BT Delivers a Broad Range of Customized Training to Optimize Company-Wide Investment in Oracle
 
 

BT Delivers a Broad Range of Customized Training to Optimize Company-Wide Investment in Oracle

  • Oracle Customer:  BT
    Location:  London, United Kingdom
    Industry:  Communications
    Employees:  92,600
    Annual Revenue:  Over $5 Billion

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BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, with operations in 170 countries. Its main activities include the provision of fixed-line services, broadband, mobile, TV products and services, as well as networked IT services.

BT has provided communications services for more than 100 years and its IT infrastructure has become very large and complex. In 2007, BT purchased an Oracle enterprise-wide license (EWL) and developed its “Oracle First” strategy to drive consumption of the EWL across the organization.

With a vast range of Oracle applications, middleware, and hardware deployed across BT, the organization has an ongoing requirement for a broad range of training. Much of BT’s hands-on software development is now outsourced to partner systems integrators in India, but BT still retains all program management, design, and decision-making in addition to some development work in-house. Training is therefore required for specific products as well as to improve general awareness and understanding across the Oracle portfolio.

BT works with Oracle University to deliver tailored training programs either in a classroom environment or online, depending on the particular requirements and office locations involved. Oracle University provides a wide range of training courses from a detailed catalog, but also provides bespoke and customized training for specific projects where required.

 
 

 
 

Challenges

A word from BT

  • “Oracle University has a progressive, flexible approach to training that is unique in the IT industry. I have never come across another organization that applies this flexible approach to deliver relevant, customized training.” – Arnie Hensby, Oracle First Program Manager, BT

  • Ensure that BT employees remain fully trained on Oracle products to enable them to make informed decisions when designing and building a range of innovative communications and networked IT solutions for internal BT Group and external business customers
  • Deliver a mix of virtual and in-person training courses in a cost-effective and appropriate way suitable to the end-user and business requirements
  • Respond to urgent, critical, and specific training requirements within the business as and when they arise
  • Optimize the use of the Oracle EWL by ensuring that enough staff have the relevant skill-sets to utilize the license to its full potential
  • Understand each business unit’s unique business requirements, implement a more structured approach to training, and deliver increased value to the business through specific and relevant training courses
  • Provide a wide and varied catalog of traditional and customized training courses and assist individuals with their own individual training plans to complement personal development objectives

Solutions

Oracle Product and Services

  • Improved BT’s overall understanding, knowledge, and utilization of Oracle products across the business thanks to a broad range of Oracle University training courses delivered either online or via the classroom to a variety of employees
  • Ensured that BT employees have a broad knowledge and understanding of Oracle products and services to enable them to make informed decisions when working with outsourced system integrators
  • Collaborated with Oracle University to create and deliver a four-day Exadata Oracle University training course designed specifically for BT’s needs and delivered by Oracle University’s top global instructor, ensuring that BT derived full value from its investment in Oracle Exadata Database Machine—including a reduction in cost through consolidation and improved application performance
  • Customized course content to deliver training that is specific to BT’s specific implementations, including Oracle Service Bus, and ensure that course attendees learn using scenarios that are relevant to BT
  • Migrated the middleware utilized within BT OpenReach—the part of BT that delivers the local access network to homes and businesses in the United Kingdom (UK)—across to Oracle Service Bus to take full advantage of the Oracle EWL, improve standardization, reduce duplication, and introduce a common supplier and architecture framework
  • Delivered feedback to Oracle University that resulted in the development and the expected implementation of Oracle Training OnDemand, an online, on-demand training delivery mechanism that enables individuals to receive training at their own pace and in their own time but with the advantages of hands-on, workshop-style learning options
  • Standardized Oracle University training across the UK, Malaysia, and India to ensure that BT employees across the world have the same knowledge base
  • Improved project delivery success across all BT organizations with improved knowledge and understanding of Oracle products
  • Implemented Oracle University Learning Paths to provide a structured approach for individuals to continue with their training by devising their own individual training plans

Why Oracle

Oracle University works very closely with BT to deliver relevant, customized training programs that help BT to optimize its Oracle investment. Oracle University does not adopt a “one size fits all” approach, but works closely with BT to understand and meet its particular needs.

“It is very refreshing that Oracle University is so flexible. We have an excellent working relationship and we are now building on our success. The team always listens to our requirements and comes back with multiple solutions. It has delivered a number of training projects that have had a huge, positive impact on our business,” said Arnie Hensby, Oracle First Program Manager, BT.

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