technologies, including desktop as a service (DaaS), business productivity software, and managed cloud services.

Brian Leonard, RapidScale‘s vice president of marketing, tells us most of the training available in the marketplace is focused on the supplier, and therefore is “too narrow” when partners can sell a multitude of suppliers.

Headshot of RapidScale’s Brian Leonard

“They need training on the technology, and not so much training on the supplier,” he said. “This is what differentiates the TLA: training on the technology and the solution, not just RapidScale’s flavor of both. The TLA encompasses training on many cloud solutions, providing our sales partners and cloud sellers with the tools and resources they need to educate themselves and sell more effectively.”

The cloud technology training that is out there is too technical, Leonard said. Sales representatives just need to know enough about the technical aspects of cloud to be “dangerous and have a conversation,” but also need to know the fundamentals behind selling cloud,” he said.

“There aren’t certifications out there for selling niche products like desktop as a service and business productivity software, and these are both critical technologies to have expertise in when it comes to selling cloud solutions,” he said. “Business productivity software like Office 365 and G-Suite get you in the door, and DaaS is the stickiest cloud solution out there. TLA provides both certifications.”

The certifications in this platform are designed to help channel partners and cloud sales people eliminate barriers and issues that prevent them from selling cloud solutions to their clients, Leonard said.

“As an example, each certification provides a direction on how to sell the technologies in both above the line and below the line scenarios,” he said. “In other words, how to sell cloud to the C-level versus the IT manager/director level. To sell cloud, you must know the difference and adjust your strategy for the audience accordingly. There are also key videos on how to handle objections for each solution, how to position against the hyperscalers, and how to value-sell versus price-sell. “

The site also offers training content from technology providers such as Mimecast, Veeam, and VeloCloud, now part of VMware.

Also this week, Igel rolled out its Igel Academy, which offers customers and partners around-the-clock access to self-paced training programs and Igel certification from anywhere.

Igel’s Irfan Khurshid

“Now our customers and partners can get the flexible training they need to become Igel experts so that they can more quickly realize all the powerful benefits of Igel solutions for today’s virtual and cloud workspaces,” said Irfan Khurshid, Igel’s vice president of global advanced services and training. “Not only does the Igel Academy accelerate certification training, testing and scoring, it also serves as a rich repository of informational content, videos and tutorials to help customers and partners alike gain the insight and expertise they need to do more than they ever thought possible with their endpoints.”

Available now, Igel Academy features: online certification testing and scoring; free training access; online course tracking; and self-paced learning.

“Igel Academy provides IT professionals a platform to learn from experts, obtain certifications and contribute to the Igel community,” said Jarel Hall, CTO of Alchemy Tech Group. “As a strategic partner, this learning management system ensures our clients, consultants and sellers have easy access to Igel learning resources. The academy will serve as a differentiator when positioning Igel solutions and products within the Alchemy Tech Group go to market strategy.”