2KO International recently expanded into a fully-fledged International company with offices in London, Barcelona, Cape Town and Zurich.

The company offers top quality, instructor led, technical computer training through its hand picked Microsoft Certified Trainers. 2KO is proud to have on board the most qualified and sought after trainers in the world who have the highest record for passing the appropriate level of knowledge to the students in the classroom, allowing the students to tackle the tricky certification exams with confidence. 2KO train in both the military and civilian sectors and are the preferred choice for Microsoft training and Web Site design courses

Recently, 2KO International started to advertise in the Pathfinder and Quest magazines (Pathfinder have said that they will be using 2KO to train their own staff) and started to offer tailor-made packages to members of the Forces who were planning resettlement training. Key points that have been identified are:

• Training must be career oriented.
• Training must result in real-world practical skills, as well as a qualification that can be used in the UK market, or even better, Internationally.
• Training must be enabling, to ensure that the student receives sufficient knowledge to tackle the relevant examinations as well as understand the technology.
• Training must proceed at a pace and level that allows for students to gain the required level of knowledge whilst remaining confident in his/her ability to cope with the workload.
• Training must be evaluated regularly and there should be plenty of post-course support.
• Every step in the package and training process must be spelled out clearly prior to students enrolling.

2KO International has over 12 years of IT experience in the training business, much of which has been spent in Microsoft technical training. Over this period, the company has been able to learn to select the appropriate students, to maximise the pass-rate and the satisfaction rate.

In Cape Town the NT4 MCSE track is by far the most popular course even though it is being retired in December 2001.  In London 2KO is currently offering the NT4 - Windows 2000 Upgrade course. This will run until the end of 2001. In October this year 2KO London will start it's full Windows 2000 MCSE course. Besides this 2KO London also offers Microsoft Exchange Server MCP and a Practical Networking course. Cape Town also offers the Windows 2000 courses, Cisco and SAP courses.

2KO London can now offer Web Site Development Tools and Web Site Design courses. Aimed at those who wish to move into the new and dynamic Internet eCommerce industry.

To date 2KO International has trained over 50 MOD delegates, and to date no-one who has attended our MCSE course and sat exams in Cape Town has returned without the minimum qualification; being a Microsoft Certified Professional. Considering that most of the MOD delegates arrived on course, with a very basic PC knowledge, this is remarkable. In July/August of last year, a group of 6 MOD delegates collectively sat 19 exams and passed 19 first time. These were all Microsoft technical exams on the MCSE program. One of those delegates, Sean Gaffney (a sub-mariner), completed his full MCSE, passing six exams within 24 days of starting his course. His recent email had this to say:

"Incidentally you'll be pleased to know that I've been for two interviews, and got offered the job before the second interview in both cases, the one I went for is with TBI plc who are in the airport services business. As a technical support analyst I will be based in Cardiff but will have regular trips abroad to various airports to upgrade their systems and provide support. Sounds interesting and will give me just the right experience I need to get into consultancy or contract work. Once again thanks for all the great training, and give my regards to the girls and Zoli".

Cheers

Sean Gaffney

Since inception, 2KO has an audited exam pass rate of close to 90% on Microsoft examinations. These exams are offered through our testing partners, Sylvan Prometric. Considering the high degree of difficulty rating of these exams, it speaks volumes for the training standard at 2KO.

Once the training has been completed, delegates are able to make use of our after-sales service. This begins in Cape Town, where once a week delegates are able to get together with a trainer and spend a time discussing any questions they may have or grey areas they need re-explained. 2KO London will support all Cape Town delegates who may need further training or support in finding employment.

2KO's mission in providing resettlement training is to be a career partner with the servicemen. We recognise that leaving the service after many years is a daunting task and that breaking into a new career is just as daunting. Thus, a company needs to offer more than a simple training package. Most of the MOD delegates that have been through our training keep in touch on a regular basis via e-mail, and they receive updates from time to time of what is happening in the company and in Cape Town. 2KO is aware of the responsibility it has to see these delegates through to a secure job in the IT industry. In this regard, 2KO has forged alliances with recruitment companies both in Cape Town, London and Zurich. This gives our delegates extra exposure and ensures that they will not be disappointed when they complete their training. We believe that the MCSE is still one of the most sought after and relevant qualifications available today and will be going forward into the new millennium.

According to a recent salary survey published by MCP Magazine, certified individuals continue to earn higher salaries than non-certified professionals. This finding is emulated in a recent IDC report that indicates companies are struggling to find qualified individuals to whom they can trust their most valuable resource: information. Certification has proven to be a key way to maximize performance of IS staff, leading to greater end-user satisfaction and productivity. Certified individuals are more knowledgeable and productive. Certification also assures a minimum required level of expertise. Companies who incorporate certification into their programs experience an increase in the quality of their support, a reduction in training costs and higher morale and commitment to the task at hand. It's no wonder that many of today's leading businesses have adopted certification as a hiring benchmark, a standard for promotion and a means to motivate internal IT groups to increase their level of knowledge and understanding.

Skilled IT professionals are in high demand. A recent study completed by Microsoft showed that with current job openings and projected hires combined, Microsoft business partners and customers in the UK will require 647,000 new skilled high-technology workers over the next 12 months. (Canterbury Information Technology, Inc, Feb 8, 1999).

The demand for IT professionals is expected to continue to grow as companies look to their IT departments to help expand their businesses and increase market share. Gartner Group Inc. estimates that more than 20% of permanent IT positions will remain unfilled through 2003. It would appear that IT managers struggling to recruit and retain staff are in no position to require job candidates to be certified. But a Dataquest study forecasts the demand for certified professionals will grow about 15% annually through 2003, despite the skills shortage. That's because, as IT becomes more central to a company's success, IT managers must be sure the people they hire can deliver.

Visit our Web Site and see the comments of satisfied past delegates. Check out our courses and keep up to date on new developments designed to help you further your career in IT.

Sincerely

Gary Williams
Director
MOD Resettlement IT Training