<h4 data-ux="FeaturedHeading" data-aid="CONTENT_WELCOME_TITLE_RENDERED" data-typography="HeadingDelta">Welcome to North America MCT Summit</h4>
<div data-ux="FeaturedText" data-aid="CONTENT_WELCOME_DESCRIPTION_RENDERED" data-typography="BodyAlpha"><p>Join us in Redmond, WA at the Aloft|Element hotels on 21-23 March 2025 for the North America MCT Summit. This is your opportunity to learn and to network with MCTs from all over the world.&nbsp;</p><p>We are returning to the 3-day format for 2025. Take advantage of the $400 early registration price when you register before 18 January 2025. After that date, a $450 registration price applies.</p><p>The summit will include content that is covered under the MCT non-disclosure agreements. For this reason, the event is limited to MCTs, Microsoft full-time employees, and sponsors.</p><p>Keep checking back for announcements about the summit!</p></div>

<div><p><span data-contrast="auto">The </span><b>North America MCT Summit</b><span data-contrast="auto"> is a </span><b>Microsoft Certified Trainer</b><span data-contrast="auto"> event held annually near Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, WA. The 2025 Summit will be held March 21-23 at the Aloft Element hotels in Redmond, WA.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><p><span data-contrast="auto"></span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><p><span data-contrast="auto">The objectives for the Summit are to enable the MCT community to learn about emerging technologies; get the latest information about upcoming changes to training, certification, and the MCT program; discuss the training business; and improve presentation and instructional skills.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p><div><p><span data-contrast="auto">This year's agenda includes:</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><ul><li data-leveltext="•" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335551671&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;•&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="0" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Keynotes and breakout sessions on the use of emerging technologies in organizations external to the MCT/Microsoft Learn community.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div>
<div><ul><li data-leveltext="•" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335551671&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;•&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Briefings on the latest training and certification developments from Microsoft Learn.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div>
<div><ul><li data-leveltext="•" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335551671&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;•&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Interactive sessions facilitated by MCTs and other experts on the training industry and other topics relevant to successful trainers.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div>
<div><ul><li data-leveltext="•" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335551671&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;•&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Social and networking events</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div>
<div><p><span data-contrast="auto"></span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><p><span data-contrast="auto">As a sponsor, you will be recognized, and your representative(s) can attend non-confidential conference sessions and meet with MCTs and representatives of Microsoft Learning during the summit.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><p><span data-contrast="auto"></span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p></div>
<div><p><b>Once again, </b>the North America MCT Summit is being organized entirely by MCTs.<span data-contrast="auto">&nbsp; Although the Microsoft Certified Trainer program is partnering with us, their commitment only covers a portion of event expenses. Thus, your sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.&nbsp;</span></p></div></div>

2025 North America MCT Summit

Tactic 2 - 36

Should you keep your data in the Fabric Lakehouse or the Warehouse? What are the pros and cons? In Fabric, all and any data is kept in the OneLake, and it is processed by one of the Fabric’s data engines. Choosing between Lakehouse and Warehouse (or both) is at the same time a strategic and performance impacting decision. •	In this demo oriented session you will learn:
o	Their distinctions and particular use cases
o	When they overlap
o	How to use them together
o	When not to use one of them (or either)

Fabric houses, when to go for Lakehouse or Warehouse (or both)?

LinkedIn

Sessionize

How does Microsoft publish open source Docs on GitHub? Join content developers from the Database Docs content team for an informative call to action on modern Microsoft docs. Learn about the Docs publishing process in GitHub, and the best ways to add content and fixes to Docs that are read by the entire customer community. How can you be an effective part of that process and get contributor credit to a doc? What can contribution to Microsoft Learn mean for your Microsoft MVP status, your career, or your personal brand? Members of the Microsoft Database Docs team will answer these questions.

Contributing to open source Microsoft Docs

In proper configuration can lead to compromise your services and company in Azure and not only. Join to the session and learn how to avoid them. During demo session you will see:

- NSG Lacks: Understanding how Network Security Groups (NSGs) can be misconfigured and the implications of inadequate network controls.
- Egress Control in WebApps: The importance of managing outbound traffic to prevent unauthorized data exfiltration and ensure secure communication.
- Backup - Not Only Data: Emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive backup strategies that extend beyond mere data preservation to include configurations and access controls.
- Restrict Access to Tenant: Strategies for limiting tenant access to safeguard against unauthorized entry and potential breaches (Not a Conditional Access)
- Azure Active Directory Best Practices: A review of practices for managing identities and access rights effectively in Azure environments.

5 bugs that can compromise your public cloud services

X (Twitter)

In this session, participants will explore the critical process of converting educational knowledge and training experiences into effective consulting practices. 
To be an effective consultant, it’s really important to understand the client's perspective. This means stepping into their shoes and getting a real feel for their unique challenges and goals. By doing this, you can gain valuable insights into effective communication and relationship-building with clients. It’s not just about talking; it’s about really listening, empathizing, and analyzing situations to offer the best solutions tailored to their specific needs.
You'll also learn how to assess what clients need and adapt your solutions accordingly, making sure you’re meeting their expectations and addressing their challenges. To bring these concepts to life, we'll explore a variety of case studies and examples that showcase successful knowledge transfer from the classroom to real client scenarios. This way, you can see how these strategies work in practice and apply them in your consulting projects.



Translating Educational Insights into Practical Consulting Strategies

As diversity and inclusion become essential for organizations, it is important to understand how to make Web sites and courseware sites accessible for learners with visual, auditory, and mobility disabilities. Microsoft also requires certain accessibility standards from vendor's Web sites. In this session, MVP and MCT Ronald Beekelaar will explain what tools to use to make a Web site accessible according to WCAG guidelines. The session will also cover examples and explore how AI will greatly simplify this task.

Using Tools, Best Practices, and AI to Make Your Web Site and Courseware Accessible

Adult teaching brings its specific challenges to trainers. People learn in different ways, Line them up and help them achieve their goals learning new computer related skills require tailored techniques. In this session we will apply story telling strategy as the driver to deliver technical content to the students. 
You will learn: 
- The 5 key elements of adult learning
- The story telling styles you can use
- How to apply storying telling style to technical teaching. 

Story telling teaching style

The last 12 months saw big changes with regards to Microsoft 365 accounts, Dynamics 365 accounts and Azure Passes for use with official Microsoft training. What is happening? In this session, MVP and MCT Ronald Beekelaar will explain some of the background around these changes. The session will also cover solutions to overcome the current 7~14 days limitation on Microsoft 365 accounts for training. Finally, hear about steps you can take as trainer to increase the Achievement code redemption rate, and distinguish yourself from other trainers by providing the highest redemption rate for the training center.


Story of Changing Training resources: Azure Passes, Microsoft 365 accounts, and Achievement Codes

In the evolving business landscape, AI assistants are becoming indispensable for tasks like customer service, sales, productivity, and collaboration. However, crafting an AI assistant that comprehends your business needs, data, and processes to deliver personalized solutions is a complex challenge. This is where Copilot Studio and OpenAI step in.

Join us in this insightful session to explore how Copilot Studio, a versatile low-code platform, empowers you to design and customize your own AI assistants or enhance those integrated with Microsoft 365. Discover how to harness OpenAI's cutting-edge generative AI to infuse your assistants with deep knowledge, advanced problem-solving skills, and specialized domain expertise.

Learn to create AI assistants swiftly using natural language with Copilot Studio and seamlessly integrate them with Azure services and various data sources. Additionally, we’ll cover strategies to maintain the quality, safety, and governance of your AI assistants, as well as methods to measure their impact and performance effectively.

Mastering AI Assistants with Copilot Studio and OpenAI

In the competitive business landscape, operational efficiency and intelligent automation are critical for success. Copilot Studio and AI Builder offer a robust platform to transform your business operations through smart automation.

Join this session to learn how Copilot Studio's user-friendly low-code interface empowers you to design and implement tailored automation solutions quickly. Discover how AI Builder integrates seamlessly, bringing powerful AI functionalities such as form processing, sentiment analysis, and entity extraction to your workflows.

We will demonstrate step-by-step how to build and deploy automation solutions that address your unique business challenges. Understand how to leverage natural language inputs to streamline development and integrate these solutions with your existing Microsoft 365 ecosystem and other enterprise systems. Furthermore, learn best practices for ensuring the performance, security, and compliance of your automated processes. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with the skills to drive operational efficiency and innovation in your business through AI-powered automation.

Transforming Business Operations with Copilot Studio and AI Builder

Out of the box, SharePoint Online is not enabled with compliance and protection policies. In this session you will learn how various tools can be utilised to switch on various policies to be in better control of your SharePoint environment and taming Copilot interactions.

Protecting your SharePoint environment with Purview and Advanced Management Tools

Microsoft Fabric’s AI Skill feature is revolutionizing how businesses interact with data by enabling generative AI experiences over structured and unstructured datasets. In this session, we’ll explore how to integrate AI Skill with Lakehouses and Warehouses to create intelligent question-answering systems and automate data-driven insights. 

Through hands-on demonstrations, you’ll learn how to configure AI Skill, optimize data retrieval, and leverage AI-driven analytics to unlock real-time decision-making. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, data engineer, or business analyst, this session will equip you with the knowledge to build, deploy, and scale AI solutions effortlessly within Microsoft Fabric.

Building Smart Solutions with AI Skill in Microsoft Fabric

Organizations defenses must change along with the threats that they encounter. Discover how AI in Microsoft 365 improves security and compliance by proactively identifying threats and protecting data and learn how cutting-edge AI capabilities enable businesses to remain safe while preserving uninterrupted productivity, demonstrating that security can be both reliable and easy to implement.