SYDNEY -- 21 July 2000 -- Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced a significant expansion of its Networking Academies program in Australia and New Zealand, with the addition of further IT skills training courses to stem the worsening IT skills shortage.
Cisco will offer students above the age of 17 the opportunity to gain "Cisco Certified Network Professional" (CCNP) credentials at six TAFE, Polytechnic and other Higher Education facilities across Australia and New Zealand, through an investment worth more than $4 million.
"Cisco Networking Academies in Australia and New Zealand have already attracted 3500 students, with another 300 now qualified as 'Cisco Network Academies Associate' (CCNA). Many of these CCNA graduates have found work in the IT industry. Now, with the introduction of the CCNP program, CCNA graduates have the opportunity to take their qualifications a step further," said Peter Scope, Marketing Manager, Cisco Networking Academies, Australia & New Zealand.
CCNA status denotes proficiency in installing, configuring and operating simple routed LAN, routed WAN, and switched LAN networks. Networking Academies teach high school and college students to design, build and maintain computer networks.
The CCNP certification covers the same skill sets as CCNA, but at a higher level of expertise which includes troubleshooting for more complex Internet Protocol (IP) networks.
"The CCNA and CCNP programs are specifically created to provide students with vocational, industry focused qualifications. We know there is a chronic shortage of IT skills in Australia, and these programs are designed to meet industry needs," Mr Scope said.
Mr Scope said Cisco will release the next 4 semesters of the CCNP program early in 2001 at the TAFE campus in Launceston and other TAFEs, Polytechnics and Universities in Australia and New Zealand. As part of that strategy, an Instructor from the "Tasmanian Regional Academy" in Launceston has recently been trained by Cisco in preparation for the implementation of the CCNP curricula.
Institutions which are selected to integrate the CCNP 2-year, 280 hour program will be subsidised by Cisco with equipment, instructor training and curricula valued at more than $800,000. This CCNP curricula is in addition to the current 280 teaching hours Cisco subsidises for Networking Academies offering the CCNA program.
The Cisco Systems Networking Academies Program (CNAP) has been operating in Australia for a little over 2 = years and has now grown to 87 academies across the country with over 3,500 students currently participating.
To foster the growth of IT skills training in Australia and New Zealand, Cisco has donated over thirty full lab kits of switches and routers, three of these to Tasmanian academies, for students to gain significant hands-on, industry recognised experience as they train for their CCNA.
The investment that Cisco has made to Tasmania in gratis or discounted products and trainer training as well as a fully supported and integrated, 280 hour, cutting edge, web-based curricula, is estimated at circa $AUD1.2M.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at www.cisco.com.
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