Global Knowledge shows commitment...

...to Microsoft with MVP appointment

_{11th of juli 2007}
^{Global Knowledge, Europe’s leading independent training company, is demonstrating its commitment to deliver the very highest standards of training in Microsoft technologies to its customers in Belgium with the appointment of Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP), Ilse Van Criekinge as Microsoft Business Development Manager.}

Ilse, who specialises in Microsoft Exchange, became a Microsoft MVP earlier this year, having proven her extensive knowledge of the vendor’s technologies through a series of projects – including the founding of the Belgian professional user group for Exchange and related technologies, and technical collaborations with the company.

She gained most of her expertise in Microsoft technologies during a five and a half year period with Global Knowledge and is now returning to the company having spent a nine month period working as a specialist consultant with Atos Origin. “I have gained valuable experience of working closely with large enterprises on specific projects but I am very pleased to be returning to Global Knowledge where I will be able to put my expertise to the best possible use by showing customers how they can get the very best from their implementations of Microsoft Exchange”, said Ilse.

“Microsoft certification is becoming much more important for both organizations and individuals and with her extensive experience in certification training and skills validation, Ilse is ideally placed to help Global Knowledge develop Microsoft training programs that meet customer needs”, said Karin Selleslagh, Country Manager for Global Knowledge Belgium.

Global Knowledge is one of only a handful of fully accredited Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Learning Solutions (CLPS) in Belgium and offers a full schedule of Microsoft courses at its offices in Mechelen.

“Many companies in Benelux are now looking to adopt Microsoft Windows Vista and the new Office 2007 and Exchange 2007 solutions”, stated Selleslagh. “When they make that commitment, they want to be sure of getting the very best and fastest return on investment possible. The best way to be sure of achieving that is to train users at the earliest stage so that they know how to get the best from these new solutions.”

Ilse will be responsible for liaising with Microsoft and Global Knowledge’s own staff, to ensure the right courses and content are being delivered to customers. In addition, she will work to raise awareness of the comprehensive schedule of courses Global Knowledge offers in Microsoft technologies amongst enterprise organisations in Belgium.

“Being a Microsoft MVP will be a tremendous advantage in this” she noted, “My job is all about understanding what new developments and technologies really mean to professionals and managers, and identifying where we will need to focus our efforts in order to help them develop their own capabilities.”

The MVP scheme represents a significant investment by Microsoft in its customers. “Through the MVP initiative, Microsoft is ensuring that knowledge and support of all its technologies are accessible freely to all Microsoft customers and users. The help MVPs provide helps customers maximise their productivity and get the best value and return on investment in Microsoft products”, said Ilse.

Microsoft describes the MVP Award as its way of acknowledging and supporting the significant contributions that individual professionals make to Microsoft communities through the open and objective exchange of knowledge, and the active sharing of their real-world expertise with users and with Microsoft itself.

Presskontakt
Ida Malnes
Global Knowledge
Tel: +47 976 23 909
Email: ida.malnes@globalknowledge.no

Om Global Knowledge
_{Global Knowledge är världens största privatägda leverantör av utbildning, utbildningstjänster och mjukvarulösningar för IT och management proffs. Företaget erbjuder en bred utbildningsportfölj inom IT, projektledning och affärsmannaskap med kurser utvecklade av Global Knowledge, kurser utvecklade på kundspecifikt innehåll, samt kurser framtagna av ledande leverantörer som Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, Oracle och Red Hat. Global Knowledge har hjälpt stora företag och organisationer världen över att omsätta kunskap till produktivitet för anställda, kunder och partners genom våra klassrumsbaserade utbildningar, utbildningar som genomförs på plats hos kund samt via internet. Företaget grundades 1995, har över 1.500 anställda personer världen över med huvudkontor i Cary, North Carolina, USA. Global Knowledge ägs av New York-baserade investmentbolaget Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe.}