Global Knowledge Trains Cisco GTAP Graduate Through a Historic Series of Firsts

The Situation

Progressive companies know the importance of solving problems for their customers. While many factors may contribute to the solution, none are as vital or measurable as continuing education and training.

Indeed, the demand for highly skilled employees in the global economy has given rise to many continuing education programs. One of the best such programs is Cisco's Global Talent Acceleration Program (GTAP), a vigorous approach to skills acquisition. With ample training delivered to Cisco employees by Global Knowledge and partners, GTAP provides a unique and encouraging environment in which new hires can reach the educational pinnacles that easily translate into providing the right answers to problem solving on behalf of current and future customers.

As a follow-on to the GTAP program, Cisco was challenged to develop even deeper expertise within GTAP graduates in Jordan and India. In response, Global Knowledge proposed the use of Cisco's 360 Learning Program for CCIE Routing and Switching, a training option that was in its infancy, and not yet available to the public.

"The graduates of the Cisco GTAP program were to be the first to enroll in the CCIE 360 Learning Program, a vigorous path to network expertise and CCIE certification, and a sure-fire approach for filling the talent pipeline in various theaters," explains Samia Tadros, GTAP / CCIE 360 program Manager and VP at Global Knowledge for the Middle East and Africa.

GTAP has proven to be a talent pool for accelerating engineering expertise into markets hungry for high-level Cisco talent by training newly graduated engineers for skills acquisition, knowledge, and certification at every level, including CCIE, the highest ranking Cisco certification.

When Khalid Abdel Aziz of Cairo, Egypt went looking for the pinnacle of his education, he found it in the hands-on, tailored training provided by Global Knowledge, an industry leading Cisco Learning Solutions Partner.

A Series of Firsts

Khalid Abdel Aziz of Cairo, Egypt, graduated from GTAP in August 2008.
"GTAP was a great exposure for me, the program provided a strong theoretical background and helped me improve my technical knowledge.

Two months later, I walked through the doors of Synergy Professional Services (SPS), a leading training provider acquired by Global Knowledge MEA in 2007, and took a seat in his first class as a CCIE 360 student.

The exacting CCIE 360 training program combines excellence in instruction with assessment labs, e-learning modules, practice labs, personal feedback, workbooks, a complete online reference library, and mentoring from industry experts.

I completed my training in less than three months-half the expected time.

"Khalid's accomplishments are remarkable," says Rick Smith, CCIE 360 Program Manager at Cisco. "He finished one of the most rigorous post-graduate style study programs on the planet in less than three months-an incredible feat for a student enrolled in a program that typically requires six months to complete."

I didn't stop there. On February 15, 2009, I passed the CCIE 360 certification lab exam-on my first attempt, no less-and earned my place in history as the first student to achieve CCIE certification since the 2008 launch of the Cisco 360 Learning Program for Routing and Switching.

My hands-on training, which began with my participation in GTAP, helped me prepare for Cisco's highest ranking certification. "The training helped give me the confidence to take the Cisco 360 certification exam.

The Results

Now I’m applying my skills to my new role as a Khalid Abdel Aziz within Cisco Advanced Services in Egypt. "Now that I have completed CCIE 360, I have increased my expertise in Cisco products for my customers at Vodafone Egypt, a leading mobile service provider.

We offer our congratulations on a job well done to Khalid Abdel Aziz, CCIE R&S #23528