A channel career: Fast-paced, creative and enjoyable

A-level results and GCSEs have come out and young people are wondering what they should do with their future. The advice from many in the channel is simple: have a career here.

The channel is actively involved in apprenticeship schemes, graduate programmes and recruiting talented people locally, but for many teenagers the wonders of working in the industry are unknown.

Once people in the channel are asked why it is a good career, the answers can be inspiring and should tempt more young people down a path towards the industry.

“The channel is fast-paced and always delivers a learning curve,” said Laura Atkinson, chief partner officer at SAP UKI. “It craves diversity of thought and experience, and a zest for relationship building, because that’s what allows us to overcome difficult briefs, establish relationships and provide market-leading solutions. If you are passionate, creative and enjoy working in a team, the channel is for you.”

That sense of being part of something bigger than just one company is echoed by Ali Hastings, regional channel leader at Avaya. “The channel is always moving, consolidating and expanding,” she said. “It’s a family of partnerships that collaborate together to do amazing things for customers.”

Mike Adler, chief technology and product officer at N-able, stressed that the channel was a destination for those that wanted to continue learning and adapting their skills.

“If you enjoy participating in successful transactions, have a sense for business, enjoy technology, and want to continue to learn and stay up to date with the latest technical products and solutions, a job in the channel could be for you,” he said. “If you enjoy servicing organisations and serving as a subject matter expert in technology solutions, this could be a great fit.”

Fred Voccolla, CEO of Kaseya, noted that because of the widespread influence of technology, there are many roles and challenges that someone working in the channel can deal with and, as a result, there are plenty of options for those choosing to work in the industry.

“Since technology now touches all businesses, the channel and the tech software that powers it provide a wealth of skillsets that are applicable to almost any job,” he said. “Learning sales, marketing, development, design or customer support skills within the channel is the ideal starting point to a long career that could touch virtually any industry.

“The channel has also proven to be a stable market, providing job security in a fluctuating economy. It weathered the impact of the pandemic significantly better than other industries – showcasing its resilience for future economic events.”

There are chances to not only help customers and suppliers, but also good prospects for personal development, according to Antony Byford, managing director at Westcon UK&I. “In distribution, you can learn fast, learn on the job, earn good money and really build a long-term, fulfilling career,” he said.

“Twenty-six years ago, I started as a rookie and today I lead a multi-hundred-million-dollar business. At a time when choosing a career can seem like a serious gamble, I’m confident in the channel.”

A forthcoming feature will contain more industry views and more reasons why someone should choose a channel career