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CWA Partners with Cisco Systems to Offer High-Tech Training
CWA and Cisco Systems have announced a partnership to provide high-tech skills training to military veterans, as part of CWA's Military-to-Work pilot program, partially funded by the Labor Department, as well as to other workers through CWA retraining and apprenticeship programs.
The announcement came at Vice President Gore's 21st Century Skills for 21st Century Jobs summit, where Military-to-Work was spotlighted as one of 19 success stories in the area of skills training.
"Cisco's training programs and certification standards are simply the state of the art in information technology," CWA President Morton Bahr stated. "We're excited about working together to build the high-skilled workforce for the Internet age of communications."
Through on-line assessment testing developed by CWA and Cisco, veterans who qualify will be matched with jobs at major telecom and high-tech companies. Those who don't initially qualify will be referred to appropriate training sources, which may include CWA apprenticeship programs or Cisco Academy certification programs.
Major telecommunications employers using Military-to-Work report a desperate need for thousands of qualified entry-level as well as experienced technicians. And Cisco estimates that 1.8 million direct high-tech jobs will be created in the next five years.
CWA foresees a need to retrain and upgrade the skills of thousands of today's telecommunications workers in the next few years to keep up with new technology, said Larry Cohen who has overall responsibility for CWA's training and education programs. The union will start using Cisco training to enhance existing and future retraining programs negotiated with major employers as well as in its communications apprenticeship programs.
"The most valuable technicians in the future will be those who have experience both with voice communications as well as data networking, so they can help put all the pieces together in this converging information industry," Bahr said. "CWA and Cisco are uniquely positioned to train and help place these high-skilled workers."
"We couldn't have a better partner in this project," said Cisco Chairman of the Board John Morgridge, who participated in the announcement. "The Communications Workers of America and Cisco share a deep commitment to prepare today's worker for the Internet economy of the 21st century."
The convergence of voice and data over a common network continues to escalate at a rapid pace, and technology is shifting toward having the Internet serve as the backbone for delivering all forms of communications, including voice data and video.
"Approximately 85 percent of current Internet traffic passes through Cisco equipment," explained Paul Anderson, CWA director of apprenticeships, benefits and employment. "Consequently, if we want CWA members to install and maintain the equipment supplied by the dominant carrier, it makes sense we provide our current and future members access to state-of-the-art training and certifications."
Anderson said CWA will work with employers to incorporate Cisco training into existing labor-management programs.
Cisco's Networking Academy program, launched in October 1997, already offers high-tech training to 17,000 students in all 50 states and internationally. About 2,000 students will graduate from the program this spring, and 10,000 the following year.
The announcement came at Vice President Gore's 21st Century Skills for 21st Century Jobs summit, where Military-to-Work was spotlighted as one of 19 success stories in the area of skills training.
"Cisco's training programs and certification standards are simply the state of the art in information technology," CWA President Morton Bahr stated. "We're excited about working together to build the high-skilled workforce for the Internet age of communications."
Through on-line assessment testing developed by CWA and Cisco, veterans who qualify will be matched with jobs at major telecom and high-tech companies. Those who don't initially qualify will be referred to appropriate training sources, which may include CWA apprenticeship programs or Cisco Academy certification programs.
Major telecommunications employers using Military-to-Work report a desperate need for thousands of qualified entry-level as well as experienced technicians. And Cisco estimates that 1.8 million direct high-tech jobs will be created in the next five years.
CWA foresees a need to retrain and upgrade the skills of thousands of today's telecommunications workers in the next few years to keep up with new technology, said Larry Cohen who has overall responsibility for CWA's training and education programs. The union will start using Cisco training to enhance existing and future retraining programs negotiated with major employers as well as in its communications apprenticeship programs.
"The most valuable technicians in the future will be those who have experience both with voice communications as well as data networking, so they can help put all the pieces together in this converging information industry," Bahr said. "CWA and Cisco are uniquely positioned to train and help place these high-skilled workers."
"We couldn't have a better partner in this project," said Cisco Chairman of the Board John Morgridge, who participated in the announcement. "The Communications Workers of America and Cisco share a deep commitment to prepare today's worker for the Internet economy of the 21st century."
The convergence of voice and data over a common network continues to escalate at a rapid pace, and technology is shifting toward having the Internet serve as the backbone for delivering all forms of communications, including voice data and video.
"Approximately 85 percent of current Internet traffic passes through Cisco equipment," explained Paul Anderson, CWA director of apprenticeships, benefits and employment. "Consequently, if we want CWA members to install and maintain the equipment supplied by the dominant carrier, it makes sense we provide our current and future members access to state-of-the-art training and certifications."
Anderson said CWA will work with employers to incorporate Cisco training into existing labor-management programs.
Cisco's Networking Academy program, launched in October 1997, already offers high-tech training to 17,000 students in all 50 states and internationally. About 2,000 students will graduate from the program this spring, and 10,000 the following year.