As one of the world's largest and most well respected international consulting, technology services, and outsourcing firms, ICF has helped countless clients become successful companies throughout a variety of industries.

In October 2009, ICF wanted to increase their Cisco technologies service capabilities. They were already helping their clients determine which Cisco technologies would help them improve their businesses. Now ICF also wanted to help clients implement those technologies effectively and efficiently.

ICF realized that obtaining the Cisco Multinational Certification would help them get the training they needed and validate to clients their consultants' Cisco-technology skills. The Cisco Multinational Certification recognizes partners for their ability to deliver business solutions built upon Cisco's technologies throughout multiple countries in a specific geographical theatre.

ICF approached Cisco and asked them for sponsorship toward achieving a new certification status in the European theatre. Partners wanting Multinational Certification are required to achieve two Gold and two Silver certifications within Europe to become multinational throughout the theatre. ICF planned to earn certifications in France, United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy. Cisco would then assign ICF to a fasttrack program, giving them a nine-month window to achieve their certification goal.

Cisco provided a timeline with identified milestones to help ICF stay on-track and reach their certification goal within this short time period. Despite the fast-track program's assistance, ICF still needed to team with a learning provider to help them meet their goal.

The Cisco Account Manager responsible for the ICF partnership recommended Global Knowledge as the learning provider. This recommendation was based upon Cisco's long-standing, learning partnership with Global Knowledge and the success and endorsement of the Global Knowledge Fit4Business program. Fit4Business is a complete managed solution that helps Cisco channel partners achieve, maintain, and enhance their partner status. The Cisco Account Manager believed Global Knowledge had the insight and vision to overcome any challenges that may occur with a program of this magnitude and an organization as large as ICF. Global Knowledge's Fit4Business program, along with its flexibility, worldwide footprint, and exceptional training would give ICF the ability to manage a multinational program rollout from start-to-finish. It would also provide ICF with the training it needed for students with mixed skill-sets scattered across multiple countries. Fit4Business could also book all program costs within one central purchase order.

ICF began working with a Global Knowledge Fit4Business Program Manager, who served as the single point of contact. This Program Manager's main responsibility was to help ICF deliver upon the Multinational Certification partner requirements.

Global Knowledge first performed a skills-gap analysis using their first-to-market, certification-management portal to gauge ICF's organizational skill-sets throughout the four countries. Based upon the results of the analysis, they developed a tailored training program to help ICF plan the most effective and efficient route toward achieving partner status. After identifying students' training requirements, Global Knowledge registered students for their courses and tracked and managed students' training (including e-Learning) and certification status using their proven learning methodology. The certification-management portal also provided ICF with timely reports to illustrate a snapshot of the program's progress. Since Global Knowledge managed the Fit4Business program, ICF did not have to worry about administrative tasks, giving them more time to stay focused on running their business.

The comprehensive, managed Fit4Business program was a success. It helped ICF reach its Cisco Multinational Certification status in the European theatre within the nine-month time frame. ICF consultants were also able to achieve expertise in the following advanced specializations: routing and switching; unified communications; security; wireless LAN; and data center networking infrastructure and storage. To date, approximately 100 ICF personnel have been trained using the Fit4Business program. Global Knowledge is currently working with ICF to develop a contingency plan that will help ICF retain their new multinational status and achieve their Cisco Global Commerce Specialization.