Created exclusively for Salesforce partners, Salesforce Partner Learning Camp (PLC) is the primary educational resource for building service capabilities to meet customer demands. After Salesforce Talent Alliance, this is the second huge step taken by Salesforce this year towards enhancing its talent ecosystem and partner expertise. It features 200+ modules and self-paced courses to help Partner Trailblazers boost their multi-cloud capabilities and skills with expert training at their fingertips.
Every individual who has access to the Salesforce Partner Community will have access to the Salesforce Partner Learning Camp. It isn’t an alternative to Trailhead, rather, it complements and expands what you can learn on Trailhead. Initially, the PLC curriculum was available only to Salesforce employees, but now has been extended to include the Partners, be it Consulting or ISV, regardless of company size, type, or tier. The best thing about it is that it is totally free of cost and a much-grab opportunity for partner teams.
But then again, how significant is PLC for you as a Salesforce partner? Would it affect you if you were oblivious about it?
PLC has a role to play in the Partner Navigator Program devised by Salesforce for FY22. The program requires you to achieve specializations in Salesforce Cloud products, industries, and services that account for 25% of the Partner Scorecard, basis which the tiers, viz. Summit, Crest, Ridge, and Base, are accorded. Salesforce had a limited number of certifications to measure your expertise across the product and sub-product categories.
For instance, the road to being a Sales Cloud Navigator Expert goes through two sub-specializations, i.e., Sales Cloud and Sales Cloud Einstein. Earlier, Sales Cloud Consultant certification would allow you to attain Expert Level Navigator for both by meeting the project submission criteria and credential count. Now, you require to pass the Sales Cloud Einstein PLC Exam for achieving the credentials for Sales Cloud Einstein. The same goes for Marketing Cloud specializations, Customer 360 specializations, and so on. The corresponding PLC Exam has become a must-pass requirement for achieving the Expert Navigator status on the AppExchange.
The Salesforce Partner Kickoff 2021 evidently specified to the Partner Community that the Salesforce Talent ecosystem has a high level of demand for a few specific specializations, like Field Service Lightning, CPQ, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, etc. This has also been observed in the Credential Tracker where higher points would be obtained by the partners who work towards earning these certifications.
How does this connect to PLC?
The Partner Learning Camp has a special focus on these in-demand certifications and has created Fast Path, i.e., a curated learning program specifically designed with deep-dive resources and exam tips to fast-track the progress of candidates interested in achieving these certifications. Initially, it gave out $200 free exam certification vouchers to those who completed the Fast Paths, showing Salesforce’s commitment towards growing the talent ecosystem.
Salesforce has started with a whole new range of opportunities and channels for growth in 2021. The focus on nurturing the talent ecosystem with capabilities to enrich the Ohana culture is just one of them. The enhancement in partner benefits also included Digital Marketing Services wherein Salesforce would guide the partners on how to market themselves better in the B2B and B2C space. The Digital Marketing Services are being offered to partners on a tier-basis and subscription model at the moment. The Partner Learning Camp includes an entire curriculum on Digital Marketing skills which are imperative for every business to drive and deliver a seamless customer experience.
On that note, let’s laud learning from anywhere in the world and boosting Salesforce skills with expert training. Happy learning!
Pratyush Kumar
