As we begin a new fiscal year, the energy across the Microsoft partner ecosystem is palpable. With MCAPS Start for Partners just a week away on July 15, we’re entering a season of strategic alignment, innovation, and investment. This digital-first experience will deliver essential readiness content, celebrate our global community, and preview what’s ahead across co-sell, marketplace, incentives—and skilling. Learn more and register.
Skilling as a strategic growth lever
In today’s AI-powered economy, skilling is no longer a support function—it’s a growth engine. The ability to rapidly build expertise, adapt to new technologies, and deliver customer value is what sets high-performing partners apart. That’s why Microsoft is doubling down on skilling as a core investment area for FY26.
We’re simplifying and streamlining how you access learning, build capabilities, and drive results. In the coming months, we’ll be launching a unified skilling platform—a single destination that brings together the full spectrum of Microsoft partner skilling into one seamless, purpose-built experience.
Skilling across the partner journey
Our skilling strategy is designed to meet partners where they are and elevate them across every stage of the customer lifecycle. We are enabling partners to become Certification Ready with foundational solution area knowledge that supports designation and specialization growth through Microsoft Learn, certifications, and Applied Skills.
We are making partners Project Ready with intermediate to advanced technical training aligned to Microsoft solution plays—helping you migrate, implement, and integrate real-world solutions that drive adoption and revenue.
We’re empowering teams to become Sales Ready by equipping them to land the value of Microsoft solutions with confidence.
And we’re enabling Tech Deal Readiness by helping technical sellers influence solution scope and usage with deep feature-benefit understanding—informing RFPs and accelerating deal velocity. This is skilling with purpose, aligned to outcomes that matter.
Learn more by exploring the Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub.
To further support partners building AI-powered solutions, Microsoft offers ISV AI Envisioning Day trainings—monthly, simu-live sessions designed to help software development companies identify high-impact AI use cases and build effective development plans. These sessions equip partners with the frameworks, tools, and technical guidance needed to accelerate AI application development and publishing. Whether you're an ISV Success member or are exploring how to get started, these trainings are a valuable step toward becoming AI-ready. Explore upcoming sessions.
Skilling in action: Implementing Windows 365 workshop
To complement the strategic insights of MCAPS Start for Partners, we’re offering a hands-on skilling opportunity that puts learning into action. Also launching on July 15, the Implementing Windows 365 workshop is designed for technical professionals looking to deepen their expertise in deploying secure, scalable cloud-based PCs.
This two-day, intermediate-level workshop (four hours per day, across all time zones) will guide you through provisioning, security, compliance, monitoring, and integrations—so you’re ready to support customers with confidence. Participants will earn both a participation badge and a project-ready badge, and the course aligns with the MS-302 certification. It’s the perfect complement to the strategic vision of MCAPS Start for Partners, offering a practical, hands-on path to immediate impact. Learn more here.
A new Skilling Hub is in the works
As part of our continued effort to simplify and streamline for our partners, we are excited to share that we will be consolidating partner skilling into a single, centralized portal—it’s a partner-driven experience shaped by your feedback. You asked for:
- A single access point for role-based learning.
- Clear, guided pathways to specialization and certification.
- A streamlined interface for purposeful, personalized learning.
This new Skilling Hub will be your home base for training, certification prep, and continuous growth—whether your focus is sales, technical delivery, or solution development. It’s built with AI-powered translation for localized learning and is designed to meet your needs. And most importantly, it is being built with you in mind and will be ready later this summer.
Join us at MCAPS Start for Partners
MCAPS Start for Partners is your launchpad for FY26. It’s where strategy meets execution and where you’ll get a first look at the investments and innovations that will shape the year ahead. From skilling to co-sell, from marketplace to incentives—this is where it all begins.
Let’s build what’s next, together.
