- Published on
IBM's New HashiCorp Partner Badges: A Practitioner's Guide to the Evolution of Partner Enablement
- Authors
- Name
- Mark Beacom
- @mbeacom
Since IBM's acquisition of HashiCorp, the partner ecosystem has been watching for signals about technical enablement. For consultancies like ours at Cirrustack, recently onboarded as registered partners and actively pursuing higher tiers, understanding the new training landscape is essential to our growth strategy.
I just completed all six of the new IBM HashiCorp partner accreditations, from Sales Foundation through Practitioner Advanced for both Vault and Terraform. As I head to HashiConf today for the Terraform Professional exam, I want to share what this evolution means for partners who've been wondering about the path forward.
While the future of the HashiCorp Certified Implementation Partner (CHIP) program remains uncertain, these new accreditations offer something potentially more valuable: the same deep technical content with radically improved accessibility.
The Complete Badge Landscape: Six Paths to Expertise
The new program provides six distinct accreditation paths, creating comprehensive coverage across roles:
HashiCorp Vault Track
- Sales Foundation - Product positioning and value proposition fundamentals
- Technical Sales Intermediate - Solution architecture and customer scenario planning
- Practitioner Advanced - Deep implementation and operational expertise
HashiCorp Terraform Track
- Sales Foundation - Infrastructure as Code principles and business value
- Technical Sales Intermediate - Enterprise adoption patterns and governance strategies
- Practitioner Advanced - Complex deployments and Day 2 operations
This role-based structure allows organizations to build both broad product literacy and deep technical expertise where needed.
The Practitioner Advanced Tracks: Familiar Excellence, New Delivery
After completing both Practitioner Advanced tracks, I can confirm what many suspected: the technical content is remarkably similar to CHIP. In fact, the Vault Practitioner Advanced includes essentially the same labs and environments that made CHIP so valuable.
What Remains the Same
The Vault track covers the identical critical scenarios:
- Multi-region deployment with performance replication
- Complex auth method chaining and policy composition
- Production-grade disaster recovery implementations
- Enterprise PKI at scale
The Terraform track delivers equally comprehensive coverage:
- Advanced workspace design patterns for Terraform Cloud/Enterprise
- Module composition for large organizations
- Sentinel policy-as-code for compliance
- Complex state management scenarios
The labs aren't just similar... they're the same battle-tested scenarios that have trained hundreds of successful implementations.
The Revolutionary Change: From Bootcamp to Self-Service
Here's what's genuinely different: accessibility at scale.
| Aspect | CHIP Program | New Partner Badges |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Content | Deep, hands-on validation | Same comprehensive material |
| Delivery Model | Scheduled bootcamps | Self-paced, on-demand |
| Enrollment | Limited seats per cohort | Unlimited concurrent access |
| Time Flexibility | Fixed schedule commitment | Learn at your own pace |
| Prerequisites | Partner onboarding process | Immediate access for all partners |
| Cost to Partners | Free (but limited access) | Free (with unlimited access) |
The shift from scheduled bootcamps to self-service isn't just convenient... it's transformative. Where CHIP required coordinating schedules, traveling to bootcamps, or joining virtual cohorts at specific times, the new model lets every partner access the same high-quality content immediately.
Why Self-Service Changes Everything
This isn't about cost. Both programs were free to eligible partners. It's about removing every other barrier to expertise.
1. Scale Your Team Without Constraints
Previously, getting three engineers through CHIP (often required for higher partner tiers) meant waiting for available bootcamp slots, potentially across multiple sessions. Now, your entire team can start tomorrow and progress at their own pace.
2. Accommodate Real Project Schedules
Consultancies live by project deadlines. The self-service model means engineers can pause training for urgent customer needs and resume exactly where they left off. No more choosing between customer commitments and training opportunities.
3. Build a T-Shaped Organization
With unlimited access, you can now afford to have everyone complete Sales Foundation for baseline literacy, while specialists dive deep into the Advanced tracks. This creates teams with both broad understanding and deep expertise.
4. Onboard New Hires Immediately
New team members can begin their HashiCorp journey on day one, rather than waiting months for the next available bootcamp. This accelerates time-to-productivity dramatically.
A Strategic Approach for Partners
Based on completing all six badges, here's my recommended progression:
Phase 1: Universal Foundation (Week 1-2)
Foundation badges: establish baseline product literacy across the organization.
Have your entire team complete both Sales Foundation badges. This creates organizational alignment and ensures everyone can articulate value propositions.
Phase 2: Role-Based Progression (Weeks 3-6)
Intermediate badges: enable consultative solution design and enterprise patterns.
- Sales Teams: Focus on customer conversations and value
- Solution Architects: Complete Technical Sales Intermediate for both products
- Implementation Engineers: Begin Practitioner Advanced tracks
Phase 3: Deep Specialization (Weeks 7-12)
Advanced badges: validate hands-on implementation capability and Day 2 operations.
Engineers complete Practitioner Advanced while preparing for vendor certifications (Associate/Professional exams).
Phase 4: Continuous Development
With self-paced access, teams can revisit advanced content as products evolve and new patterns emerge.
Strategic Implications: IBM's Long Game
The decision to maintain the same rigorous content while revolutionizing delivery signals IBM's strategic vision. They're not lowering the bar, they're removing artificial constraints on excellence.
This approach recognizes a fundamental truth: in the infrastructure automation space, partner quality directly determines customer success. By democratizing access to top-tier training, IBM ensures every partner can deliver exceptional implementations.
Looking Forward: Questions and Opportunities
Several questions remain as this new ecosystem takes shape:
- How will these badges factor into formal partner tier requirements?
- Will CHIP continue in some form, or do these badges represent its evolution?
- How will the content evolve as products advance?
- What additional advanced tracks might emerge?
What's clear is that the current offering provides immediate, substantial value. Partners can build expertise now while the broader program continues to evolve.
Final Thoughts: Embracing Accessible Excellence
After experiencing all six accreditations firsthand, I'm genuinely excited about this evolution. IBM has preserved what made CHIP valuable: deep, practical, hands-on validation while removing every barrier except commitment.
For consultancies like Cirrustack working toward higher partner tiers, this accessibility transformation means we can build expertise across our entire team, not just selected individuals. The same world-class content that previously required significant scheduling coordination is now available whenever our teams are ready to learn.
As I head into HashiConf and the Terraform Professional exam, I'm more confident than ever in our HashiCorp investment. The tools remain exceptional, the training maintains its high standards, and the partner ecosystem now has unprecedented access to excellence.
I'll be at HashiConf all week. If you're attending, let's connect and discuss what this accessibility revolution means for building the future of infrastructure automation.
Have you explored the new partner badges? How does the self-service model change your team's approach to enablement? I'd love to hear your perspectives! Drop a comment below or find me at HashiConf to compare notes.