Educators and Industry Launch New High School Program to Teach Canadian Students How to Design, Build and Maintain NetworksProgram Aims to Fill Shortage of Qualified Network Administrators in CanadaTORONTO, ON - June 3, 1998 - In a national news conference today, educators and industry announced the Cisco Networking Academy program, a new program to teach high school and college students to design, build and maintain computer networks capable of supporting national and global businesses. Upon completing the program, graduates will have some of the skills necessary to fill some of the approximately 20,000 unfilled high-tech jobs in Canada (Source: Software Human Resources Council). "The Cisco Networking Academy program is teaching students the conceptual and practical skills necessary to design and manage networks," said Cisco Chairman John Morgridge. "In this Information Age, network administrators are essential to the success of almost all businesses yet most companies are shaking the bushes to find enough people with the right skills to address the demand." To kick-start the program, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ-CSCO) is contributing curriculum, equipment and resources to help bridge the gap. The investment has already begun in high schools, colleges and technical schools in five provinces - Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario. Cisco employees will also be volunteering their time to help get the program up and running by providing technical expertise and support. "The Cisco Networking Academy program is already the largest partnership between education and private industry of its kind in Canada," said Rob Lloyd, general manager, Cisco Systems Canada Co. "We are thrilled half of Canada's provinces have already decided to provide high school students the advanced technology training offered by the Networking Academy program." By the program's first anniversary in June 1999, more than 1,200 students from 30 schools will have gained the necessary skills to begin working in the information technology field. "The Internet is having a tremendous impact on the financial services industry," said Michael Foulkes, Executive Vice President, Operations Division, Toronto Dominion Bank. "The Toronto Dominion Bank is proud to offer student intern positions as part of the Networking Academy program and looks forward to hiring program graduates." Academy graduates are also eligible to build upon their networking training by pursuing advanced education in the sciences and engineering fields at colleges and universities. "The Toronto District School Board is pleased to add the Cisco Networking Academy program to our fall program," said Bill McIntosh, Director - Executive Council, Toronto District School Board. "The board is extremely happy with the program's curriculum. It imparts the transferable skills which will help our students find a fulfilling place for themselves in Canada's information economy." The Cisco Networking Academy program also addresses the need for network administrators within the schools themselves. As thousands of elementary and secondary schools have become "wired" in the last few years, principals across the country have scrambled to find people to build and maintain their new networks. While in the Cisco Networking Academy program, students fill their own school's networking needs and can be loaned out on projects to other schools within the district. "Thanks to the Cisco Networking Academy program, our school is being revitalized," said Libert Castillo, principal, George Harvey Collegiate Institute. "Our teachers are so enthusiastic about the program they are volunteering some of their summer vacation to learn the new curriculum. The Cisco Networking Academy program provides the kind of educational programs students are looking for today to help them get jobs and gain admission into advanced post secondary programs. George Harvey is now attracting kids from all over the city." About Cisco Systems Canada Co.Cisco Systems Inc. is a multinational corporation with more than $6 billion (U.S.) in annual revenues and more than 13,000 employees worldwide. Cisco Systems Canada Co. (formerly Cisco Systems Canada Ltd.) was established by Cisco Systems in 1990 and is the 12th largest IT company in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, the company has more than 140 employees in Canada with regional sales and services offices in Dartmouth, NS; Moncton, NB; Quebec City, PQ; Montreal, PQ; Ottawa, ON; London, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; and Vancouver, BC.Cisco produces networking solutions for enterprise organizations, service providers and small/medium businesses. With 80 per cent of the backbone of the global Internet built with Cisco Systems, Cisco is empowering the Internet generation. Cisco also uses the Internet to conduct a substantial amount of its own business. Cisco provides more than 70 per cent of its customer support over the Internet and since August of 1996, the value of Cisco product orders handled over the Internet have surpassed the $1 billion (U. S.) mark. Additional information on the company and its products can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.cisco.com or /global/CA/. Contact:
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