Builds on Existing Initiatives That Help Guide, Measure, and Record User Learning

PHILADELPHIA, May 20 — (PRNewswire) — Be Together: The Be Communities LIVE Conference -- At this gathering of infrastructure professionals, Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for the infrastructure that sustains our world, today announced the launch of an important new initiative from Bentley Institute. The innovative Learning Qualification program helps Bentley users gain well-deserved recognition for milestones in professional learning and skills development. It builds on existing Bentley Institute programs, including Bentley LEARN, that empower infrastructure professionals to advance their careers and infrastructure organizations to secure new work. Among these programs are:

• Learning Paths, curriculum plans that guide users in prioritizing training;
• Learning Units, to measure time invested in improving knowledge and skills;
• Learning History, an online transcript of skills improvement over time.

The new Learning Qualification program acknowledges the skills development Bentley users achieve by successfully completing required training courses on a Bentley Learning Path. To showcase their new skills, Qualified Learners receive a certificate suitable for framing and the right to display each Qualification on business cards, in email footers, and in association with their avatar on Bentley's Be Communities.

Scott Robison, CAD manager, Indiana Department of Transportation, said, "This new Learning Qualification program is motivating. It's just what my colleagues need to showcase the learning advantage Bentley Institute training delivers for their professional development within Indiana Department of Transportation."

Peter Huftalen, vice president, Bentley Institute, said, "We've always maintained cumulative Learning Histories for every Bentley Institute learner – from the Institute's inception over 15 years ago – and we recently introduced Learning Paths to help guide training plans among our wealth of courses. Having laid this groundwork, it's fitting that we are now awarding Learning Qualifications for our users who complete a Learning Path."

Huftalen continued, "Likewise, our Learning Qualification program helps firms and other organizations identify individuals with the skill sets they need for maximum impact on the world's infrastructure projects."

Todd Lanphear, CADD manager, Traffic Planning and Design, Inc., said, "The new Bentley Institute Learning Qualification program should prove useful when we are competing for work. It's a way to acknowledge and promote the software skill sets of our teams – which can be a deal-maker!"

Bentley Institute learners are encouraged to review their Learning History transcripts at www.bentley.com/MyLearningHistory. To explore Bentley Institute's training courses and Learning Paths, or to locate LIVE Training in a Virtual Classroom online, visit www.bentley.com/FindCourses.

About Be Together: The Be Communities LIVE Conference

Be Together: The Be Communities LIVE Conference, taking place this week at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, enables the architects, engineers, constructors, geospatial professionals, and CAD managers who regularly exchange ideas virtually on the Be Communities professional networking site to connect, communicate, and learn from each other in person. In addition, guided by Bentley product experts, attendees acquire knowledge critical to the adoption of an information-modeling level of practice as they earn Bentley Institute Learning Units to track time invested in professional development. The conference hosts nine sub-conferences: Roads and Bridges, Structural, Water, Geospatial, Utilities and Communications, Buildings, Plant, Applied Research Seminar, and MicroStation and ProjectWise. For additional information about the conference, visit www.bentley.com/BeTogether.

About Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Bentley is the global leader dedicated to providing architects, engineers, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. Founded in 1984, Bentley has nearly 3,000 colleagues in more than 45 countries, $500 million in annual revenues, and, since 1999, has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions.

For additional information about Bentley, visit www.bentley.com. To view Bentley's May 2010 Annual Report, visit www.bentley.com/annualreport. To subscribe to an RSS feed of Bentley press releases and news alerts, visit www.bentley.com/rss/news. To view a searchable collection of innovative infrastructure projects from the annual Be Inspired Awards, visit www.bentley.com/yearininfrastructure. For information about Be Communities, a professional networking site that enables members of the infrastructure community to connect, communicate, and learn from each other, visit http://communities.bentley.com.

Bentley, the "B" Bentley logo, Be, Bentley LEARN, MicroStation, ProjectWise, and Be Communities are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. All other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Bentley Systems, Incorporated