SKHIRAT, Morocco, 11 May 2012 - Cisco has announced the opening of a Cisco® Entrepreneur Institute Training Center in Morocco in conjunction with the America-Mideast Education and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST). The Entrepreneur Institute will provide business acceleration skills through the use of technology.
AMIDEAST, a private, nonprofit organization that strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the people of the Middle East and North Africa, will offer in-person as well as distance learning sessions, to help entrepreneurs from throughout the region improve their skills and enhance business development opportunities. It will also provide a forum for owners of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to collaborate and share business expertise.
Small and medium businesses represent a significant portion of the North African and Middle Eastern economy, and therefore supporting their development and driving their performance can ultimately help to accelerate economic growth and raise living standards. The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute courses are designed to accelerate business through the effective use of technology and to encourage innovative solutions and the sharing of best practices, which can thereby enable growth and job creation.
Highlights / Key Facts:
- Under the agreement with the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, AMIDEAST now has established Cisco Entrepreneur Institute Training Centers at their country offices in Morocco, as well as in Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia, and West Bank/Gaza.
- Young entrepreneurs will be recruited to participate in the Institute's core courses namely, "Starting a Business", "Growing a Business", and "iExec Enterprise Essentials", as well as several self-paced courses including "The Entrepreneurial Mindset" and "Web 2.0". "Starting a Business" and "iExec Enterprise Essentials" are available in both French and English.
- The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute offers four core courses, targeting micro-businesses to enterprise-level businesses.. Its mission is to accelerate business through the effective use of technology solutions, increase employment opportunities, and help develop and sustain economic growth throughout the world.
- It fosters innovation, growth, and prosperity and helps transform the economies and social landscape globally by demonstrating the value of technology in business and by providing a resource center offering business advice and mentoring, Internet business solutions, and a technology-enabled human network.
- Cisco Entrepreneur Institutes support businesses worldwide by working with local government and business organizations to foster the creation and success of small- and medium-sized businesses. They provide practical business insights, tools, and technologies that lay the foundation for success. The result-oriented approach creates long-term economic and social prosperity for businesses, communities, and nations. At the same time, Cisco Entrepreneur Institutes help extend Cisco's business and social impact around the globe.
- Cisco Entrepreneur Institutes are already established in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, UAE, & West Bank/Gaza. In the Middle East North Africa Levant (MENAL) region, there are Institutes in seven countries with fifteen Cisco Entrepreneur Institutes in total. Established in 2007, the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute has a presence in 35 countries, with 152 Institutes, and more than 17,000 entrepreneurs trained.
Executive Quotes:
Joseph Phillips, country manager, AMIDEAST, Morocco
"AMIDEAST is pleased to be continuing its partnership with Cisco in support of expanding employability in the Middle East and North Africa. The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute fits closely with AMIDEAST's commitment to providing training and educational opportunities for young men and women seeking to gain skills and knowledge that will enable them to be successful in the global marketplace and reach higher personal goals. We look forward to making these resources available to support individual and institutional advancement and the development of new ideas in the public and private arena. "
Hassan Bahej, general manager, Cisco Morocco
"Cisco has used technology throughout its 25-year history to become one of the world's leading companies. Its growing network of training centers and local institutes have been developed as a way to share its knowledge with business people and entrepreneurs. With the launch of our Entrepreneur Institute in Morocco, Cisco is fulfilling its goal of collaborating with community organizations and local government offices in North Africa to create a community of support that will facilitate business success in the region."
Additional Resources:
- Learn about the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute at: http://www.ciscoinstitute.net/
Links /URL's:
- Middle East News:
- The Network in Africa: http://newsroom.cisco.com/africa
About AMIDEAST:
AMIDEAST is a private, nonprofit organization that strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. Every year, AMIDEAST provides English language and professional skills training, educational advising, and testing services to hundreds of thousands of students and professionals in the Middle East and North Africa; supports numerous institutional development projects in the region; and administers educational exchange programs. Founded in 1951, AMIDEAST is headquartered in Washington, DC with a network of field offices in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. For more details please visit: www.amideast.org
About Cisco:
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
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