HP, Panduit, Sun sponsor Cisco networking program

BANGALORE: Cisco Systems has announced that Hewlett-Packard, Panduit Corporation and Sun Microsystems would sponsor the new curriculum of the Cisco Networking Program.

The new curriculum would be available at Cisco’s 70 Networking Academies across 15 states in India as well as in Nepal and in other SAARC countries. All the academies would follow a uniform curriculum. The Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bangalore has been appointed as the Cisco Academy Training Center (CATC) for India and the SAARC countries. It would also be the first Regional Networking Academy to offer the new curriculum.

The new curriculum, which will target the Engineering students would include options like PC Hardware and Software essentials, Fundamentals of Voice and Data Cabling Systems and Fundamentals of Unix and Java Programming. The students would be able to choose amongst these optional subjects. Cisco in order to provide a wider access for these courses to a large number of students would be offering its new curriculum at a nominal price.

There would be no entrance examination for the new curriculum and all the three sponsoring companies would be providing the hardware and software to all the Training Academies at a nominal price to encourage wider participation. The sponsoring companies would also be conducting internship programs for the Academy’s students with an aim to enhance their career prospects.

Commenting on the sponsorship by HP for the new course, Kapil Jain, Country Manger, HP services India said, "HP’s sponsorship of the curriculum is right in line with our emphasis on widening the reach of technology education and e-learning. As part of Cisco Networking Academy Program, HP can very well actively contribute to the growth of IT education worldwide."



According to Prasad Linganna, Country Sales Manager, Panduit International Corporation India Branch, "By participating in the Cisco Networking Academy Program we can make a significant impact on education around the world". Similar views were expressed by KP Unnikrishnan, Country Head — Marketing, Sun Microsystems India.

Praising the Cisco Networking Academy’s new program, B Ashok, Vice President, Cisco Systems India said, "Employers are hungry for IT-skilled workers and Cisco is expanding its Networking Academy Program to arm students with the critical IT skills necessary to remain competitive in the work place".