Cisco yesterday celebrated the graduation of 600 000 South African students from its Cisco Networking Academy.
Smangele Nkosi, country manager of Cisco SA, explains that 63 000 students pass through the programme that is affiliated to schools, universities and colleges across the country.
“We are celebrating the fact that we have imparted digital skills to 600 000 young people,” she says.
Through partnerships with the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Nkosi says the aim is to train and connect young people to job opportunities.
Francine Katsoudas, executive vice-president and chief people, policy and purpose officer at Cisco, says the fact that these 600 000 young people have been trained and able to access job opportunities is significant.
“Technology creates opportunity – but it is not distributed equally. The digital divide is also an opportunity divide.
“At Cisco we feel deep accountability to develop the workforce of the future, which creates an economic imperative.”
Cisco is partnering with the Northern Cape Department of Education to set up Cisco Networking Academy courses into smart-ready high schools in the province.
These schools will integrate digital learning into Grades 10, 11 and 12, giving learners access to networking, cybersecurity and digital technologies.
It means they will be able to leave school with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as well as industry certification that will increase their competitiveness and employability.