Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is using Cisco’s unified communications technology to bring more skilled IT personel into the local workforce.
At the launch of the ITE-Cisco Collaboration Technologies Center at the ITE campus in Choa Chu Kang yesterday, ITE and Cisco demonstrated how they are tranforming the classroom using telepresence and web conferencing.
Billed as Asia’s first such centre, the ITE-Cisco centre will connect with Cisco’s Networking Academy, a global education initiative to connect academic institutions around the world to teach courses on troubleshooting computer networks.
Cisco and ITE will also offer a joint certificate to students who successfully complete the module on collaboration technologies. The module will include content developed by Cisco and ITE and is based on Networking Academy content.
Cisco will sponsor up to 100 ITE students annually to obtain Cisco networking certifications like CCNA and CCENT, and also provide internship programs for relevant industry attachement opportunities.
Said Bruce Poh, director & chief executive officer, Institute of Technical Education: “The centre will allow us to have seamless ‘face-to-face’ discussions with anyone with compatible systems, anywhere.”
The centre, likely to be in the ballpark of millions of dollars, is a good strategic win for Cisco as they move from a newtwork platform play into a more architectural and services play.
