The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central platform continues to gain traction as more organizations adopt smart business solutions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and maintain competitiveness. This surge in demand has placed considerable pressure on Microsoft partners to deliver projects with a high standard of quality, speed, and customization. However, despite the expanding opportunities, a serious issue has emerged within the partner ecosystem: a significant shortage of qualified, delivery-ready professionals with the necessary skills and certifications to implement and support Business Central.
The problem is multifaceted. Partners are facing a severe supply-demand imbalance when it comes to hiring skilled professionals who are capable of implementing Dynamics 365 Business Central in complex environments. As client demand increases, so does the need for talent with both technical know-how and the soft skills required to manage client relationships, understand unique business needs, and deliver customized solutions. Yet, according to industry observations, one in every three job postings for Dynamics 365 Business Central remains unfilled. This shortage is not just a minor inconvenience—it has become a major impediment to business growth, innovation, and project success for Microsoft partners.
The Consequences of an Unmet Demand for Skilled Talent
When a partner organization cannot find the talent it needs, the impact reverberates throughout the business. Limited resources on the bench mean partners must decline new projects or delay implementation timelines, resulting in lost revenue opportunities and weakened client relationships. This problem affects not only the immediate business outcomes but also undermines long-term strategic growth.
Investments in Dynamics 365 solutions are substantial. Without the proper workforce to deploy and support these systems, the return on investment for both partners and clients diminishes. The inability to fully capitalize on product capabilities means that businesses cannot realize their full potential in terms of process automation, data insights, and productivity gains. As a result, even the most advanced software solutions may fall short of delivering the expected value.
Another consequence is the inflation of salaries within the ecosystem. When demand outpaces supply, qualified professionals gain negotiating power. Salaries for experienced Dynamics 365 Business Central consultants and developers are rising rapidly, squeezing margins for partner organizations and making it harder for smaller or mid-sized partners to compete. This wage inflation not only impacts profit but also encourages job-hopping, with skilled professionals being lured away by more lucrative offers from other companies, often with little warning.
Increased turnover makes it even harder to build institutional knowledge within teams. Partner organizations struggle to develop talent internally because new hires leave before they can fully absorb the culture, systems, and deep industry insights required to become truly effective consultants or developers. As a result, partners are often caught in a cycle of recruitment and retraining that drains time, money, and focus away from innovation and service delivery.
The Challenges of Traditional Hiring Models in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape
Conventional hiring practices, such as graduate recruitment and internal training program,s are proving insufficient in addressing this evolving talent shortage. These models are typically too slow, too rigid, and too narrow in focus to meet the complex and dynamic requirements of the current market. For example, graduate programs are designed for general training, often requiring several months or even years before candidates are ready to take on client-facing roles. Given the fast pace of change in the technology industry and the specific needs of Dynamics 365 Business Central partners, these traditional methods fall short.
The rise of remote work has further complicated the picture. While remote work has opened access to global talent pools, it has also increased competition among employers, especially in high-demand areas like Business Central implementation. Partners are now not only competing with local firms but also with international organizations that may have more resources and can offer more attractive compensation and benefits packages.
The issue isn’t just about quantity but also about quality. Many available candidates may lack the necessary product knowledge, real-world industry experience, or consulting capabilities that partners need to deliver outstanding service. What partners require is not just someone who understands the software, but someone who understands business processes, can communicate effectively with clients, and can manage complex implementation lifecycles. These multi-faceted requirements are difficult to fulfill through conventional talent pipelines.
ReSKILL: A Purpose-Driven Solution to a Complex Problem
In response to this widespread talent challengeActualTestst, in partnership with Microsoft, developed the ReSKILL program—an innovative, structured, and purpose-built solution to source, train, and deploy delivery-ready Dynamics 365 Business Central professionals at scale. ReSKILL was not created as a short-term fix but as a sustainable, scalable, and future-oriented approach to building the workforce that Microsoft partners need to thrive in today’s technology landscape.
The initiative is part of the broader Business Central Talent Initiative and aims to deliver a dual benefit: giving Microsoft partners access to highly skilled new talent while providing individuals from diverse professional backgrounds the opportunity to build rewarding careers in tech. What makes ReSKILL unique is its holistic approach, addressing recruitment, technical training, professional skills development, and ongoing support in one comprehensive framework.
This is not simply a training course or a recruiting agency service. ReSKILL is a full talent lifecycle program that takes into account the real-world needs of partners. It helps organizations overcome the inefficiencies of traditional hiring by identifying candidates with relevant industry experience, equipping them with cutting-edge product knowledge, and preparing them with soft skills that enhance their impact on client projects from day one. In essence, ReSKILL is a catalyst for both business success and personal career transformation.
At the heart of the ReSKILL program is the belief that talent exists everywhere—it just needs to be discovered, nurtured, and connected to opportunity. Many of the individuals who go through ReSKILL are career changers: accountants, supply chain professionals, logistics managers, and other industry veterans who bring deep business insight but lack the technical skills to enter the Microsoft ecosystem. By combining their domain knowledge with focused Dynamics 365 training and coaching, ReSKILL turns these individuals into valuable assets for partners looking for a competitive edge.
Understanding the Partner Perspective and Program Design
The ReSKILL initiative was designed through close collaboration with partners across the Microsoft ecosystem. This collaborative process revealed several critical insights that helped shape the program structure and content. One key finding was that partners were not only struggling to find people with technical skills, but also candidates with real-world industry knowledge. For example, many partners preferred hiring someone with five years of experience in finance who could learn Business Central, rather than someone with purely technical knowledge but no understanding of accounting principles.
Soft skills emerged as another significant gap. Partners noted that many technically capable candidates lacked the interpersonal and organizational skills required to succeed in a client-facing consulting role. Skills like requirements gathering, documentation production, conflict resolution, and stakeholder communication were frequently missing, creating delays in project delivery and affecting client satisfaction. These challenges reinforced the importance of building a well-rounded training curriculum that goes beyond product features and capabilities.
To solve these issues, actualtest structured the ReSKILL program around a four-pillar model—Recruit, Train, Coach, and Community—which will be explored in more detail in the following parts. This model was built to ensure that new talent not only enters the ecosystem quickly but is also prepared for long-term success and retention within partner organizations. It also ensures that partners have confidence in the capabilities and readiness of the professionals they onboard through the program.
By focusing on high-quality training, ongoing coaching, and professional development, ReSKILL creates a sustainable talent pipeline that is aligned with the evolving needs of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem. It empowers both employers and candidates, creating a win-win scenario where business demands are met, and career aspirations are fulfilled.
ReSKILL in Action: From Recruitment to Training
At the core of the ReSKILL program is a structured, phased approach designed to take candidates from career consideration to client-ready delivery professionals. This approach is grounded in real-world partner feedback and is built around four key pillars: Recruit, Train, Coach, and Community. In this section, we explore the first two pillars—Recruit and Train—and how they work together to identify, develop, and prepare new talent for the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem.
1. Recruit: Identifying Hidden Talent with Industry Expertise
The recruitment phase of the ReSKILL program is intentionally designed to go beyond traditional candidate sourcing. Rather than relying solely on existing tech talent pools, ReSKILL actively seeks out mid-career professionals with strong business acumen, domain experience, and a readiness to pivot into the Microsoft ecosystem.
Many successful ReSKILL participants come from non-traditional backgrounds—finance managers, supply chain analysts, logistics coordinators, and operations professionals—who already understand the processes that Business Central is built to improve. What they often lack is the specific product knowledge or technical training required to enter the ecosystem. ReSKILL bridges this gap by identifying candidates with transferable skills and growth potential, not just technical credentials.
A key innovation in the recruitment process is the use of a capability-based screening model. Candidates are assessed on:
- Industry experience and business process understanding
- Problem-solving mindset and analytical thinking
- Adaptability, communication, and collaboration skills
- Commitment to learning and professional growth
This screening model helps ensure that selected candidates are not only a cultural fit for partner organizations but also bring a unique edge to their future consulting roles: practical industry insight, client empathy, and real-world operational understanding.
By recruiting from outside the traditional IT talent pipeline, ReSKILL opens the door to a broader, more diverse talent pool, and helps partners access professionals who may already understand the client’s language and challenges, accelerating time-to-value and increasing client satisfaction.
2. Train: Building Delivery-Ready Professionals, Not Just Certification Holders
Once candidates are recruited, they enter the Train phase—an intensive, hands-on program that equips them with the product knowledge, consulting skills, and mindset required to hit the ground running.
This is not a basic e-learning course or a theoretical bootcamp. ReSKILL’s training curriculum is deliberately practice-driven, focusing on real-world application and immediate business impact. The training is designed in partnership with Microsoft andActualTest’ss internal Business Central experts, ensuring alignment with the latest platform capabilities and implementation best practices.
Training Program Highlights:
- Foundational Learning
Candidates begin with core concepts in ERP systems, the Microsoft ecosystem, and Dynamics 365 Business Central. Emphasis is placed on understanding the “why” behind the system—how it solves business problems, not just the “how” of navigation and setup. - Hands-On Lab Work
Learners work in sandbox environments to complete realistic scenario,s including system setup, configuration, data migration, and reporting. These labs mirror common partner use cases, providing practical experience that translates directly into client engagements. - Role-Based Specialization
Depending on their strengths and partner demand, candidates follow tailored tracks in functional consulting, technical development, or data/reporting, ensuring focused readiness for specific roles. - Real-World Projects
Candidates complete capstone projects simulating real implementation workflows—requirement gathering, gap analysis, solution design, configuration, testing, and user training. These projects are reviewed and graded by actualtest mentors and partner representatives. - Microsoft Certifications
All ReSKILL participants are supported in earning relevant Microsoft credentials, such as the MB-800: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant certification. However, certification is treated as a milestone, not the endpoint. The goal is to create professionals who can confidently contribute in client environments, not just pass exams. - Soft Skills & Consulting Mindset
Just as critical as technical proficiency is the ability to work with clients, manage stakeholder expectations, and navigate change. ReSKILL includes modules on consulting basics, communication, problem-solving, documentation, and time management—skills that traditional tech training often overlooks.
By the end of the training phase, ReSKILL graduates are not only certified—they’re prepared to join implementation teams and deliver value from day one. Partners benefit from a pipeline of new talent that is technically capable, business-aware, and culturally aligned with the realities of professional services work.
Real-World Impact of Train Phase
One of the unique features of the ReSKILL training phase is how closely it mirrors the partner experience. Many ReSKILL graduates describe the process as “intense but transformative.” The real-world orientation of the program helps participants build confidence, develop critical thinking, and gain familiarity with the tools and workflows they will use in their roles.
Partners have reported that ReSKILL hires often ramp faster than those sourced through traditional channels. This is largely due to the program’s focus on contextual learning—teaching candidates not just what to do, but why it matters to the client, and how to communicate value in real-time consulting environments.
ReSKILL in Action: Coaching and Community for Long-Term Success
The ReSKILL program doesn’t stop at recruitment and training. While many talent initiatives focus only on getting candidates “through the door,” ReSKILL goes further, supporting their growth, performance, and retention through two additional pillars: Coach and Community. These are the elements that transform a training program into a true talent engine for Microsoft partners.
3. Coach: Embedding Support to Accelerate Performance
The transition from classroom training to real-world consulting can be dauntin, —even for the most talented individuals. That’s why ReSKILL includes a dedicated coaching phase designed to help newly placed professionals succeed in their first 6 to 12 months on the job.
What Coaching Looks Like in Practice:
- Dedicated Mentorship
Every ReSKILL graduate is paired with an experienced mentor—either from actualtest or a certified partner network—who provides guidance, feedback, and encouragement as the individual begins their first projects. This mentor serves as a sounding board for technical questions, soft skills challenges, and career development conversations. - Checkpoints and Feedback Loops
The coaching program includes regular structured check-ins to review project progress, address challenges, and align expectations between the new hire and their manager. This ensures that both the individual and the partner are supported in creating a clear path to productivity. - Performance Enablement Tools
ReSKILL provides coaching resources such as self-assessment guides, client engagement templates, and time management strategies to help new hires develop consistent habits and build confidence in their consulting role. - Partner Alignment
Coaching is not conducted in isolation. ReSKILL engages with partner managers and team leads to tailor coaching support to the partner’s methodologies, culture, and delivery model. This improves integration and accelerates alignment between new hires and the rest of the delivery team. - Soft Skills Reinforcement
Ongoing development in consulting communication, stakeholder management, and documentation is emphasized during the coaching phase, ensuring that the habits formed during training continue to grow in the field.
Coaching bridges the critical gap between learning and doing. It turns potential into performance, reduces early-stage turnover, and increases partner confidence in the hire’s ability to contribute meaningfully to project delivery.
4. Community: Building Belonging, Connection, and Continuous Learning
The final—and often most overlooked—pillar of successful talent development is community. The ReSKILL program fosters a professional network that supports candidates throughout their careers, enabling them to grow, share knowledge, and stay connected to the Microsoft ecosystem.
The ReSKILL Community Includes:
- Alumni Network
All graduates of the program are welcomed into the ReSKILL alumni network—a growing group of Business Central professionals who regularly exchange ideas, insights, and job opportunities. This helps new professionals build their industry identity and feel a sense of belonging in the ecosystem. - Peer Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing
Participants are encouraged to engage in peer-to-peer support and collaboration through virtual forums, monthly community meetups, and themed discussion groups. These connections become a vital resource during the early stages of a new role, and often continue throughout their careers. - Learning Continuity
The Microsoft ecosystem evolves rapidly. ReSKILL provides ongoing access to upskilling resources, product updates, and certification pathways to help alumni stay current and continue advancing in their careers. This includes curated learning paths, webinars, and access to new modules based on emerging Business Central functionality. - Partner-Driven Events
ReSKILL partners are invited to host sessions, roundtables, and tech talks within the community. This allows partners to both showcase expertise and connect directly with new talent across the ecosystem, strengthening their employer brand and attracting future hires. - Culture of Belonging
Many individuals entering the Microsoft ecosystem for the first time feel intimidated or unsure of their place, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds. The ReSKILL community is deliberately inclusive and welcoming, helping individuals see themselves as valuable contributors and build long-term confidence.
Sustaining Success Through Coaching and Community
Together, coaching and community are what make ReSKILL a long-term investment, not just a recruitment pipeline. These pillars ensure that new hires not only perform well in the short term, but also remain engaged, loyal, and growing over the long haul.
From the partner perspective, this means fewer churn risks, better project outcomes, and a stronger internal culture built around continuous learning. From the talent perspective, it creates a clear path to mastery, career progression, and industry visibility.
A Scalable, Inclusive Solution for the Microsoft Ecosystem
The full ReSKILL model—Recruit, Train, Coach, and Community—has proven to be a scalable, sustainable solution to the talent shortage facing the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem. It empowers partner organizations to meet growing demand without sacrificing quality, and it empowers individuals to transform their careers with meaningful, future-proof skills.
As ReSKILL continues to grow and evolve, it will serve as a blueprint for how Microsoft and its partner network can build workforce resilience, increase access to opportunity, and drive innovation, not just by filling jobs, but by building people.
ReSKILL in Action: Measuring Impact and Shaping the Future
The ReSKILL program has demonstrated that solving the Microsoft talent shortage requires more than just recruitment or training—it demands an end-to-end talent strategy. By combining structured learning, coaching, and community, ReSKILL ensures candidates thrive and partners see real business value. In this final section, we look at how ReSKILL is delivering measurable outcomes, the strategic benefits for Microsoft partners, and the future vision for the program.
The Measurable Impact of ReSKILL
Placement Success Rates
ReSKILL boasts a placement success rate exceeding 90%, with most participants securing full-time roles with Microsoft partners within weeks of program completion. These are not junior helpdesk roles—they are client-facing delivery positions with meaningful responsibilities.
Time-to-Productivity
Partners report that ReSKILL hires reach productivity faster than traditional hires. Thanks to hands-on training and coaching support, many are actively contributing to client projects within their first 60–90 days.
Certification Achievement
Over 85% of program graduates pass the MB-800 Business Central Functional Consultant exam before or shortly after placement. However, partners consistently emphasize that the real value lies in the practical consulting capabilities participants demonstrate from day one.
Retention and Loyalty
The ReSKILL program is designed with retention in mind. With mentoring and community support in place, early attrition is significantly lower than traditional recruitment pipelines, saving partners time and cost in repeated hiring cycles.
Strategic Benefits for Microsoft Partners
De-Risking Hiring Decisions
Hiring unknown candidates from a job board is risky. ReSKILL pre-screens, trains, and validates talent so that partners can confidently hire with reduced onboarding overhead and minimal project disruption.
Fast Access to Talent
ReSKILL maintains a bench of pre-qualified, pre-certified professionals ready to deploy. This gives partners a just-in-time talent pool to tap into when new projects are signed or capacity is stretched.
Tailored Role Fit
Candidates are developed along role-based pathways—functional, technical, and data/reporting—ensuring a strong match to the partner’s specific hiring needs. ReSKILL even considers cultural alignment and industry vertical experienc, where possible.
Strengthening the Partner Brand
Partners that engage with ReSKILL also benefit from increased visibility as progressive, people-first employers. Hosting events, offering mentorship, or hiring from the program signals a commitment to workforce development and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).
Supporting Microsoft’s Broader Talent Goals
Expanding Talent Access
By targeting mid-career changers and underrepresented professionals, ReSKILL creates net-new talent that wouldn’t otherwise have entered the Microsoft ecosystem, expanding diversity and closing representation gaps.
Future-Proofing the Workforce
With regular updates based on Microsoft product roadmaps, ReSKILL ensures graduates stay aligned to evolving technology trends, supporting Microsoft’s goal of future-ready partner delivery teams.
Driving Partner Success
Ultimately, the success of Microsoft’s business applications platform depends on the strength of its partner network. ReSKILL delivers the workforce capacity and capability required to meet the growing demand for cloud-based ERP solutions like Dynamics 365 Business Central.
The Future of ReSKILL: Scale, Innovation, and Global Reach
Scaling Across Regions
ReSKILL has already launched in key markets and is now expanding into new geographies and languages, including North America, EMEA, and APAC. This makes it a viable solution for global partners with multi-region delivery needs.
Evolving Role Pathways
While the program began with a focus on Business Central, ReSKILL is now evolving to support additional Microsoft workloads—Power Platform, Finance & Supply Chain Management, and Customer Engagement—responding to the full spectrum of partner demand.
Deeper Partner Integration
Plans are underway to offer co-branded partner academies, where Microsoft partners can embed ReSKILL talent development into their internal onboarding and career progression models, creating long-term capability pipelines.
Community-Led Growth
As the alumni network grows, ReSKILL is investing in community-driven leadership, enabling graduates to return as mentors, facilitators, and trainers, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and contribution.
Conclusion
The ReSKILL program is more than just a hiring solution—it’s a strategic talent engine designed to meet the evolving needs of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem. For partners, it unlocks new capacity, increases delivery quality, and reduces talent risk. For individuals, it creates a clear, supported path into meaningful technology careers. By focusing on quality, scalability, and community, ReSKILL is helping Microsoft and its partners address one of the industry’s most pressing challenges—and creating a more inclusive, agile, and resilient workforce in the process.