More than 100+ Years of Excellence in IT Training
Benefit from over a century of cross-vendor training
delivered by your Principal Instructors!
Company Overview
NeuroTrain Advanced Training Solutions, founded in 1999, brings together resources and technologies to provide services focusing on online training solutions for the world's top technology vendors including AWS, VMware/Broadcom, EMC, IBM, HP/HPE, Nortel, and Sun Microsystems/Oracle.
We offer services that include delivery resources, instructional course design, and development and testing of training labs.
Our Principal and Associate Instructors at NeuroTrain are committed to delivering top-quality education for all your course needs. By sharing insights and resources, they ensure student satisfaction and exceed student expectations. Our instructors consistently achieve 5/5 ratings in even the most challenging classes.
With over 25 years of training experience individually for multiple vendors, each of our Principal and Associate Instructors are recognized as the top 10 VMware by Broadcom instructors globally by region. We have been awarded "VMware VCI of the Year/Quarter" over a number of times over the last few years.
Please use contact form below to explore how we can partner together!
Continuous Innovation
For over 25 years, NeuroTrain ATS has been at the forefront of innovation.
One of the first to deliver virtual classes, automated labs, and VR augmented training tools.
Global Deliveries
Our exceptional services have delivered top-notch training solutions worldwide.
We have trained directly with vendors for most Fortune 500 companies.
Client Satisfaction
We take pride in our long-standing relationships with satisfied clients across diverse industries, ensuring our services meet and exceed expectations.
Get expertise with instructional design, digital/virtual course delivery, and development of concept reinforcement hands on labs!
Instructors
We are please to highlight some of the achievements of our principal / associate Instructors.
For additional instructors information contact us.
Principal Instructors
Francois Bechard - Principal Instructor / Owner
As a Principal Instructor and Owner, Francois Bechard leads by example with regards to course delivery and professional development.
He has delivered 250+ different vendor courses from HP/HPE, VMware, Nortel, Broadcom, and Sun Microsystems. He leads these courses with superior technical knowledge from hands-on experience and a strong foundation of teaching skills from attending instructor workshops. He is a Langevin Certified Instructor/Instructional Designer and HP, Nortel, VMware Certified Instructor and an Amazon Authorized Instructor.
VCI_Nomination_Francois_Bechard_FinalIndustry Awards and Certifications
Awards
VMware Certified Instructor of the Quarter 2015 (The Americas)
VMware Certified Instructor of the Quarter 2018 (Runner Up)
VMware Certified Instructor of the Year 2022 (The Americas)
VMware Top 10 Certified Instructor 2022 (The Americas)
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1 & 2 (2007+), VCAP4/5-DCA, VCAP-NV2020, VCIX-NV2020, VCP-NV2024/ 2019/ 6/ 5, VCP-DV2024/ 2022/ 7/ 6.5/ 6/ 5/ 4/ 3, VCP-Cloud, VCP-DTM6/5
Amazon AWS: AAI, SAA-C03, CLF-C02
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
Stephen DeBarros - Principle Instructor / YouTuber
As a Principle Instructor, Stephen DeBarros gets consistent 5/5 course reviews from his students.
He has over 30 years as a professional instructor including 20+ years as a Senior Instructor for IBM Canada. His background includes teaching and supporting various Server, Storage, Storage Area Networks (SAN), Networking, BladeCenter hardware and as Lead Instructor of VMware technologies for IBM North America. For 15+ years he excelled as a VMware Instructor teaching various vSphere, vSAN, Site Recovery Manager, NSX, and Lead Instructor for NSX Troubleshooting.
Content Creator and host for the YouTube channel "Tech Unglued".
Presentations and Certifications
Guest speaker
VMworld 2016 - NSX Advanced Troubleshooting
VMworld 2017 - NSX Advanced Troubleshooting and Demystifying the VTEP, MAC and ARP Tables
VMworld 2019 - Demystifying the NSX-T Control and Data Plane
VMworld 2020 - Demystifying the NSX-T Control and Data Plane
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1-2 (2008+), VCP-DV 2/3/4/5/6, 2023, VCIX-NV, VCP-NV
Others: CCNA, Server +, RHCE
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
Merle Ilgenfritz - Principle Instructor / Writer
Merle has been teaching computer technology classes for 32 years. He originally started teaching at a number of universities, colleges and technical training centers in the Boston and Rhode Island area.
He has taught over 160 different Windows operating system and Windows application based classes, over 90 different Sun Microsystems (Oracle) classes, and over 230 different classes for VMware (Broadcom).
He has a wide background in hardware, networking, virtualization, cloud platforms, programming, OS and application training.
Merle has over 15 years partnering with VMware in delivering training, extensive experience in course development, and is a co-author of a book on preparing for VMware Certification.
He is currently leading the adoption of VMware Cloud Foundations (VCF) by doing enablement training internally at VMware / Broadcom.
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1-2 (2006+),
VCP-DV 2/3/4/5/6/6.5/2020
Others:
LFS458: Kubernetes Administration
CompTIA A+
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
John Ilgenfritz - Principal Instructor / Writer
As a Principal Instructor John has over 15 years partnering with VMware in delivering training and experience in course development. A VMware Certified Instructor since 2007 he has delivered over 500 engagements both in-person and online from a repertoire for over 200 courses.
In the early 2000s, he worked as a senior software engineer. Languages included C, C++, Java and numerous scripting languages. Maintained a development environment using VMware virtualization solutions. Supported global team members and assisted with provisioning remote development build environments along with source control systems.
In addition, he has provided consulting services leveraging his virtualization experience. Designed performance optimization strategies and implemented migration solutions for remote multi-site data centers.
He is also co-author of a book on preparing for VMware certification.
john_ilgenfritz_bio.pdf
Awards and Certifications
Awards
VMware Top 10 Certified Instructor 2023 - AMER
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1-2 (2007+), VCP-DCV 3,4,5,6,7
VCAP 5-DCA
Linux Foundation: LFS201, LFS207, LFS211, LFS216, LFS253
Others: CompTIA A+, MCSE on Widows NT 4.0
Assoicate Instructors
Vath Lee - Associate Instructor
Vath Lee has over 15 years experience with VMware portfolio. He has been a lead instructor and facilitator for VMware for official curriculum and customized courses from small to large audiences as well as speaker at Forums and Technology Days. His feedback from both students and organisational key contacts is excellent, he is highly adept and adaptive which makes him an outstanding instructor and also a sales person's favourite facilitator as he is able to manage difficult students and problem solve technical issues as required whilst ensuring the delivery of the course is not impacted.
Vath has a wide and deep knowledge of VMware products and has been regularly training the full course suite including advanced and less frequently run courses.
There are a number of customers that will only have Vath deliver their private training, willing to wait on his availability rather than have another instructor allocated.
For that, he has received two VCI of the Year - 2020 and 2023
Industry Awards and Certifications
Awards / Presentations
VMware Certified Instructor of the Year 2020 (APJ Region)
VMware Top 10 Certified Instructor 2020 (APJ Region)
VMware Certified Instructor of the Year 2023 (Australia)
VMware ASEAN - Technology Day throughout South East Asia
vForum 2012 – Working with Dashboards and Badges in vCenter
Operations.vForum 2011 – Specialist Deep Dive – What’s New in Neworking.
vMUG Summit 2011 Melbourne and Brisbane.
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1 & 2 (2009+), VCAP-NV6, VCIX6-NV2020/2019, VCP-NV2020/ 2019/6/5, VCP-DV2019/7/ 6.5/ 6/ 5/ 4/ 3, VCP-CMA2021/2020/7/6
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
Marcelo Soares - Associate Instructor
Marcelo has over 25 years of experience in IT consultancy, with more than 15 years dedicated to working closely with VMware technologies such as vSphere, vSAN, NSX, SRM, and Tanzu. He utilizes automation and orchestration tools like PowerCLI, Orchestrator, and Terraform to ensure compliance and standardization in deployments and best security practices.
Over the past 10 years, Marcelo has delivered over 200 VMware training sessions worldwide in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. His exceptional teaching skills have earned him recognition as VMware Instructor of Excellence in 2022 and VMware Instructor of the Year for the Americas (AMER) in 2023.
He has also been awareded vExpert 2011-2017.
Industry Awards and Certifications
Awards
VMware Instructor of Excellence – AMER 2022
VMware Top 10 Certified Instructor – AMER 2023
VMware Certified Instructor of the Year – AMER 2023
vExpert 2011-2017
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 2 (2013+), VCP-DV 3/4/5/6, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, VCP-NV 2019, 2022, VCP-DT 6, VCAP-DCA 5
Dell: Dell Storage Foundations 2023, Dell PowerScale Deploy 2023
Others: New Relic Certified Instructor
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
Shawn MacArthur - Associate Instructor
Introduction to Career and Experience
Shawn MacArthur has been an IT professional for almost 25 years, beginning his career with a focus on Microsoft and Cisco technologies. Over time, he expanded his expertise to include VMware, starting in 2005. His deep involvement in VMware technologies includes vSphere, NSX, Horizon, vCloud, and vRealize. He has been a VMware VCI since 2006.
Training, Courseware, and Exam Development
Mr. MacArthur has a robust background in training, courseware, and exam development. He has developed over 35 exams for Microsoft and VMware and has created more than 10 different courses, which have been used to train over 40,000 people worldwide. His contributions to education and certification in IT are significant, impacting a vast number of professionals in the industry.
While Shawn is very strong in training, Shawn’s real strength lies in consulting. This hands-on experience is what makes his training truly unique. When teaching a Horizon class, for example, he can draw on real-world experiences, such as challenges faced during a 3,000-seat deployment or undocumented issues encountered during a VSAN deployment. He also shares deep insights like specific IPMI drivers issues that participants may have never heard from another trainer.
Shawn’s ability to bring practical, on-the-ground knowledge into the classroom is what sets his classes apart. Additionally, his extensive lab environment, consisting of 9 ESXi hosts and 1,200 VMs, allows him to demonstrate virtually anything, ensuring that his students gain comprehensive, hands-on experience.
Specializations in Storage and Cloud Technologies
Shawn is also an expert in storage technologies such as vSAN, EMC, Dell, Compellent, Pure Storage, Nimble, NetApp, and others. Recently, he has broadened his expertise to include Cloud technologies, mastering platforms like Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, and Azure. Shawn is dedicated to continuously learning the latest technologies and applying them in both his consulting work and training endeavors.
Certifications
VMware: VCI Level 1 & 2 (2006+),
VCP-NV2020/ 2019, VCP-DV 7/6.5/6/4/3,
VCP-DTM2021, VCP-Cloud
Others: A+, Net+, Sec+, CTT+
CompTIA CTT+ Classroom Trainer Certification
Microsoft MCSE / MCT
Cisco CCNA
AWS CCP
VMware/Broadcom Authorized Class List
NeuroTrain employs and sub-contracts a wide range of instructors that focus on different technologies. Please contact us for additional info.
