Today, there are about 1 million engineers worldwide. Researchers predict that we’re going to need at least 2 million engineers over the next 10 years if we’re going to continue to continue along the path to a networked world.

Rather than look upwards and pray, Cisco has been taking matters into its own hands. The Cisco Networking Academy identifies students from all over the globe and provides them with training for the network certification.

Courses like IT Essentials and CCNA are the backbone of the program. The program is being used all over the world. Cisco helps place its graduates in jobs where Cisco equipment is used. Because Cisco targets minorities, women, and emerging third world countries it’s succeeded in recruiting and then placing its graduates in jobs that are probably beyond their wildest dreams.

When I was growing up, you learned occupational skills at programs like BOCES and VOCES. I suspect that as technology requires more and more specialized expertise you’ll be seeing more companies identifying, training, and placing their own. Hats off to great program celebrating its tenth year anniversary.