Empowering Student Consultants: A Salesforce Certification Journey
Read how Jen Vision e.V. partnered with Accenture and Salesforce to empower student consultants through a Salesforce certification journey.
Jen Vision e.V., a student management consultancy in Jena, Germany, partnered with two industry giants, Accenture and Salesforce, to create a comprehensive program, culminating in a Salesforce Associate certification exam. This story explores dynamic collaboration and its profound implications for student empowerment. Continue reading to learn more about it!
Getting Students Certified through Salesforce’s Academic Offerings
The academic offerings are the heart of all Salesforce collaborations with universities, technical colleges or student organisations across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. The Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Ambassador Program forms the foundation, in which Salesforce employees, implementation partners, workforce development partners, and customers play an active role in a) making students aware of Salesforce, b) expanding their digital skills, and c) specialising their learnings on Salesforce.
As part of the program, participants have access to a range of free resources. These include enablement materials for universities, blueprints for guest lectures on Salesforce clouds, and guidance for Salesforce certification training (see picture below). The overall goal is to enable students to gain their very first Salesforce Certification.
The Objective: Empowering & Upskilling Students
Jen Vision e.V., Accenture, and Salesforce welcomed a diverse group of students from different walks of life.
The basis of their success lies within their students, who are from interdisciplinary backgrounds and are encouraged to use innovative approaches to solve issues.
The primary objectives were crystal clear: To 1) help the students explore the world of Salesforce and its ecosystem and 2) get them to know Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, for self-paced learning opportunities with the overall goal to successfully pass the Salesforce Associate Certification at the end of the program.
The program was split up into three main agenda blocks:
The Kick-Off: The program started in September last year. This was the first time the students from Jen Vision e.V. met Accenture and Salesforce experts. During this day, they were introduced to the program structure, learned what was ahead of them, and were able to ask any questions.
The Learning Phase: Over a period of several weeks, different expert-led sessions took place, conducted by experts from Accenture and Salesforce. Students had an introduction to the Salesforce ecosystem and the job opportunities the Salesforce ecosystem can bring, followed by sessions on navigation and data modelling, and deep dives into reports and dashboards. Active participation was a key part of the program. Expert sessions were conducted online, offering students the opportunity to ask questions both in advance through a form and in real-time.
Exam: After weeks of learning, the students were finally prepared to take the online exam to get the Salesforce Associate Certification. Salesforce certifications prove to have a significant impact on the professional profile and will help the students to stand out from the other job seekers on the job market. The Salesforce Associate certification is specially designed for individuals who want to demonstrate knowledge, skills, or experience in the following areas:
- How the CRM platform solves the challenge of connecting departments and customer data
- Types of business challenges that can be solved by Salesforce Einstein 1
- Key Salesforce platform terms
- Fundamental functionality in the current version of Salesforce at a foundational level, such as requirements gathering, reporting, security, sharing, customisation, and data management.
Here you can learn more about this certification.
Accenture’s Contribution: A Valued Partnership
The partnership with Accenture, a key regional player in Jena, played an essential role in the remarkable success of the event.
Accenture’s involvement brought expertise and valuable resources, which enriched the experience for the students. Even the closing event and celebration of all the students’ efforts were hosted at the Accenture German Headquarters — what a great success!
Key Takeaway: Embrace Digital Skills
The most important takeaway from this Salesforce certification-focused program lies in recognising how essential acquiring digital, especially Salesforce, skills is in today’s competitive job market. According to the IDC report published in December 2023, between 2022 and 2028, Salesforce and its global ecosystem of partners will have an economic impact of more than $2 trillion in net new company revenues.1 Mastering these skills not only positions students for success as they earn a resume-worthy credential but also unlocks a multitude of career avenues, allowing them to tap into a world of abundant opportunities and professional growth.
Let’s Continue this Path Together!
JenVision students have already begun their path to success in the Salesforce Ecosystem. Are you ready to learn more about Salesforce Certifications? Here, you can start your path to success on diverse Trailhead trails!
Would you like to start a similar university collaboration? Reach us at EMEATalentEcosystem@salesforce.com.
Source: IDC white paper sponsored by Salesforce 2023, The Salesforce Economic Impact; Salesforce AI-PoweredCloud Solutions Will Generate $948 Billion in New Revenues for Customers by 2028. Retrieved from: https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/documents/reports/idc-salesforce-economy-report.pdf1
