Meet our Instructors

We bring to you highly skilled instructors with comprehensive hands-on experience.

As experts in their respective fields, our instructors consult, keep up to date with industry developments, and most importantly, they make the success of each student a priority.

Thomas Lee

Thomas joined Global Knowledge as EMEA Chief Architect in September 2006. As Chief Architect, Thomas is responsible for ensuring consistent approaches to training across the company. Thomas continues to teach, but also does writing (for PC Pro and Server Management Magazine).

Thomas has a  deep knowledge of all versions of Microsoft's Windows client and server operating systems, along with a wide variety of applications and tools which run on that platform. This includes a broad understanding of the OS, as well as the .NET Framework and the key development tools. Since 2006, he has been involved with Office Communications Server 2007 including presenting at global Microsoft OCS events.

Profile:

• Microsoft MVP (since 2005)
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
• Microsoft Certified Trainer (since 2004)
• Microsoft Certified Professional + Internet
• Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security
• Microsoft Certified MSF/MSF Trainer
• Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician

Rob Ellett

All of Microsoft team hold premier industry certifications, MCSE, MCT, MSCE + Messaging, MCSE + Security and MCTS to name but a few. The team has specialist skills in:- Windows Server - NT4 through to 2008 and beyond), Unified Communications  -Exchange / OCS / LCS, Forefront – Server, Client & Edge (ISA / IAG), System Center – SoftGrid, Operations & Configuration Manager, Client – XP & Vista including deployment.

Many of our team also have experience in other non Microsoft areas including Linux, UNIX, Novell and Nortel as well as industry experience across many IT disciplines.

The team are experienced with the design and development of courseware for specific customer’s needs as well as experienced in the course development process for official Microsoft courses. Members of the team have written articles for industry magazines and several have presented at Microsoft TechNet events.

The team’s skills and expertise are clear, often being on the leading edge of new product waves, many times delivering and developing beta courses. Global Knowledge’s trainers regularly being chosen by Microsoft to deliver the first teach of courses, throughout the UK.

Claudia Woods

Claudia joined Global Knowledge as a Microsoft Technologist in April 2007. Currently, Claudia's Microsoft-related specialities include Windows Server, Active Directory and Exchange Messaging.

Claudia had been a Systems Engineer and Consultant for more than ten years prior coming to work for Global KNowledge UK. As such, she has designed and implemented network solutions that have additionally included VMWare (GSX/ESX platforms), Enterprise Editions of BackupExec and ArcServe, PowerChute Power Protection/Management, EMC Storage Area Network technology, CheckPoint Firewall and IronMail Gateway protection systems, among others.

Claudia enjoys the challenge of new technology, and routinely volunteers as a beta tester for various vendor's products.  Claudia has also written, edited and presented customized technology courses for several organizations.  Claudia is a regular attendee at IT events such as TechEd, MCT Summit, FOSE, and others.  As a TLG (Technical Learning Guide) for the Microsoft IT Pro Conference 2008, Claudia will represent Global Knowledge, UK in Orlando, Florida.

Profile:

• Microsoft Certified Trainer (since 1999)
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Exchange Server 2007
• Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Exchange Administration
• Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician
• CompTIA A+
• CompTIA Network+
• Novell NetWare CNA/CNE 3.x - 5.x

John Berry

The Global Knowledge Routing and Switching team comprises of five trainers with a wealth of experience in industry, academia and IT training. Covering all the subject areas within the Routing and Switching remit such as MPLS, BGP, Switching, Routing and CCIE training, but also diverse technologies ranging from Signalling System 7 to content management, Contact Centre to Wide Area Application Appliance to Unified Communications. As well as the standard vendor courses, the team designs, writes and delivers bespoke material for a large and diverse number of clients, delivered in numerous locations all around the world.

Besides the Cisco world, the team have extensive experience in complementary and differing technologies originating from Microsoft, UNIX, Apple, Nortel and IBM, this is important, enabling them to position technologies with a broader more balanced perspective, rather than a purely vendor centric view.

Collectively they hold a number of Cisco Certifications, for example CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, CCIP, CCVP and CCIE (10 Years) as well as a number of other vendor certifications and language skills.

The nature of the business dictates that they operate in an ever changing world.  Courses evolving to encompass new technologies and brand new subject areas, that a few years ago may have been considered science fiction. This often requires them to deliver new courses for the first time ever, anywhere.  To achieve this, careful development plans have to be put in place, addressing all aspects of the changes, including the knowledge, delivery and the labs. This requires the guys to be able to continuously upgrade their skills but be able to deliver new content in a seamless, enthusiastic and professional way, a rare and scarce ability.

While each member has different specialization's, background and training style, they all share a core set of values and professionalism. The overriding objective always being to deliver the best value added training course possible.”

Rob Collins

The Cisco Voice Team consists of a dedicated group of trainers who each have experience of a range of Cisco Voice products. These include the voice functionality of the Cisco IOS and also Cisco's server based voice portfolio and how they interact and build to make a well integrated VoIP system. Members of the team have been involved in authoring course material in a variety of subject areas including CallManager and Unified Contact Centre Express and have delivered training in these subjects in many countries, for a wide variety of clients around Europe and further a field. One of the advantages of instructor led training is the chance to work on labs involving real equipment, this allows the student to make real mistakes and our trainers are experienced in helping the student to identify and correct these problems, greatly enhancing the learning experience.  

The team instructs a broad range of courses ranging from those based around Cisco CallManager, both Linux and Windows based versions, to products that add additional capabilities such as Unity and Unified Contact Centre Express applications. Our trainers also instruct on the broad range of voice features supported by Cisco Router platforms and the IOS, ranging from dial-plan configuration and codec support to redundancy features such as SRST - Survivable Remote Site Telephony. Advice and instruction can also be given on how to ensure the quality of VoIP calls with the use of a variety of QoS (Quality of Service) and CAC (Call Admission Control) features. The Courses taught will aid in the design, implementation and maintenance of a world class VoIP communication system.

Graham Tuthill

The security team in Global Knowledge has four trainers with a combined experience in IT training of over 50 years. A highly trained and motivated team continually developing into new security areas, while maintaining current vendor certification status.  Qualifications such as Cisco Security Specialists and Cisco Voice specialists have been achieved with recognised industry qualifications such as CCNS, CCVP, CCSP, CCNA CCDA, CCIP and CCNP against their names. Within the team there are also specialists who's expertise covers and remains current in broader areas such as Cisco Wireless specialisations and Nortel certification.

A number of the team have recognised teaching qualifications and all have commercial experience gained outside of training. The level of professionalism is reflected in course evaluations with one of the instructors recently achieving the highest delegate feedback of all disciplines over a six-month period. Encouraged to be leading edge specialists, team members have been involved with the first teach of new products and have a direct influence on the content of future vendor courses. Development into CCIE security, through boot camp attends is strongly encouraged and has been taken up within the team.

Nicholas Burch

The Global Knowledge Business Skills training team is headed up by Nicholas Burch. Nicholas is an accredited PRINCE2TM and PMP instructor with expertise in general, project and training management. With extensive global experience from projects within the military, government, Royal Bank Scotland, Lotus and his own restaurant business he brings a wealth of knowledge to business skills training as Lead Trainer in Business Skills here at Global Knowledge. Nicholas says: “Joining Global Knowledge gives me the unique opportunity to develop the Business Skills portfolio within the company and to provide first class training such as PRINCE2TM, PMP and Managing Successful Programmes to our ever-growing customer base both in UK and in Europe and the Middle East”.  Nicholas Burch has a PRINCE2TM Practitioner exam success rate of 81% well above the national average. Courseware for PRINCE2TM and MSP courses is produced in partnership with i-Logic. I-Logic have extensive top level contacts within APM Group, the body who administer PRINCE2 and MSP on behalf of the Office of Government Commerce. PMP will be delivered using accredited and proven courseware from our US Partner Global Knowledge Inc.  Nicholas is supported by a select group of in house and associate instructors with extensive business and training experience.

Robin Edwards MCT MCSE

A Microsoft Certified Trainer and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer since 1999, Rob has extensive training experience in NT 4, Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 server products. Additionally Rob has also been training SMS 2.0, 2003 and is on the beta programme for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (aka SMS v4).

Rob has also been teaching Mom 2000 and 2005 SP1 and participated in the Operations Manager 2007 beta programme. Currently Rob is one of the few people in the UK training on Office Communications Server 2007.

Before becoming a trainer Rob was network manager for several companies and designed and implemented the rollout of their networks.

Rob has written several articles for Server Management Magazine on a range of topics and for Microsoft's (now defunct) FYI magazine on SMS. Rob has also presented for Microsoft at TechNet events and for the IT forum road show.