Partner Story
Investing in Microsoft Skills to Build One of Australia’s Top Specialised Local Government
ERP Teams
Rising demand for Microsoft-powered ERP solutions is growing,
and CouncilFirst is investing in its people to meet it
As more councils across Australia embark on digital transformation projects, CouncilFirst has been scaling its consulting team to meet the rising demand for modern, Microsoft-powered ERP solutions. With many of our consultants already bringing firsthand experience from within councils themselves, the next step was clear: build deeper capability in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, ensuring we continue to deliver the highest standard of implementation and support.
To accelerate this growth, CouncilFirst joined the Microsoft Re-skill BC Talent Initiative, a program designed to rapidly upskill consultants through hands-on training, real-world project immersion, and mentoring delivered directly through the Microsoft ecosystem. The initiative helps partners build practitioners who are not only technically capable but also confident in applying Business Central to council-specific business needs.
Creating a Strong Bridge Between Council Expertise and Microsoft Capability
When the BC Talent Initiative launched, CouncilFirst saw an opportunity for one of our team members, Kurt Viskovich, who joined us as a WA Consultant. With an extensive background in various local governments across WA, Kurt already understood the challenges of council operations. What he needed was the technical foundation to complement that insight, and Business Central would provide a clear pathway to do just that.
“Instead of just diving into product documentation, ReSKILL provides additional insights into how to approach each topic area,” he explained. “If there are four options to run a particular process, it advises you on the best route to take to provide the desired outcome.””
Beyond core product knowledge, the program shaped the way he approaches problems and solutions within the Microsoft stack.
“Instead of just diving into product documentation, ReSKILL provides additional insights into how to approach each topic area,” he explained. “If there are four options to run a particular process, it advises you on the best route to take to provide the desired outcome.””
Building a Highly Specialised, Customer Centric Consulting Team
Programs like Re-skill BC ensure our team remains not only experienced in local government but also highly specialised in the Microsoft cloud technologies that modern councils rely on.
Kurt's journey reflects something we've always believed: investing in our people drives better outcomes for our customers. Across the technology industry, research consistently shows that organisations that invest in employee development see improved performance, higher confidence, greater innovation, and significantly stronger customer satisfaction.
We look forward to introducing more consultants to the Re-skill BC Talent Initiative in the coming year, helping them build the same strong foundation and confidence that Kurt gained.
When our people grow, our customers benefit, and that's the kind of outcome that fosters a strong partnership, leading to real transformation.
Take the next step
Microsoft has featured CouncilFirst's Reskill journey here in their latest Partner Success Story.
To learn more about CouncilFirst’s Business Central capability, book a short demo to see how it supports councils with their day-to-day operations.