Cisco Systems Canada Joins with HP, Panduit and Sun Microsystems to Expand the Cisco Networking Academy Program in Canada

VANCOUVER, BC - June 3, 2002 - Cisco Systems Canada today announced it is teaming with Hewlett-Packard, Panduit and Sun Microsystems to expand the scope of the Cisco Networking Academy Program in Canada. The program, which teaches students the Internet technology skills essential for success in a global economy, is currently offered in more than 330 high schools, colleges, technical institutes and universities across Canada. HP, Panduit and Sun Microsystems will sponsor new courses that will be integrated into the existing Cisco Networking Academy curriculum to teach a broader range of IT skills to Canadian students.

The new content will be available to students across Canada starting in September 2002. It will include: IT Essentials, sponsored by Hewlett-Packard; Fundamentals of Voice and Data Cabling, sponsored by Panduit; and, Fundamentals of UNIX® and Fundamentals of Java ^TM Programming Language, sponsored by Sun Microsystems.

"By joining with industry leaders HP, Panduit and Sun to expand the Cisco Networking Academy Program, we are strengthening our commitment to technology education and contributing to the growth of IT knowledge and skills in Canada," said Anne Miller, education marketing manager at Cisco Systems Canada. "Employers are hungry for IT-skilled workers and Cisco is committed to arming students with the critical IT fundamentals necessary to be competitive in the work place."

The Cisco Networking Academy Program is a global success. There are now more than 9,100 Academies in 140 countries, teaching approximately 260,000 students worldwide. The program employs an e-learning model, using a combination of web-based, instructor-led learning and hands-on exercises to teach students networking and information technology skills.

Teaching students valuable Internet technology skills

"We are witnessing a growing demand for IT workers with UNIX and Java language programming experience," noted Ted Jawniak, National Education Technology Specialist, Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "Technology is one of the keys to learning and to working in a global economy. Sun Microsystems' involvement in the Cisco Networking Academy Program will help equip Canadian students with the fundamentals of these highly sought after skills as they embark on an IT career and join the competitive global workforce."

According to Steve Lennox, Managing Director at Panduit Canada, Cisco's global learning network delivers quality content via the web in a way that is second to none. "Panduit is very excited to join forces with Cisco to provide cabling education and skills to the future members of our industry. Cisco's Networking Academy educators recognize the importance of cabling and its impact on network performance. The new Cabling course provides the tools necessary to share this knowledge," added Lennox.

"HP's sponsorship of the IT Essentials curriculum is part of its ongoing commitment to enabling change in technology-assisted teaching and learning," says Bob Miller, business development manager for education and healthcare at HP Canada. "By sponsoring this program HP is providing Canadian students with access to the IT knowledge that is highly valued in today's economy."

Expanding breadth and depth with five new modules

The new content will complement the existing Networking Academy curriculum that teaches students how to design, build and maintain computer networks. The expanded curriculum will deliver the same high-quality, interactive content, dependable support, and value-added instructor materials, while teaching a broader range of IT skills and fundamentals.

The five, new, 70-hour modules each consist of 30 hours of instruction and 40 hours of hands-on lab work. Each of the courses maps to industry-recognized certifications.

Fundamentals of UNIX, sponsored by Sun Microsystems, teaches students how to use UNIX operating system commands. The class is for new users of the UNIX environment. Students will learn fundamental command line features including file system navigation, file permissions, the vi text editor, command shells, and basic network use.
Fundamentals of Java Programming Language, sponsored by Sun Microsystems, provides a conceptual understanding of object oriented programming. The course teaches students how to use the Java programming language's object oriented technologies to solve business problems.
The Fundamentals of Voice and Data Cabling Course, sponsored by Panduit, is designed for students interested in the physical aspects of voice and data network cabling and installation.
IT Essentials I: PC Hardware and Software, sponsored by HP, provides an introduction to IT and data communications. Students learn how to build a computer and install operating systems such as Windows 98 and Windows 2000.
IT Essentials II: Network Operating Systems, sponsored by HP, delivers an intensive introduction to multi-user, multi-tasking network operating systems. Students will learn about installation procedures, security issues, backup procedures, and remote access.

To learn more about the new curriculum, click here.

To learn more about the Cisco Canada Networking Academy Program, click here.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

About Cisco Systems Canada

Cisco Systems Canada Co. has offices across Canada dedicated to customer support, sales, and service. In addition, Cisco Systems has a significant research and development centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP merged with Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. The merged company had combined revenue of approximately $81.7 billion in fiscal 2001 and operations in more than 160 countries. HP Canada has a workforce of approximately 6,900 at 58 locations across Canada. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.ca

About Panduit Corp.

Panduit is a world leader in network connectivity solutions, providing complete copper and optical fiber cabling systems for the enterprise and service provider markets. Panduit is in more than 80 countries around the world and has an extensive network of certified installers, designers, and channel partners. For more information, visit http://www.panduit.com/ or send an email to cdn-info@panduit.com.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer^TM" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, exclusively licensed through X/Open company, Ltd.