Students in 180 Countries Benefitted from Cisco Academy in 20yrs

In celebrating its 20 years of operation in Nigerian, the Cisco Networking Academy, which is an initiative of Cisco to develop people in technology education, said it has trained over 7.8 million students in 180 countries, including Nigeria.

The Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad) is the world’s largest technology classroom, partnering closely with 22,000 educators to deliver a curriculum that gives students digital, problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills needed to get a job, promotion or start entrepreneurial businesses.

In Nigeria alone, the NetAcad has trained over 101,000 students of which 41 per cent are female in the past 20 years and currently has over 32, 000 active students and an instructor population of 218 in 167 Academies, seven Academy Support Center (ASCs) and nine Instructor Training Center (ITCs). With many industries experiencing a shortage of Infor- mation Technology (IT) talent, Cisco Networking Academy is developing a pipeline of IT talent to support digitisation in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos recently, Cisco Regional Manager, Corporate Affairs, sub-Saharan Africa, Alfie Hamid said: “Cisco Networking Academy plays an essential role in Cisco’s commitment to positively impact over one billion people by 2025 through digitisation. For 20 years, Cisco Networking Academy has enabled people from all works of life to form part of the digital economy, positively changing the lives, incomes, and narratives of their families.”

Cisco General Manager in Nigeria, Olakunle Oloruntimehin, expressed Cisco Nigeria’s commitment to advancing skills in ICT saying, “As we celebrate 20 years of innovative IT teaching, we are proud that the Cisco Networking Academy has contributed to the growth of the Nigerian economy.