Global Knowledge Builds on its Technology Training Foundation

A learning company widely known for its IT and technical training capabilities has quietly emerged as the world's largest privately held provider of training and enterprise learning services.

It's not as if executives of Cary, NC-based Global Knowledge object to widespread recognition for their IT training accomplishments. Being one of the nation's largest providers of Cisco and Microsoft training is a considerable achievement, after all.

Global Knowledge also ranks as the largest independent provider of traditional classroom-based and distance education for IT and technical professional training. It delivers expert-led training in project management and professional technical skills to a wide range of workforce and customer learners every day.

Yet that is only part of the story of a dynamic worldwide company with a broad scope of expertise aimed at helping companies solve their business problems. Its capabilities include training outsourcing, content development, customer education, corporate sales automation learning solutions, as well as software implementation management solutions.

“Our infrastructure, processes and people are very refined in addressing complex corporate learning requirements,” explains Michael K. Fox, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Products and Services. He says the company's 900 employees are aggressively building the business towards a singular goal: to become the world's leading provider of corporate learning solutions.

Indeed, the name Global Knowledge is entirely appropriate, since the company's footprint covers 19 countries and 13 different languages in service to longstanding corporate clients. Through its vast catalogue of courseware and other outlets, it touches an impressive 14 million contacts every year.

While the organization itself was created in 1995, its training roots grow deep. The story began more than 40 years ago when computer pioneer Digital Equipment Corp. created Digital Learning Services, a training department to provide IT and other technical training for its employees and customers. The training arm was acquired by the New York-based investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe to form Global Knowledge. Additional acquisitions occurred, including the 1997 acquisition of IT trainer American Research Group (ARG).

Chris Gosk, Vice President of Worldwide E-learning, says much of the company's success rests on three key pillars: the right content, the right services orientation and the right training delivery platforms. “Our global learning infrastructure enables facilities-based, distance education, and managed learning through a fully hosted LMS capable of launching and tracking scheduled learning and self-paced e-learning,” he says. “We know the ins and outs of getting training to learners, and we make sure that the technology doesn't get in the way of, but instead, enhances the learning process.”

One important way in which Global Knowledge leverages the market capabilities of software providers is through its courseware catalogue. More than 700 courses are listed in the publication including Cisco, Microsoft, Red Hat, as well as security, telephony, Internet working and project management. This targeted demand generation service validates new products as it increases adoption rates.

To better serve its clients, Global Knowledge is divided into three business units:

Enterprise Solutions. This unit supports three distinct educational initiatives for corporate clients. They include Employee Education Services (such as new hire training, certifications and compliance); Customer Education Services (software and hardware training for an organization's sales force, customers, and channel partners); and Enterprise Project Services (which help clients meet finite training obligations).

IT and Management Training. This unit provides 700 courses in 13 languages, including vendor-specific training for Nortel, Oracle, Red Hat, and Foundstone Technologies, among others. It trains for certifications as well as application and web development, operating systems, networking and wireless, security, telephony, project management, and professional skills training. Options include classroom learning, on-site learning, virtual classroom e-learning, and self-paced e-learning to customers.

OnDemand Software. More than 850 Global 2000 companies are deriving greater business value from their enterprise applications with OnDemand Personal Navigator^TM , its synchronized content development platform for documentation, training, and in-application performance support. It enables organizations to increase enterprise application utilization, realize faster time to competency, and reduce training costs and content development time.

Global Knowledge employs a rigorous SOLVE™ methodology to comprehend and resolve the needs of its clients to improve productivity for their employees, customers, and channel partners. The five-step process surrounds a customer's business, audience and environment so it can understand them from the customer's perspective; originates a customized solution; launches the solution; validates the process and results of the initiative; and lastly, evolves to meet the customer's ongoing needs.

“SOLVE methodology resonates with our customers because it pinpoints solutions for them,” insists Fox. He says it also helps ensure that a customer's training initiatives adapt and grow as its business strategies and training requirements evolve. By measuring and evaluating the results along the way, greater success is assured, he says.

Fox says Global Knowledge's innovative approach to client training is demonstrated daily. For example, it recently used its broad experience in the pharmaceutical industry to train one client company's 2,400 pharmaceutical sales representatives to use a new technology platform, a customer relations management system, as well as to employ the application in their day-to-day sales activities.

“Software companies that provide a new piece of software do not necessarily make the best trainers of that platform,” says Fox. “When it comes to real world applications, and how a company can employ it to grow its business, they often don't have a clue. That's why companies call on Global Knowledge.” The distinction, says Fox, is that mastering the sales application is not IT-related training but involves sales force automation. “It's about tracking sales calls, tracking samples given to a physician, conducting internal reports and other followup activities,” he says.

Fox says another important ingredient is its Global Learning Platform, a fully hosted, end-to-end learning architecture that integrates leading e-learning technologies. They include Oracle's iLearning LMS, the Interwise virtual classroom tool, GK's own custom learning content management system, and the OnDemand Software documentation, simulation, and performance support technology. The platform's modular design enables integration with a customer's existing e-learning technologies and content libraries.

Global Knowledge's end-to-end service capabilities are demonstrated by its relationship with Nortel Networks, where it is the Premier Education Partner for Nortel Networks Enterprise Solutions Training in North America. It offers the full range of project management and customer education services for IT, sales, service and enterprise training. Virtual classroom e-learning, self paced e-learning, and classroom learning are employed.

Another client is garden and lawn care products giant The Scotts Company. It employs some 2,000 field sales and merchandising representatives who work with retailers including The Home Depot and Lowe's. Almost 1,700 of those individuals work part-time. Faced with a daunting training challenge, Scotts turned to Global Knowledge. The result is a complete e-learning solution for the sales training challenge that includes an online certification program with separate levels for managers and full-time employees, and for part-time field sales employees.

Fox says Global Knowledge is well poised to pursue future opportunities in virtually all areas of training. “Training is a people, process and logistics business,” he insists. “We are building from a vast reservoir of expertise that includes 19 years of industry experience and a dozen years of teaching for the average instructor.” Such longevity, he says, helps place Global Knowledge among corporate training's elite.