Cisco : Looking for Great IT Talent? Talent Bridge is the Answer for Cisco Partners

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Business and IT continue to change more rapidly than ever, yet as a manager I remain committed to one consistent thing - hiring the best talent and arming them with the skills for a successful future. Whether you are growing your own career, or building a team, Cisco can help.

So, how can Cisco help with skills growth?

It's called the Cisco Networking Academy (or NetAcad). Since 1997, more than 6 million people have gone through this IT training program to learn a wide variety of highly sought-after skills aligned to industry certifications (e.g. CCENT, CCNA, CCNP, etc.). Students come from diverse backgrounds and maintain a unique skillset and expertise, grounded in a desire to contribute to today's IT companies.

The NetAcad program helps to develop networking fundamentals and advanced concepts with hands-on practice and simulations to develop real-world skills. It's more than video or basic instructor-led training, but rather a comprehensive incentive-based curriculum that teaches both Cisco and industry standards combined with practical IT experience.

With the increased focus on digital transformation comes a breadth of new opportunities. We're talking about new jobs in the right industries suited for the right talent. For NetAcad students, these new opportunities represent the chance at a dream career in hot IT areas including mobility, cloud, security, and application development. NetAcad students develop the expertise to master, succeed, and lead in the digital economy.

Digital transformation is also a driver for arming Cisco partners with new leading-edge talent. NetAcad fills the digital skills gaps on a daily basis. More than 70% of NetAcad students say they've gone on to find jobs after completing their training. It's mission critical that employers like you have access to grow your business and address your skills gap in IT for today and tomorrow.

How can you connect to NetAcad talent?

Simple - Cisco's newest employment program, called Talent Bridge. Launched earlier this year, Talent Bridge serves as the connection point between qualified NetAcad students and graduates, and entry-level opportunities with our partners.

Students who are invited to the Talent Bridge program gain benefits like insight into the latest job opportunities, virtual career development events, and an engaging learning portal to help develop skills that are top of mind for recruiters. The Cisco partner ecosystem includes over 88,000 companies located across the globe, which means NetAcad students can tap into opportunities at some of the most innovative leaders in the industry.

For years, NetAcad has prepared students to thrive in the technical world of tomorrow. And now Talent Bridge helps you connect to the best and brightest IT workforce. Our goal is simple - give every qualified NetAcad student an opportunity for a great career, while providing a pipeline of early-in-career talent to our partners across the globe.

For Employees: Start Promoting Your NetAcad Skills

• Include 'Cisco Networking Academy' in your education AND add any Cisco Certifications or NetAcad courses you have completed to your profile.

For Cisco Partners: Start Finding Great Talent

• Learn about the Talent Bridge program here.
• Learn about Priority Access for Cisco Partners here.
• Follow Cisco NetAcad on Twitter.

Stay tuned for my next blog to learn how Talent Bridge is making a difference for students by connecting them to opportunities at Ingram Micro. Share with me below your tips and philosophy on growing great talent for the digital economy.

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