TORONTO, ON - April 9, 2001 - In a move to help Canadian businesses better understand and leverage the Internet as a learning tool, Cisco Systems Canada Co. today launched the first Cisco E-Learning Centre of Excellence in Canada.

"To compete in the modern economy, Canadian organizations must turn change into a competitive advantage," says Pierre-Paul Allard, Managing Director, Cisco Systems Canada. "The Cisco E-Learning Centre of Excellence provides a one-stop-e-learning-facility to help Canada's business leaders recognize the power of Internet-enabled learning and implement solutions to maximize employee productivity, increase competitive advantage and lower costs."

Officially opened today by Cisco's guru of e-learning, Tom Kelly, the innovative facility will allow high-level executive teams to participate in customized, two to four day learning workshops with Cisco e-learning experts. As vice president of Cisco's Internet Learning Solutions Group, Mr. Kelly spearheaded the company's successful transition to an e-learning model. Today, Cisco is recognized as a visionary in e-learning.

The Cisco E-Learning Centre of Excellence is located at the Cisco Systems Canada offices in BCE Place in Toronto, Ontario.

Training for the Future

"In the knowledge-based Internet Economy, people's knowledge and skill levels have to be constantly updated," says Mr. Kelly. "E-learning allows people and organizations to keep up with changes in the global economy that now occur in Internet time."

As companies, organizations and governments in Canada and around the globe look for more efficient, dynamic ways to update workforce skills and knowledge, e-learning is emerging as one of the fastest growing corporate uses of the Internet. E-learning can be applied across all areas of training including new product information, career development training, and new employee orientation. Data fielded by IDC noted that the average Canadian organization invests approximately 11-25 hours of training per employee per year. By leveraging training over the web, organizations can eliminate the need for classroom time, dramatically reducing costs and improving real time access to information.

According to a recent study by IDC the worldwide corporate e-learning market will exceed $23 billion (U.S.) by 2004. A Canadian study recently conducted by IDC showed that 61 per cent of medium and large businesses in Canada plan to implement some form of e-learning solution by 2002. Thirty per cent of these companies have been using e-learning solutions since 1999.

E-learning in Action: Trillium Health Centre

Trillium Health Centre, a fast-growing, two-site community hospital serving patients from the City of Mississauga and south-west Etobicoke, will be the first enterprise participant at the Cisco E-Learning Centre of Excellence.

"Our involvement with Cisco provides the opportunity to blaze new trails in the healthcare industry," says Peter Dickens, vice president, Organizational Development at the Trillium Health Centre. "For us, embracing e-learning is not just a good idea, but a necessity. With a fast-growing staff of more than 2,500 full and part-time employees, and a hectic, 24/7 work environment, traditional educational concepts simply don't work."

"Cisco is helping us maximize e-learning to provide the support and culture it takes to attract and retain the very best healthcare professionals. At Trillium Health Centre, our goal is to be an innovation leader in the healthcare industry. Our close association with Cisco Systems allows us to learn from the internationally recognized leader in e-learning - giving us access to the best practices and technological solutions necessary to reach our lofty goals," he adds.

About Cisco Systems Canada Co.

Cisco Systems - with $18.9 billion (US) in revenues and over 44,000 employees - is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Established in 1990, Cisco Systems Canada Co. employs approximately 425 employees across Canada dedicated to sales and service. In addition, Cisco has approximately 500 employees at their research and development site in Kanata, Ontario and 170 employees in Waterloo, Ontario dedicated to video networking technologies.

The Internet is changing the way people work, live, learn and play - and Cisco Systems Canada is a primary agent of this change and a compelling example of the power of this revolution. By widely deploying business solutions based on the Internet, Cisco Systems saves over $1.35 billion (US) per year in operating costs, has grown revenues by 100% in two years and has increased customer satisfaction at the same time. Cisco produces networking solutions for enterprise organizations, service providers and small/emerging businesses.

For additional information:

• Willa Black
  Cisco Systems Canada Co.
  416-306-7732
  Pager: 1-800-68-CISCO
  E-mail: wblack@cisco.com

• Gareth Pettigrew
  Strategic/Ampersand Inc.
  416-961-5595 ext. 428
  E-mail: gareth@stratamp.com