MCT New and Renewing MCTs - Update July 26
Updated July 26, 2025 As we step into FY26 on July 1st, 2025, I want to share some important updates regarding the MCT Program—especially for those planning to renew. New Fees Coming October 2025, no exact date and the cost will be shared at a later date. Starting July 1st, 2025, we will introduce: A renewal fee (ecommerce tool will be available in October 2025 for everyone to renew) A new MCT enrollment fee (ecommerce tool will be available in October 2025 for new MCTs) Our systems are currently being updated to support this change, with the new tool expected to launch in October 2025. More to come on costs. Pricing will be region supported. Session Requirement for Renewal Effective January 1st, 2026, MCTs will be required to complete six (6) sessions or six (6) days of training per calendar year to qualify for renewal. For clarity on what qualifies as a session, please refer to the attached PDF: Mandatory Use of MTM We will be enforcing stricter requirements for using Metrics That Matter (MTM) to log sessions with your Training Services Partner (TSP). Please coordinate with your TSPs to ensure MTM is being used correctly. What to Expect Next More details on program costs will be shared closer to the tool’s release. All MCTs that were MCTs before manual enrollment have been extended through January 1st, 2026, with full benefits. You’ll see this extension reflected in your profile in your MCT Trainer History NOT active certification. All current MCTs will be able to renew when the tool is available in October 2025 and the requirement to renew will be to have an active certification and have taught one class since your last renewal and pay the renewal fee (costs to come later). We will be checking that you have taught the one class using MTM. New MCTs will need ISC certificate, one role-based active certification and pay the MCT new enrollment fee. New MCT Enrollment Process | Microsoft Learn 🙏 Thank you for your continued support and patience as we enhance our systems. Here’s to a successful and impactful FY26!Update on MCT Manual Enrollment Process
Training Services Partners, Existing and New Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs), and ISCPs We know it’s been a long road—over a year of manual MCT enrollments—and we sincerely apologize for the delays. Currently, onboarding is booking several months out. 💡 Need to teach before your scheduled onboarding? If it’s urgent, email mctprog@microsoft.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate. ⚠️ Please note: Escalation grants limited access—you’ll get into the MCT Lounge, Learning Download Center, and labs. However, Visual Studio and discounted exams will only be available after full onboarding, which takes ~2 months from your onboarding date. 🔧 We do not yet have a timeline for when the automated enrollment tool will be restored, but we’ll keep you posted. ✅ In the meantime, please continue working with your ISCP to get onboarded as an MCT. Thank you for your patience and continued dedication to the MCT program. 💙
Copilot for MCTs
I participated in the February 2024 Training Services Partner Community Call (TSPCC) about an hour ago, where numerous Copilot courses and Applied Skills Assessments were announced. However, a critical concern remains unaddressed: the accessibility of Copilot for Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) to effectively teach these courses and conduct assessments. The current guidance of "Bring your own subscription" (which was provided to me as a response in the TSPCC Q & A today) for training organizations is impractical and does not align with the needs of MCTs and training service providers (TSPs). The lack of a feasible solution for accessing Copilot presents a significant barrier to entry, particularly for individual trainers and small to medium-sized TSPs. The financial burden of procuring a Copilot license, with its substantial upfront cost and lack of a monthly payment option, is a deterrent to many, including myself and many TSPs in my region. This situation creates an uneven playing field, favoring larger enterprise TSPs capable of acquiring multiple licenses, thereby monopolizing the market and client base. It is imperative to recognize that the demand for instructor-led training in Copilot is high, with students seeking guidance and consultation in navigating this revolutionary tool. The self-learning route is not a viable alternative for all learners. I urge Microsoft WWL to expedite the development of a solution that provides MCTs with complimentary access to Copilot, enabling us to deliver the high-quality training that is in demand. The current model is not sustainable and risks alienating a significant portion of the training community. It is crucial for Microsoft WWL to address this issue promptly to ensure the successful rollout of Copilot courses and to maintain the integrity and inclusivity of the MCT program.Badge redemption is received poorly by our students
Hello everyone, I would like to address a matter concerning the new partner program requirements set by Microsoft. While I understand the need for new KPI metrics, we have encountered a significant challenge in getting our students to redeem their badges. There are multiple reasons contributing to this issue, but one stands out the most: once the badge is activated, everything related to the course in MS Learn is marked as completed. As a result, students lose track of their progress within MS Learn, leading many of them to refrain from redeeming their badges. Despite our efforts to prompt students to redeem their badges towards the end of the course, a significant number of them still choose not to do so. Furthermore, we have observed that many students do not perceive the added value of these badges. They enroll in courses with the intention of acquiring new knowledge and skills, placing little importance on the badges themselves. Consequently, these students are less likely to redeem their badges, regardless of how frequently we remind them or emphasize the importance of these metrics. This situation directly impacts our standing as a Microsoft Learning Partner. It can be frustrating as a Learning Partner to be held accountable for an aspect that is largely beyond our control and influence. While we can and do ask students to claim their badges multiple times, we cannot force them to do so. Another source of frustration is the lack of visibility regarding the response rates for badge redemption. There is currently no dashboard available to Learning Partners to track this information. This creates uncertainty and makes it challenging for us to effectively manage this aspect, despite its significant impact on our performance as a Learning Partner. Essentially, for a Learning Partner, it feels like operating in a black box. Please note that I am aware that a dashboard for badge redemption is planned to be available after the summer. However, it is important to highlight that even during this interim period without visibility, we are already being held accountable for these KPI metrics. Although I remain optimistic about the new partner program and understand Microsoft's motivations, I believe there is a need for greater transparency. When Learning Partners are measured on specific KPI metrics, it would be beneficial to provide them with insights into those same metrics. For our other initiatives, such as MTM, we perform daily data extractions and visualize the results through Power BI dashboards. However, when it comes to badge redemption, we lack such tools. Please understand that my intention is not to be disrespectful. I simply wanted to share my thoughts on this matter. Thank you for your attention. Kind regards, Marnix WolfNew Training Services Partner Onboarding Update
Hello new TSPs. We are currently updating the onboarding process to provide better communications around process and timing. While we work to update, please send me a private message if you have completed the onboarding form and you are currently waiting on a response. I anticipate this workaround to last for a few weeks and for us to have a new process in place in January. Once the update is complete and the normal process resumes, I will delete this thread. Thanks, Dan[CLOSED] - FY25 Monthly Training Services Partner Community Call Thread
We will use this thread to communicate updates (invites and links) for the monthly TSP Community Calls. Thanks for joining us on yesterday's June TSP Community Calls. You can now access the recording, deck, and transcripts in our temporary shared folder: https://aka.ms/TSPCC_June24. The last year of calls continue to live on the Learning Resources site: https://partner.microsoft.com/marketing/learning-resources#/ We will not have a July call. Our next call will be August 28th. Invites are attached.Labs Update 5/30
Hello TSPs, As you are likely aware, Worldwide Learning continues to experience impacts to training labs as work progresses on Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative. These updates are important to ensure that Microsoft continues to be a market leader in protecting both partner and customer data. We know how critical these labs are for your success and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to navigate the challenges of the evolving security threat landscape. As of this week, all M365 tenant types are available for classes. Please note that increased security measures require a longer lead time to provision tenants. Depending on the course and quantity of tenants, Authorized Lab Hosters (ALHs) may not be able to immediately meet partner demand. We are working on resolving the issue and hope to have everything normalized within a week. Please keep collaborating with your ALH to prepare for future classes. D365 tenants remain offline due to the continued security work. Our team continues to make progress on resolving the D365 issue but there is no current ETA for D365 tenant availability. This work impacts the following courses: MB-210T01: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales MB-230T01: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service MB-240T00: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service MB-910T00: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or disruption these issues may cause to your business and your customers. We value your partnership and support, and we are doing our best to mitigate the impact and provide you with the best possible lab experiences for your learners. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress and the resolution of these issues here in the Forum and on the monthly partner Community Calls. DanRequest for a content-rich M365 tenant for M365 Copilot training purposes
Dear Microsoft Community and Team, I am writing on behalf of our team, a dedicated Microsoft Training Services Partner (TSP), with a keen interest in delivering comprehensive M365 Copilot training to end users. Our goal is to ensure that users can fully leverage the capabilities of M365 Copilot, thereby maximizing its benefits. Typically, an empty M365 tenant would be sufficient for training purposes. However, M365 Copilot's unique functionality hinges on the presence of substantial content within the tenant – including SharePoint sites, files, emails, meetings, chats, calendars, and contacts. This content is crucial for building M365 Copilot’s Semantic Index, which is essential for the tool to operate at its full potential. Consequently, providing hands-on training in such an enriched M365 environment becomes imperative. During the last TSP Community Call in January 2024, Michael Kophs, the Content Portfolio Manager, acknowledged the necessity of such a tenant for training purposes. However, there were no further details provided on how Microsoft might support TSPs in this regard. We recognize that setting up and maintaining a content-rich M365 tenant for training is a complex task, and it is beyond our current capabilities. Additionally, using our own corporate tenant for this purpose is not a feasible option. In light of this, we kindly request guidance or support from Microsoft in providing access to a suitable M365 tenant. This tenant would be used exclusively for training purposes, allowing participants to fully experience M365 Copilot and potentially continue to explore post-training, thereby fostering advocacy for this innovative GenAI-based service. We are open to discussing the financial aspects of accessing such a tenant for our training needs. We eagerly anticipate Microsoft’s response on this matter and are looking forward to your support in empowering end users through effective training. Thank you for considering our request. With kind regards, Marnix Wolf
