Inspiring the next generation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 consultants

Darren Littlechild explores how Hitachi Solutions is helping to train the next generation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 consultants, ready to meet the growing demand for the role throughout Europe.

There’s a clear shortage of Microsoft Dynamics 365 consultants in Europe. Thankfully, as the largest Dynamics 365 Global Systems Integrator in Europe, we have the expertise and capacity in-house to deal with the situation. However, we don’t see this skills shortage improving in the foreseeable future — so we’re taking measures to fix it.

That’s why we’re developing our nearshore capability, which includes a graduate training programme to inspire the next generation of Hitachi Solutions Consultants. The programme is strongly aligned with our corporate slogan of “Inspire the Next”, our vision of “growth” and “Inspiring the World” and fits perfectly into our strategy of investment in the next generation of people.

Location, location, location

We’ve decided to establish this training programme in Portugal. Why? Well, to make the decision, we put together five key requirements for the location:

1. Affordable geography for graduate investment.
2. Knowledge of the local business culture.
3. European language skills.
4. Free access to the EU market.
5. ‘Same day’ proximity to our clients.

Portugal provided an ideal fit for us. And, with youth unemployment at 24.6 per cent, we aim to convince some of the best and brightest graduates to take up the opportunity to train as a consultant.

Up and running

We’ve now established a European Delivery Centre in Portugal, and already completed our first recruitment campaign, recruited our first set of graduates and inducted them into the Hitachi Solutions learning and development programme — and we have the ambition to recruit many more.

We like to think of this programme as not only an investment for Hitachi Solutions but an investment in Europe, in Portugal and in Microsoft’s technology. We believe this is another demonstration of Hitachi Solutions’ unwavering commitment to Microsoft and the Dynamics 365 market in Europe.

You can find out more about the benefits of Dynamics 365, here.

We hope to bring you more great news from our programme in Portugal in the near future.