Cisco is one of the world’s leading companies when it comes to networking technology. The company provides networking technology for a significant percentage of companies and it wouldn’t be too farfetched to say that a good percentage of the internet goes through Cisco technology. That said, being one of the forerunners, they’ve had to help companies and countries develop the skills needed to successfully take advantage of networking technology.
With networking and connectivity taking centre stage with the advent of the internet and more publicly now with the “metaverse”, there’s an even more pressing need for graduates and even those in the workforce to equip themselves with the skills and know-how for the rapidly changing tech landscape. Realising this, Cisco has pledged to empower 141,000 Malaysians with digital skills over the next 10 years. That’s over 14,000 Malaysians equipped annually to help further the digital aspirations of the country.
Mobilising Cisco’s Networking Academy to Upskill & Empower
Cisco isn’t starting at ground zero when it comes to upskilling and empowering Malaysians. In fact, the company has about 23 years of experience in upskilling and training people across the globe in Cisco’s Net Academy. The Networking Academy started back in 1997 and is now proudly boasting over 3 million students annually 25 years later. The academy is not just a simple top-down experience, in fact, instructors and students build veritable relationships which see them succeed and support each other even after their time at the academy.
Malaysia has the unique honour of being one of the first countries to see the rollout of Cisco’s Networking Academy in 1999. Having been in Malaysia for over 20 years, it comes as no surprise that the company is looking to empower 141,000 Malaysians over the next 10 years. Cisco has built partnerships with key stakeholders such as the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to achieve this pledge.
The Networking Academy is already working towards achieving this goal. Its curriculum has already been embedded in institutions of higher learning such as Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), University Malaysia Pahang, and Universiti Malaya. These partnerships are simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to empowering Malaysians with the necessary skills. These universities have not only incorporated certain modules into their courses but also offer Cisco’s Networking Academy syllabus as electives that are continually being updated to address the rapidly evolving landscape.
Equipping People Now for the Jobs of Tomorrow
Our current job landscape is quickly evolving. In fact, it’s expected that by 2025, a total of 85 million jobs would have been displaced with 97 million new jobs that we’ve never seen before emerging in that same period. These new jobs will emerge in the wake of new technologies like 5G and the deployment of AI across industries. However, these jobs also bring with them a skills gap that will only widen without support from the industry.
In the wake of the pandemic, there has been an increase in the demand for cybersecurity specialists as companies begin to move to a more hybrid style of work. As the shift to working from home or working from anywhere becomes more mainstream, the need for companies to build in networking and access resilience and security is rapidly increasing. In addition, as 5G increases the number of connected individuals, the threat landscape will increase exponentially. These trends are being used and predicted to help shape Cisco’s Networking Academy’s curriculum to ensure that it is forward-looking and adaptive.
Cisco’s Networking Academy doesn’t just upskill the students, it regularly updates and upskills the instructors. This allows the academy to adapt rapidly and also expand its offerings to address current and emerging trends in the industry. As a matter of fact, Cisco’s Networking Academy has offerings for networking technologies, Python, Linux and more over the past few years as demand for skills increased with the introduction of new technologies like Kubernetes and 5G.
“Bridging Malaysia’s skills to job gap to create inclusive access for its population to participate in the evolving digital landscape is critical as the country strengthens its digital economy. At Cisco, we have always believed in the power of public-private partnerships to unlock the power of digitalization. This is why Networking Academy has been in Malaysia for 23 years where we have trained over 129,000 students since inception with 419 active instructors today. Our pledge to equip 141,000 Malaysians with relevant digital skills is a testament to the potential we see in the country and our commitment to work with our ecosystem partners to empower the Malaysian digital economy.”
These demands and trends are not merely predictive. Cisco also monitors the industry demands. The increase in demand for certain skill sets by corporations and more in the industry are indicative of a shift in the skills gap.
Gearing for Digital Malaysia with 141,000 Additional Skill Technologists
With over 23 years of success and an impressive track record, Cisco’s Networking Academy is looking to empower Malaysians to take the next step into a digital Malaysia. Cisco has already invested USD4.8 Billion in the upskilling of people since the inception of the Networking Academy. It even has the great honour of being a platform for equality with over 26% of students being females and 21% of instructors being female. Malaysia boasts an impressive 38% of women in Cisco’s Networking Academy.
The upskilling of Malaysian workers will need to continue as the nation continues on its path to becoming a digital economy. With the pledge of 141,000 trained in Cisco’s Networking Academy alone, it won’t be an impossibility. You can even take the first step by registering at Cisco’s Networking Academy website.
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