The Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad) has had an over 53% increase in number of students trained in Saudi Arabia over a one-year period. A total of 58,541 students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were trained in FY20, compared to 38,385 students in FY19.
Since 1997, NetAcad has served as a platform to train, upskill and develop human capital. Beginning as a single school, NetAcad has now developed into an ever-expanding community of students, educators, employers, NGOs, Cisco employees and customers working to build a digitally-ready future.
The Cisco Networking Academy was designed to be a globally-connected platform which enables students to learn from anywhere. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cisco has been working round-the-clock to provide the tools and resources required to move to a fully virtual learning environment.
To provide an additional layer of support, NetAcad recently launched its ‘Learning Never Stops’ initiative, leveraging the audiovisual and collaborative capabilities of Webex, alongside a host of free online resources to help educators get their remote classrooms up and running.
In doing so, Cisco has been able to ensure that NetAcad educators can continue teaching, and its students can continue to access classes virtually, gaining proficiencies in networking, IoT and cybersecurity from anywhere in the world.
Cisco’s NetAcad is helping to futureproof job roles and aid the transition towards more digitally-focused economies. Since the program was introduced in Saudi Arabia in 2000, over 140,000students have been trained.
Today, there are 106 active networking academies and over 450 academic instructors in the country. Each academy specializes in providing training in fields such as networking, IoT, programming and cybersecurity.
Through NetAcad, Cisco is aiming to inspire and uplift the Saudi youth, while also ensuring the existing workforce is upskilled and prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.
At the heart of Cisco’s NetAcad program lies a commitment to championing diversity and building an inclusive digital future for all. In Saudi Arabia, the program has one of the highest female student participation rates globally, with 32% female participation.
“While developing digital skills was previously on the agenda for many organizations and individuals around the world, the pandemic has propelled new conversations around the importance of upskilling into the spotlight.
“Residents in Saudi Arabia are recognizing the need to secure their futures by gaining digital competencies. In doing so, they are also exposed to greater opportunities within the job market.
“Our commitment to students remains that irrespective of age or geography, we will continue to bridge the gap and make upskilling an attainable opportunity for all,” said Salman Abdulghani Faqeeh, managing director, Cisco Saudi Arabia.