The company has also expanded the number of regional networking academies in the country with the recent designation of the National Computer Center (NCC) as the 11th academy.
Part of the state-owned NCC’s role is the delivery of information and communication technology (ICT) related education programs to colleges and universities.
The Cisco Networking Academy program which has produced more than 834 Cisco Certified Networking Associats (CCNA), is a curriculum for training students and in-transition workers to design, build and maintain computer networks.
Students are prepared for industry-standard certifications such as CCNA and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
Cisco Systems Philippines country manager Luichi Robles said that with NCC as a regional academy focusing on provincial universities and colleges, the Cisco Networking Academy program would be available in all 16 regions in the country.
"Together with NCC, Cisco is honored to be able to help provide the people in Mindanao with an equal opportunity to gain access to advanced IT skills," said Robles.
There are more than 140 Cisco networking academies in the country with more than 22,000 students enrolled. All eight IT curricula have been rolled out across the country.
The schools operate independently but are authorized to use Cisco-provided materials and equipment and assisted by Cisco in evaluating the results of teaching and curriculum.
NCC director-general Angelo Timoteo M. Diaz de Rivera said that the Cisco Networking Academy program fits into the NCC mandate of optimizing the use of ICT in the government for the delivery of public services.
"We try to find ways to generate a continuous supply of competent ICT manpower who will design, develop, implement and manage the computer-based information systems," said De Rivera.
NCC would initially bring the Networking Academy program to Isabela State University, FEU-Fern, Batangas State University and Northern Mindanao Institute of Science and Technology.
De Rivera who recently tendered his courtesy resignation to Pres. Arroyo said that NCC has recently received a grant from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) consisting of five routers, switches and networking equipment to be used for its training program.
If Malacanang does not reappoint him, De Rivera is not worried at all since there are more opportunities for him in the private sector.
Citing his achievements as NCC director-general, De Rivera said: "We have just planted the seeds, introduced new initiatives, moving curriculum to advance courses, knowledge management, IT project management, programming and computer systems.
De Rivera said the government and the country as a whole will benefit from the Cisco Networking Academy program as it develops a workforce equipped with the right tools, create a large resource of IT-skilled workers for businesses to hire and allow educational institutions to have an advanced technology curriculum.
The Cisco program employs e-learning model using a combination of Webbased and instructor-led training along with a hands-on lab environment to teach students on how to design, build and maintain computer networks.
