RSA to expand local partner training program overseas

RSA's Australian partner training and certification program launched earlier this year will now be rolled out across the vendor's Asia Pacific operations.

The Partner Certification Program was created by country manager, Mark Pullen and channel chief, Phil Teague for Australian partners.

Touted as the vendor's "biggest ever training program" Pullen and Teague set the vendor a target of certifying 100 channel partners by the end of the year.

They are en route to reach that target and the program is now set to head overseas.

"The local team has built the training and it's going to be rolled out to the Asia-Pacific," Teague told CRN.

So far RSA has certified 82 partners and trained a further 132, which are in line to complete the required exam to gain their certification.

Next year Teague wants to certify 200 resellers, double the initial quota.

"We're trying to make sure our partners can sell. It's not just products, it's strategy and alliances," said Teague.

The training and certification is free for partners.

On top of the technical training and certification, RSA hosted a Technical Expert Forum in Sydney earlier this month.

RSA flew in the "best and brightest from its partner community" to participate.

"Sales training is important but technical pre-sales technical training is more important," Teague said.

"We paid for the logistics; we flew them in and put them up for two days.

"On top of that, partners got to know our pre-sales team as each team member covered a different topic [at the forum]."

The Expert Forum was expected to be held twice a year.

Country manager Pullen said he wanted to increase the vendor's channel sales from 75 percent to 90 percent earlier this year. Teague was re-positioned from EMC's channel to RSA in February.