Contributing to Europe’s Cyber Resilience and EU Year of skills
One year after the launch of the European Cyber Academy, a European Commission initiative to close the cybersecurity talent gap, Cisco celebrates a significant milestone for skills in the European Union. Cisco has trained 224,000 Europeans in cybersecurity, reaching 90% of our three-year goal announced in March 2023. This is also part of a larger Cisco ambition to upskill 2.6 million people over the next decade in Europe through our Cisco Networking Academy program.
“Whilst we celebrate this achievement, our work is far from over,” shares Pastora Valero, Cisco Senior Vice President for Government Affairs. “Cisco remains committed to continuously work with governments to scale efforts in bridging the skills gap. We will continue to collaborate closely for greater impact and to update our training programs to address the evolving technology and cybersecurity threat landscape.”
This Cisco initiative directly addresses the urgent need for cyber skills in Europe and contributes to strengthening digital resilience. It aligns with the European Union’s Year of Skills and Europe’s 2030 Digital Decade Targets to enhance the digital savvy of its citizens. At a time when the world faces a staggering shortage of nearly 4 million cybersecurity professionals[1] and only 3% of organizations have the resilience needed to combat modern cybersecurity threats,[2] Cisco’s efforts stand out as a true catalyst to overcome one of the biggest challenges for organizations today.
“It’s clear we are at a pivotal moment for the security of our region, with sophisticated cyber-attacks and a continuously growing skills gap” warns Oliver Tuszik, Cisco’s EMEA President. “Each individual we can empower with cybersecurity knowledge or welcome to the information security workforce is a step toward a more secure and robust digital Europe.”
Our Commitment to Digital Empowerment
For over 25 years, Cisco has undertaken ambitious initiatives and collaborations to empower citizens and professionals with the right skills. The Cisco Networking Academy is a digital education powerhouse that has been providing top-tier technology education, touching the lives of over 20 million learners globally. This initiative has been pivotal in both advancing and launching careers.
Strategic alliances with educational institutions, governments, and businesses have been crucial in expanding our learning portfolio and training to match the fast-paced demands of the industry and the cybersecurity field, creating a dynamic ecosystem.
Diversity and Inclusion with Digital Skills
Recognizing the immense value of a diverse workforce, Cisco has launched and contributed many initiatives to close the gender gap in tech such as WomenRockIT or Girls in ICT, and national initiatives such as Rethinking Digital in Spain. Women represent 27% of the Networking Academy’s participants since inception, a progress of 6 percentage points in the last 6 years, with Cisco dedicated to further enriching the tech and cybersecurity landscape with a spectrum of voices and talents.
The ‘Skills For All’ platform launched in 2021 is a testament to Cisco’s commitment to democratizing digital education. It offers self-paced, complimentary courses in cybersecurity, and other critical technology fields. With this innovative format, Cisco effectively lowers entry barriers, making it possible for anyone to become savvy in cybersecurity, regardless of their background.
In October 2023, we organized the Cisco Networking Academy European CyberCup, a learnathon, where 30,000 learners from across Europe took part in cybersecurity courses for beginners. Participants learned how to protect personal data and privacy online and on social media, whilst discovering job opportunities in the cybersecurity field.
In Poland, we have trained over 9,000 Ukrainian refugees in digital skills with the StartIT #Cisco4Ukraine initiative launched in 2023. The Cisco Networking Academy developed a skills program in cybersecurity and programming to help Ukrainian refugees from all background gain skills and increase their employability. Working with the Ukrainian government, we integrated Cisco cybersecurity courses for technical entry-level roles into Diia.Osvita, the country’s e-gov platform, advancing digital transformation.
Cisco’s free, vendor-neutral training programs ensure that learners from all demographics have the chance to gain vital cybersecurity skills, reaffirming our belief that education is a right, not a privilege.
Looking to the Future: A Call for Unity
Cisco is excited to continue this momentum, aiming to train 250,000 individuals in Europe with cybersecurity skills by mid-2025. This milestone is more than a celebration; it’s an open invitation for collective action. Cisco calls upon policymakers, small and large businesses, and educational institutions to boost digital literacy and cybersecurity resilience.
[1] WEF, Bridging the Cyber Skills Gap, https://initiatives.weforum.org/bridging-the-cyber-skills-gap/home
[2] Cisco 2024 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2024/m03/cybersecurity-readiness-index-2024.html
