Cisco and EC government launch new EDGE centre
Cisco, the networking and hardware company, announced the launch of its fourth EDGE centre in partnership with the Eastern Cape provincial government to develop digital skills in the region and promote employment within the East London community.
The centre, launched last week, is located at the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) Science and Technology Park, which will be accessible to the three universities in the area.
“Guided by our purpose to ‘Power an Inclusive Future for All’ in partnership with government, we are committed to leveraging our people, processes, technology and our unmatched network of industry partners to help bridge the digital divide,” said Smangele Nkosi, GM of Cisco in SA.
“We already have several initiatives in place and the ELIDZ and Cisco’s EDGE Centre will bring industry-leading technologies to the region.”
Cisco is said to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government to support the country’s national digitisation agendas.
“Furthermore, the centre will play host to hackathons to stimulate more interest in technology skills development in the Eastern Cape.”
This new EDGE centre in East London follows similar initiatives in Cape Town, Pretoria, and the Dube Trade Port in KwaZulu-Natal.
These centres provide small businesses with enablement and industry specialisations, as well as access to workspaces, conferencing, and training facilities, and to global Cisco experts.
Through the centres, Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) will also be given access to best products and high-speed broadband connectivity.
All of this to help create new job opportunities in SA.
“SMMEs are a critical growth driver to meet the National Development Plan targets.
“Cisco can make a difference in the way these businesses work, digitally connect, interact, and learn in South Africa,” said Nkosi.
“As an expansion of its CDA programme, the multi-million-rand Cisco EDGE Centre investment in East London will provide much-needed access to managed workspaces of the future with Cisco Meraki high-speed broadband services, Webex collaboration-enabled facilities, skills, and talent development programmes through Cisco’s Networking Academy.”
Acting director-general of the Department of Communications & Technologies, Nonkqubela JordanDyani, explained that Cisco was introducing access to its NetAcad offerings to people who were looking to upskill themselves and provide for their families
“We call on all organisations to collaborate with government and play a role in helping aid the transition to a digitally transformed economy for the Eastern Cape.
“With its historically high unemployment rate and poverty levels, the skills development facilitated through the Cisco EDGE Centre will support government in its objective to prepare for skills of the future and build digital citizens.
“We are also looking forward to the innovation coming out of the centre.”
Cisco’s Nkosi said: “The EDGE centre’s programme is proving to be a game-changing approach to helping the country drive digitisation from within, which has already resulted in over 100 training sessions completed with 880 individuals trained, as well as 120 SMME companies actively involved in the initiative.
“As technology leaders, we have a moral responsibility to help connect people and equip them with the digital skills essential for the modern workplace.”
We call on all organisations to collaborate with government and to play a role in helping aid the transition to a digitally transformed economy for the Eastern Cape.