Global Knowledge

What Global Knowledge does

Global Knowledge, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, is an IT and professional skills training provider operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Skillsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: SKIL) and currently being divested to Enduring Ventures for $20 million in a transaction announced in May 2026. The company delivers training through four principal formats — Classroom Live, Virtual Classroom Live (delivered via Zoom), On-Demand, and Blended Live — anchored by the MyGK learning management portal and the GK Polaris unlimited subscription product. Its catalog spans more than 3,000 courses across topics including cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking, AI/ML, DevOps, project management, and 5G, with authorized training partner status for 25+ vendors including Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, IBM, Red Hat, VMware, Palo Alto Networks, NVIDIA, and ServiceNow. Delivery is supported in 11 languages across 100+ countries.

The customer base is heavily enterprise-weighted, with claimed penetration of 84% of Fortune 500 companies and 70% of Fortune 1000 companies, plus federal government access via GSA Schedule 70 / Professional Services Schedule contracts (600+ government courses) and a 10-year On-Site Training Services Contract with the Government of Canada. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales, inside sales for mid-market, an authorized training partner channel, government procurement vehicles, and self-service e-commerce for individuals. Revenue mechanics span per-course instructor-led training (one-time), certification prep bundled with exam vouchers, unlimited subscriptions (GK Polaris, Cisco U. All Access / Essentials), on-demand e-learning subscriptions, and customized private group training. The company also publishes the annual IT Skills and Salary Report (5,100+ respondents) as a brand authority asset and accepts vendor prepaid training credits (Cisco Learning Credits at $100 each, Citrix Training Pass, Palo Alto vouchers) as payment.

Financial momentum is weak. The Global Knowledge segment recorded an 18% revenue decline in Q3 FY2026, prompting parent Skillsoft to initiate a strategic review and ultimately announce the sale to Enduring Ventures, with $10M of the $20M consideration deferred and contingent on post-close performance. Leadership includes William Garrett (EVP/CFO), Donna Peffley (VP HR), Robin Greer (VP Communications), and Stephen Hoffman (Sr. Director, Global Infrastructure). The company has executed multiple acquisitions (DevelopMentor in 2015, ctc TrainCanada in 2017, Lerio in 2019) and operates subsidiaries including the retained ctc TrainCanada brand.

Name

Global Knowledge

Legal name

Global Knowledge

Website

https://globalknowledge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Global Knowledge is a worldwide IT and professional training provider delivering instructor-led, virtual, and on-demand certification courses from vendors such as Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, and Red Hat to enterprise clients, federal agencies, and systems integrators across 100+ countries and 11 languages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Training and Certification Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology & Software (EDAAAPAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA), Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF), Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB)

Keywords

• IT training services
• Certification preparation
• Instructor-led training
• Vendor authorized training
• Enterprise learning subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Instructor-Led Training Courses: Traditional classroom and virtual classroom instructor-led training courses across IT and professional skills topics. Revenue generated through per-course enrollment fees for individual and group training sessions.
2. Certification Training and Exam Vouchers: Preparation courses for technology certifications from vendors like Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, CompTIA, Red Hat, VMware, Palo Alto Networks, and more. Includes bundled exam vouchers.
3. Training Subscriptions (GK Polaris): Unlimited ILT subscription packages offering access to over 200 live virtual courses with subscription pricing for ongoing access.
4. On-Demand E-Learning Subscriptions: Self-paced digital learning subscriptions from technology providers such as Cisco U., Microsoft, Red Hat, VMware, and others for 24/7 access to training content.
5. Corporate Group Training: Customized private group training for organizations with dedicated sessions tailored to specific team needs and organizational requirements.
6. Training Credits and Vouchers Processing: Accepts vendor training credits and vouchers (Cisco Learning Credits, Citrix Training Pass, Palo Alto Networks vouchers) as payment for authorized training courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Global Knowledge delivers technology and professional skills training through instructor-led classroom, live virtual, and on-demand formats, focused on IT certifications and product education from major vendors such as Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, IBM, Red Hat, VMware, and Palo Alto Networks. Offerings are sold via enterprise subscriptions (GK Polaris), individual course seats, vendor-branded programs (Cisco U., AWS Discovery Days, Microsoft Applied Skills Bootcamps), and dedicated government and private training solutions delivered worldwide.

Product overview

Global Knowledge is a worldwide leader in IT and professional training, offering a comprehensive training platform that delivers instructor-led classroom, Virtual Classroom Live, and on-demand training. The platform centers around the MyGK learning portal for course access and management, complemented by GK Polaris subscription for unlimited training access. Training tools include the Training Planner, Delivery Format Picker, and EZ Sites enrollment management platform. The company provides specialized subscriptions including Cisco U. All Access and Cisco U. Essentials, free AWS Discovery Days, and Microsoft Applied Skills Bootcamps. Payment options include Cisco Learning Credits, Citrix Training Passes, and vendor vouchers. The IT Skills and Salary Report serves as an annual industry benchmark publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyGK: Online learning portal for accessing training courses, class recordings, and course certificates.
• GK Polaris
• Codecademy from Skillsoft

Products and services

• GK Polaris

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of respondents in IT Skills and Salary Report had at least one certification, with 60% reporting improved work quality, 48% improved engagement, and 43% improved productivity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SkillsoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Parent company (being divested to Enduring Ventures). Following the sale, Skillsoft will maintain a strategic partnership with Global Knowledge enabling mutual customers to access each organization's respective learning offerings. Global Knowledge delivers instructor-led training while Skillsoft provides AI-native Percipio platform.
• ctc TrainCanadaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Acquired by Global Knowledge in 2017 to strengthen worldwide training capabilities. Represents strategic expansion of Canadian market presence.
• CiscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCisco International Training Partner of the Year award winner. Global Knowledge is a Cisco Authorized Training Partner delivering Cisco certification courses, Cisco U. subscriptions, and accepts Cisco Learning Credits (CLCs) as payment. Offers comprehensive Cisco curriculum including CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, and specialized tracks.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAWS Authorized Training Partner offering AWS courses, AWS Discovery Days free events, and AWS Skill Builder subscriptions. Training covers cloud architecture, development, operations, and security tracks.
• MicrosoftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMicrosoft authorized training partner offering Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and security certification training. Includes Applied Skills Bootcamps and comprehensive Microsoft curriculum.
• Red HatcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRed Hat authorized training partner delivering Red Hat certification courses including RHCSA, RHCE, and OpenShift. Accepts Red Hat training credits as payment.
• VMwarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVMware authorized training partner offering vSphere, NSX, and VMware Cloud Foundation courses for virtualization and cloud infrastructure training.
• IBMcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBM authorized training partner delivering IBM technology courses and certification preparation.
• Palo Alto NetworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPalo Alto Networks authorized training partner offering cybersecurity certification courses (CCSA, CCSE) and accepts Palo Alto Networks training vouchers for payment.
• CitrixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCitrix Authorized Learning Center (CALC) accepting Citrix Training Pass (CTP) vouchers for Citrix virtualization and networking courses.
• CompTIAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompTIA authorized training partner offering Security+, Network+, A+, and other CompTIA certification preparation courses.
• ServiceNowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorServiceNow authorized training partner delivering ITSM and platform certification courses for ServiceNow implementations.
• OraclecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOracle authorized training partner offering Oracle database, cloud, and enterprise application courses.
• NVIDIAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNVIDIA authorized training partner offering GPU computing, deep learning, and AI infrastructure courses.
• Government of CanadacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian federal government awarded Global Knowledge a 10-year On-Site Training Services Contract (offering à commandes et arrangements en matière d'approvisionnement) for government employee training.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Coursera partners with universities and tech vendors (Google, IBM, AWS, Meta) to deliver online certification programs, competing for the same enterprise upskilling budget and individual certification-seeker audience as Global Knowledge.
• Skillsoft (Percipio): Skillsoft is the former parent and a broad incumbent in enterprise digital learning, offering Percipio SaaS, Codecademy, and SumTotal. It overlaps with Global Knowledge's catalog on digital delivery and competes head-to-head in enterprise L&D deals.

Direct peers

• Learning Tree International: Learning Tree delivers instructor-led IT and management training to enterprise and government clients worldwide, with comparable course catalogs, delivery formats, and corporate training contracts.
• Pluralsight: Pluralsight is a direct competitor in technology skills training and certification prep for IT professionals, offering both self-paced and instructor-led paths across cloud, cybersecurity, and software development—overlapping significantly with Global Knowledge's core curriculum.
• Fast Lane: Fast Lane is a global authorized training partner focused on Cisco, AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and NetApp, offering instructor-led and virtual classroom training with very similar authorized-partner economics to Global Knowledge.
• ONLC Training Centers: ONLC is a U.S.-focused authorized training provider delivering IT certification courses from Microsoft, Cisco, AWS, and others through instructor-led remote and onsite formats, directly competing with Global Knowledge's mid-market segment.
• Linux Foundation Training: The Linux Foundation is a major authorized training organization for open-source and cloud technologies (Kubernetes, OpenStack, Linux), offering instructor-led and self-paced training with certification pathways that overlap Global Knowledge's Red Hat, Cloud, and DevOps tracks.
• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: New Horizons is one of the largest authorized IT training providers globally, delivering vendor-certified instructor-led training for Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, and CompTIA in a virtually identical model to Global Knowledge.

Emerging players

• Udemy Business: Udemy Business is a marketplace-driven learning platform expanding aggressively into enterprise IT and certification prep, competing on price and breadth for the same corporate L&D budget that funds Global Knowledge engagements.

Regional players

• QA (QA Ltd): QA is the UK's largest IT training provider delivering authorized vendor training (Microsoft, AWS, Cisco) through instructor-led formats, directly mirroring Global Knowledge's model but concentrated in the UK and EMEA market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GlobalKnowledge
• Facebookfacebook.com/GKTraining
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/164004

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Knowledge