Cisco to train 6.7M people in APAC in cybersecurity skills over 10 years

Cisco will aim to train 6.7 million people in APAC with digital and cybersecurity skills over the next 10 years through its Cisco Networking Academy.

This is a part of its global plan to train 25 million students through its flagship training program.

Cisco said it aspires to help millions of people around the world to access those jobs by empowering the workforce of the future with educational and career-oriented opportunities through Networking Academy.

Guy Diedrich, SVP and chief innovation officer at Cisco said digital transformation and technology adoption are transforming economies across the globe.

He said, “For countries and businesses to fully harness the opportunities that are being created, they need a workforce with adequate skills. As such, building a local pool of next-generation talent is critical to long-term social inclusion and economic resilience.”

To achieve this, it takes an entire ecosystem working together in lockstep, Diedrich said.

“Cisco, we are proud of the role that we have been playing with our unmatched network of partners. Through Cisco Networking Academy we have helped transform the lives of 17.5 million students over the past 25 years by leveraging the power of education and technology,” he said.

“Through our courses, learning paths, network of employers, and partnerships with government, academic, and industry leaders, we are not only helping train the workforce of the future, but also empowering the most disadvantaged and underrepresented to level the playing field,” he added.

Cisco Networking Academy offers technology education through strong public-private partnerships, a high-quality curriculum, and inclusive workforce development programs.

Globally, the program has reached 17.5 million students across 190 countries. Since starting operations in Asia-Pacific, the program has spread to 34 markets and trained nearly 4.5 million students through 1,950 partnerships with institutes of higher learning and organizations offering Networking Academy courses.

In partnership with educational institutions, government leadership, and community-based organisations around the world, Cisco Networking Academy leverages Cisco’s offerings to deliver information and communications technology (ICT), cloud-based curriculum, and tools, focused on technologies shaping the future such as security, networking, collaboration, and Internet of Things (IoT).

Courses are designed with a learning science foundation, integrated with gamification, assessments, and problem-solving to support learner success.