Feature Story

Re-skilling today's IT workforce

Why Cisco’s new certifications may be more important now than ever.
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It can be simple to tell someone to “learn to code” to prepare for the future, but it’s not everything a workforce will need to be successful. According to a McKinsey Global Institute report, as many as 375 million workers will need to switch their careers because of developments in digitization, automations, and artificial intelligence. McKinsey also relates this shift to the early 20th century when many jobs changed from the agriculture sphere to manufacturing. A study from the Korn Ferry Institute finds that by 2030, there may be a global talent shortage of more than 85 million people.

See also: Cisco unleashes the capabilities of the new network

The president of Korn Ferry’s Global Industrial Markets practice Yannick Binvel says “Governments and organizations must make talent strategy a key priority and take steps now to educate, train, and upskill their existing workforces.” 

Companies see this upcoming shift and know they need to adapt. In a recent poll, 1,500 people from business, public sector, and not-for-profits were asked if the potential skill gap was a top ten priority. 66 percent said yes, and 30 percent put the skills gap in the top five.

Cisco is taking a proactive approach to this issue through re-skilling today’s workforce with comprehensive education and new certifications.

Cisco’s new certifications

During this year’s Cisco Live U.S. in San Diego, the company announced brand-new learning and certifications programs. These revisions allow network engineers to grow their skills and to meet with new communities. The associate level network engineering certification, or CCNA, is now a single certification covering all major technology areas. CCNP for senior professionals offer a choice of five tracks—enterprise, service provider, data center, security, and collaboration. The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), will expand to ensure experts can design and optimize implementations.

New certifications also include the Cisco Certified DevNet Associate, Specialist, and Professional certifications.

Networking Academy

For more than twenty years, Cisco has worked to bring technology curriculum to students looking to re-skill and up level their knowledge. Since its inception, Networking Academy (NetAcad) has helped more than 9.2 million students in 180 countries learn critical skills in networking, security, IoT, and more.

Students can take online courses or in-person classes at educational institutions near them. NetAcad has over 10,400 locations globally, with more than 1.2 million students enrolling each year. Get started on your career in IT and networking by checking out some local Networking Academy classes here.

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