News story

Global Knowledge Launches Complete Cisco Channel Specialization Solution

Cary, N.C. and Wokingham, UKLearning NewsGlobal Knowledge

Global Knowledge, the world's largest Cisco education partner, announced today that it is the first and only company to offer Cisco Channel Partners in North America and Europe a comprehensive training solution which maps to all of the new Cisco Specializations by job role: Foundations, Advanced Unified Communications, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced Security, and Advanced Wireless.

In recognition of changing customer needs and evolving technologies, Cisco Systems announced a restructuring of its Channel Partner program in March 2006 with new specialization requirements for achieving Premier, Silver, and Gold Certification levels. Working with Cisco Systems and select channel partners, Global Knowledge has developed a program focused on the specific needs of the Cisco reseller community. The new Global Knowledge training solutions help channel partners drive sales of key technologies while minimizing the time spent in the classroom.

"We are deeply committed to enabling Cisco's channel partners to achieve their specialist certification requirements, thus enhancing their revenue and margin opportunities with Cisco advanced technologies," said Joseph W. Cece, Chief Executive Officer and President of Global Knowledge. "We are providing a complete, efficient, one-stop solution in North America and Europe that leverages our long-standing leadership position within the international Cisco education marketplace."

"We have developed an education offering that is flexible, efficient, and provides meaningful reporting and tracking capabilities," said Michael Fox, Global Knowledge Senior VP, Worldwide Products & Services. "We are uniquely positioned to take Cisco's core curriculum, tailor the courses and the labs to meet specific channel partner requirements, and then deliver the curriculum in a variety of learning modalities, including instructor-led in a classroom, at the customer's facility, or via a virtual e-learning format."

"Global Knowledge EMEA is the only Cisco Learning Solutions Partner that can simultaneously launch and deliver this training across EMEA," said Richard Pryor-Jones, President Global Knowledge Europe. "We know that channel readiness is vital for both our channel customers and vendor partners. Our ability to support Cisco in their exciting specialization initiative will ensure channel partners have the capability to meet the program needs."

In addition to the courseware and hands-on labs, the company also offers comprehensive, enterprise-wide solutions, including pre-assessments and custom training tracks that map individual training needs to particular courses. "Our enterprise solutions are carefully coordinated from both a sales and project management view to provide information and reporting results to key stakeholders, allowing them to see the progression of training that has taken place and the pass rates," said Fox. "Our program reporting is imperative for our partners because it provides visibility into the training ROI. The process allows customers to map the success of candidates who have gone through this training to actual sales and to their performance in the field following the training."

The Global Knowledge web site (www.globalknowledge.com/solutionscenter) features an easy-to-use training tool that provides a drop down menu where Cisco Channel Partners can select a specialization area and job role and then view a learning map, or track, that includes hyperlinks to the specific course requirements and the current classroom training schedule. Training for each course can also be delivered at a customer's location.

"With the ever broadening scope of skills that Cisco requires, including Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and project management, there is truly no other company better positioned to help Cisco and its reseller partners than Global Knowledge," said Fox. "We are the market leader in Cisco and Microsoft training and we have a significant project management curriculum that has experienced explosive growth over the last 24 months."

Earlier this year, Global Knowledge received the prestigious Learning Solutions Partner of the Year award from Cisco Systems. The company was one of only eight global honorees selected from a list of more than 2,800 Cisco Certified Channel Partners worldwide for outstanding performance in 2005.