U.S. Partner Training News; Resources for Certifications and Accreditations

On Friday, December 7 we delivered the latest U.S. Partner News to your inbox, customized according to your company’s business model, Microsoft Partner Network membership, and your role. Below are the training-related articles and recommendations sent to all partners. The role-based training recommendations for this issue are around preparing for certifications and accreditations. Use these links to learn about the individual and organizational benefits of achieving these badges of expertise, and to take advantage of the special offers that will incentivize you to register for those exams and assessments.

Training resources

December Training Sweepstakes: Windows Intune, Windows Azure, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Improve your ability to sell, deploy, or manage these Microsoft cloud-based offerings. For each featured course you take in December, you'll be entered to win an Xbox 360 Pro Console. Official Rules.

Microsoft Office 365 for Small and Midsize Businesses
Prepare for Exam 74-324: Administering Office 365 for Small Businesses—a requirement for the Small Business competency—by watching the Office 365 for SMB Jump Start.

December 17 in Irvine, CA: Microsoft Lync 2013 Technical Ignite
Stay ahead of the market with this four-day workshop. Presentations will cover a wide variety of topics for Lync, both on-premises and online, and there will be hands-on labs that create an interactive Lync experience.

January 8 in Chicago, IL: Microsoft Lync 2013 Technical Ignite
Stay ahead of the market with this four-day workshop. Presentations will cover a wide variety of topics for Lync, both on-premises and online, and there will be hands-on labs that create an interactive Lync experience.

January 14 in Washington, D.C.: Microsoft Lync 2013 Technical Ignite
Stay ahead of the market with this four-day workshop. Presentations will cover a wide variety of topics for Lync, both on-premises and online, and there will be hands-on labs that create an interactive Lync experience.

January 22 in Boston, MA: Windows Server 2012 Technical Ignite Boot Camp
Attend this intensive training event January 22–25 to upgrade your skills to Windows Server 2012 and prepare for Microsoft Certification Exam 70-417.

Special Offer: Upgrade Your Windows Server 2008 Certification
Purchase an MCSE: Server Infrastructure, MCSE: Desktop Infrastructure, or MCSE: Private Cloud upgrade certification exam set, and get Exam 70-417 at no cost, along with complimentary training and second chances to pass the exams.

Windows 8 Hands-On Lab Online Training—December Events
Attend these online trainings and learn how you can use existing C# or JavaScript skills to create and customize Windows 8 apps for your customers. Learn about Searching and Sharing, Application Bars and Media Capture, and Process Lifetime Management. As you work on lab exercises, Microsoft experts will be available to provide one-on-one virtual guidance.

Windows Azure Hands-On Lab Online Training—December Events
Register for these online trainings to learn about Windows Azure Virtual Machines, Windows Azure SQL Database, how to debug applications in Windows Azure, and more. As you work on your lab exercises, Microsoft experts will be available to provide guidance via chatting or by virtually taking control of labs.

Free HTML 5 Online Course and Exam Voucher
Get started on meeting one of the requirements for the Digital Marketing, Mobility, or Application Development competency. Earn the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MSCD) certification to start developing Windows 8 web and Windows store apps. Take the "Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3" online course at no cost and receive a voucher to take Exam 70-480, also at no cost. This is a limited-time offer—available through March 31, 2013, while supplies last.

New Windows 8 Training
Take the latest Windows 8 training about product messaging, solution selling, value/opportunity, winning with new devices, and presales technical content for deployment and migration. You'll find a learning path for your company's business model and for your role.

On-Demand: Windows Server 2012 Upgrade Jump Start
This accelerated certification prep Jump Start will help IT Pros with Windows Server 2008 expertise to upgrade their skills to Windows Server 2012 in preparation for exam 70-417 and moving into an MCSE: Desktop Infrastructure, MCSE: Server Infrastructure, or MCSE: Private Cloud.

December 11: Microsoft Dynamics CRM December 2012 Service Update and Beyond Partner Training Blitz
Join us for a live, Internet broadcast training session on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM December 2012 service update. Find out about key investments made in the sales and service process, social integration, updated user experience, and platform capabilities. You'll learn about our competitive position, changes to licensing, and the product roadmap.

December 12: Microsoft Dynamics Operations for Dynamics Hour
Attend this operational training in preparation for the release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 on December 19.

Microsoft Dynamics Holiday Certification Sweepstakes
Let us help you tackle your holiday to-do list. You can get Microsoft certifications and be entered into a drawing for a prize package that includes some great gifts. Through December 15, for every eligible certification exam you pass, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a prize package. Visit PartnerSource for a list of exams. Official rules.

December 19 Webcast: Microsoft Dynamics Road to Repeatability—Marketplace
Join Tera Long for a discussion about the criteria to get listed on Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace and how to write your profile so it gets read by prospective customers.

January 28: Prepare for Microsoft Dynamics AX Certifications with Fast TrAX
Come to the Microsoft office in Fargo, North Dakota, for 18 days of intensive training based on the core fundamentals of Microsoft Dynamics AX. You will get training for certification based on real-world examples that reinforce learning.

Prepare for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Certifications with the Fast Tracks Enterprise Academy
This two-week intensive training based on the core fundamental of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 offers two tracks: Functional and Developer. These classes are targeted at net new professionals within Microsoft Dynamics partner organizations.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Virtual Industry Classes
Take your industry knowledge to the next level with the Microsoft Dynamics AX Industry training. These remotely delivered courses are designed to improve your ability to successfully deliver Microsoft Dynamics AX solutions.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade Workshop for Consultants & Developers
The goal of this workshop is to help technical staff to understand how to upgrade an existing Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. You'll learn about upgrading code elements and the data dictionary for customizations, focusing on the major changes introduced with the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 data model.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Enterprise Academy Level 300 Workshops
These workshops consist of up to five days of in-person training targeted at IT professionals, presales staff, and developers. They are designed as in-depth interactive sessions that focus on how to implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and address specific customer business needs.

On Demand Webcast: Microsoft Dynamics AX on Enterprise Agreements
In this on-demand session, you'll get an overview of changes, operational information about agreements and how CSA fees are processed, as well as certification tracking in VOICE.

Featured training – resources for certifications and accreditations