Dell has added two certification paths to its PartnerDirect programme around its new networking and systems management technology. The vendor today announced the availability of both its PowerConnect J-Series networking solutions and its Dell KACE systems management appliances to the UK channel. To accompany the double launch, Dell is adding Networking & Security Specialist and Dell KACE Partner certifications to its PartnerDirect partner programme. This will mean partners who commit to staff accreditation and annual revenue targets on the two technologies will gain extra margins and sales support. Kathy Schneider, channel marketing and programmes director EMEA at Dell, said: “The J-Series products and the KACE Appliances are both key additions to Dell’s technology portfolio and will provide our partners with some incredibly exciting opportunities.”

HP partners are set to benefit from an influx of industry-ready graduates from 2015 following the introduction of HP-centric degrees. The vendor last week ann­ounced that the Univ­ersity of West England (UWE) is to offer an HP Enterprise Computing Degree, as it is provisionally known, from 2011. It will focus on technology from HP and its alliance partners, including Microsoft, as well as generic skills such as project management. Students of the four-year course will undertake internships at HP or its partners in their third year. Brian Fenix, client principal for unified communications and collaboration at HP, said: “We are working with UWE to ensure the students are the type of people we and our resellers want to take on. They will have an industry-recognised professional certification. That is a cost of training that partners will not have to incur.” Fenix said the degree will also teach soft skills, such as presentational styles and business acumen. Students will get a chance to network with resellers to help them secure jobs after they graduate, he said. HP’s other strategic university partner, Bucks New University, is likely to launch a similar course in the future and Fenix revealed the vendor is also in talks with a number of other universities about forming further strategic partnerships. Some of these relationships may centre more on research and development, however. Nick Grossman, corporate business development director at 2e2, said the degree could help to bolster the skills base behind HP’s more complex technologies. “This can only be very helpful to integrators like us,” he said. “We see very few highly skilled people other than those who have gone through accreditation tracks in previous jobs.” However, Paul Sweeney, managing director of ANS, argued that HP is playing catch-up to Cisco. “As a channel player we welcome anything vendors do to make graduates more industry ready, but Cisco has been doing it for years with its Academies.”