The customer lifecycle creates natural engagement points: first contact, RFP, proposal, sale, support. Education is a common thread running throughout that lifecycle, whether it is education related to the basics of a product in the marketing phases, training while a customer is deploying their new solution, or ongoing education to enable a customer to get the most out of their investment. Offering meaningful digital credentials (open badges and certifications) throughout the product training journey reinforces the relationship between the customer and the supplier, and can provide quantifiable proof of skills the customer has developed. Further, the presence of digital credentials in the workforce (inside or outside the company) shows that customer where pockets of capability may or may not exist, and may guide them to address gaps or exploit availability. Donna Walker, director of training and skills at IBM, will present opportunities created and lessons learned in this interactive session targeted at customers of all sizes.