BRISBANE, Australia -- 24 October 2001 -- Students from non-English speaking backgrounds have been provided with unprecedented opportunities to learn the skills of the 21st century after internetworking leader Cisco Systems extended its Networking Academy Program to the Yeronga State High School in the Brisbane.
In an Australian first, the Cisco Networking Academy course will be expanded at Yeronga, utilizing networking equipment donated by St.George Bank, a Cisco customer. St.George is upgrading its Cisco-based branch network and instead of disposing of its routing equipment, it has agreed to donate it to the Cisco Networking Academy Program.
That donation will allow Yeronga to provide more networking equipment for its students to train with as they learn to design, maintain and support Internet networks.
About 40 per cent of the 450 students at the co-educational school have English as a second language and many are from war-torn nations including Yugoslavia, its former republics, El Salvador and the Middle East.
Steve Kinsey, the school's computer coordinator, initiated the Cisco Networking Academy in the Brisbane suburb of Yeronga. "I saw this as being an excellent way to build self-esteem in our students –- especially those with English as a second language and from disadvantaged countries," Mr Kinsey said.
To get the ball rolling, Kinsey approached the regional Cisco Networking Academy at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) earlier this year. "They were keen to help by training me as an instructor and donating technical expertise and equipment, then Cisco became involved and also donated equipment to help us set up in the school," he said. The course has been operational at Yeronga for three months.
Peter Scope, Cisco's business development manager for e-learning and education, said the company was able to recycle well maintained network equipment, donated by St.George Bank, for Yeronga State High. "The equipment has come from St.George Bank, who are upgrading their branch network. We hear so much about used equipment in the IT industry simply being thrown away. This changes the model," Mr Scope said.
"It gives the students at Yeronga access to networking technology that is still leading edge," he said.
St.George Executive Manager Telecommunications Manager, Mr Rob Debnam said: "St.George has a real commitment to community and we are very pleased to be able to participate in this program to educate the youth of Australia."
QUT Data Communications lecturer Les Smith said the program provided dual benefits. "It is estimated that the Cisco certification is worth an additional $10,000 a year in salary to our students and with a worldwide shortage of 100,000 networking people, it gives them a competitive edge," he said.
"But more importantly, it is giving these high school students something to aim for. One of them said to me that it is a doorway to the future."
Yeronga is equipped to handle 24 students in the Networking Academy Program. They are in grades 11 and 12 (16 and 17 year olds).
"Students would normally be studying six subjects at this level but those in the program are studying five with the Cisco course counting as the sixth," Mr Kinsey said. "We see them going from this program into work experience before going on to university or TAFE."
Because completion of the course prepares students to sit for the exam to become a Cisco Certified Network Associate –- a widely recognised computer industry skills certificate –- they may also be able to go straight into the work force.
The Cisco Networking Academies program was set up by Cisco to teach the fundamentals of computer networking to a broad range of students. There are more than 130 Academies in Australia located in universities, institutes of TAFE, community colleges and high schools. Worldwide there are now more than 8,000 Academies in 110 countries with a total student population of more than 135,000.
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