As part of this month’s SAMPanel debate, SAMChannel asked Rory Canavan, Owner of SAMCharter, ‘How can the Talent Shortage in the SAM Sector be Addressed?’

Below was his response…

Fresh blood in the world of SAM is a rarity, and it’s unfortunate too, as SAM is the obverse side of how the software industry makes money (increasingly though, it is being used as a revenue driver through audits).

I believe the SAM industry is waking up to the notion that it needs new employees, and in finally coming round to the notion that it has to practice what it preaches i.e. doing nothing is not an option.

SHI (led by Stuart Dicken) recently gave a very interesting presentation at the BCS on how it’s taking on apprentices to offer them on-the-job training; Gemma Walker of Livingstone-Tech mentioned that her company was also doing the same.

Ian Preskitt (as a major SAM wheel within the BCS) is trying to build bridges between the BCS and various universities to incorporate some degree of software asset management into IT degree courses.

And Dave Kelsey (Product Manager at the BCS) is also looking to overhaul the ISEB SAM Portfolio for those SAM professionals who might be looking to augment their knowledge having been in post for 1-2 years.

Self-study/continuing professional development seems to be the way forward – courses are springing up around the UK and the rest of the world, IAITAM have a long-established range of courses relating to ITAM, The IBSMA also runs a range of courses including day-long deep dives on Microsoft, Oracle and IBM licensing. ITAMOrg are the new kids on the block, with an ever-expanding range of courses – crafted with a hint of service management and Information Security thrown in for good measure. The BSA also has a certification programme called SAM Advantage.

A special mention also has to go to Louise Ulrick and Paul Burgum of Licensing School, who offer classroom-based and bespoke training around Microsoft Licensing.

Needless to say, many of the SAM tool vendors will offer training on how to address SAM concerns using their tool.

As I have said before, change is the enemy – and just as you get a grasp of a particular discipline of SAM (be it licensing, systems or business analysis/process knowledge) some aspect of SAM will have changed to potentially undermine your previous understanding of how to interpret SAM. Continuous review and improvement should not just be an abstract goal of your business in achieving SAM maturity, it should also be a key driver in professional and personal development.

About the Author:

Rory Canavan | Owner of SAM Charter | Twitter | LinkedIn

With a technical background in business and systems analysis, Rory has a wide range of first-hand experience advising numerous companies and organisations on the best practices and principles pertaining to software asset management. This experience has been gained in both military and civil organisations, including the Royal Navy, Compaq, HP, the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) and several software vendors.