Microsoft to Spend $30 Million on Partner Certification Under "Project Athena"

Published: May 17, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft announced plans this week to invest more than $30 million in a new skills certification program, called "Project Athena," to help seed the market for Windows Server products, and also to alleviate a "pervasive talent crunch" occurring around the world.

According to an IDC study titled "Worldwide IT Consulting 2006-2010 Forecast," a shortage of IT skills is creating aggressive competition among service providers to hire and retain consulting talent, and making it difficult for them to grow their businesses. Microsoft has set a goal of 45,000 new partner certifications (not necessarily personnel, since an individual can hold multiple certifications) to help relieve this crunch and give Windows Server an advantage in the market.

Microsoft did not give a specific timeline for its spending or certification goals, except to say it's a multi-year effort. It has doubled spending on partner technical certifications in the past year, according to Allison Watson, vice president of Microsoft's partner sales and marketing group.

Microsoft's goal is to maintain and increase the momentum of the past year, says Rick Devenuti, senior vice president of Microsoft Services and IT. "The Athena program . . . is one of the steps we're taking to ensure this. Other steps include building stronger relationships with our customers and partners, and growing the Microsoft Services and IT group to seed the market for our products," he says.

Partners will receive subsidies from Microsoft for technical skills training they receive for several certification levels, including Technology Specialist, IT Professional, and Professional Developer and Architect, Watson says, adding that "Microsoft is primarily targeting the entry-level and highest impact roles."

For more information on Microsoft's professional certification program, see the Microsoft Certifications Overview.