A Recipe for IT Career Success – Ingram Micro, ECC and Cisco Talent Bridge

At Cisco Partner Summit in November, a hot topic when talking with many of you was talent. How do you make sure you have the right people with the right skills for the digital economy? As I mentioned in my blog last week, Cisco Networking Academy is all about developing the best IT students for today and tomorrow. And the Talent Bridge program connects you with those students, who are anxious to start or renew a career with the world’s leading IT companies.

This week, I want to highlight an amazing example that speaks directly to Talent Bridge’s early success.

A Partnership for Innovation

Cisco NetAcad has created a framework with Erie Community College, a two-year community college that is part of the State University of New York system, and Ingram Micro, one of our top distribution partners. ECC students are now able to accomplish many things at once – develop a skillset based in networking and programming, get Cisco certifications, and receive college credit while doing so. Both Cisco and Ingram Micro have employees teaching students an expansive IT curriculum that creates an opportunity for immediate impact.

Here is a video that brings this great story to life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmfPsvHbkkI&feature=youtu.be

Ingram Micro is dedicated to overcoming today’s business challenges with innovative solutions. And they have seen great benefits from tapping Talent Bridge. Sr. Manager Jon Zemrac is a part of the NetAcad integration team for Ingram Micro. “As a hiring manager, I look for dynamite communication skills to complement a technical skillset. Employees need to have the ability to learn, grasp and grow to be successful at Ingram Micro, and Talent Bridge delivers this type of talent year after year.”

NetAcad student Tom Gannon is a great example of someone who has a fast start to his technology career because of Talent Bridge. “Having the ability to learn from experienced individuals in the networking field has been amazing. I was able to obtain the theory and practical experience to become marketable. I haven’t finished the program yet, but with Talent Bridge, I have an offer from Ingram Micro and will be starting my career in 2 weeks, a month prior to my graduation.”

By the Numbers

Cisco NetAcad maintains partnerships with colleges and universities in 170 countries. Each year 1 million students participate globally, with more than 100,000 receiving a CCNA4 certification. Companies like Ingram Micro hire hundreds of entry-level employees each year, and demand continues to grow.

Jon Zemrac values this partnership a great deal and it shows. “One of my most proud moments is the relationship I’ve created with ECC and Cisco – having and maintaining a high-powered relationship with Cisco’s top distribution partner and local learning environment is what it’s all about.”

When education leaders, strategic partners, and Cisco come together to solve for a talent gap, great things can happen! By blending these elements into a coordinated robust opportunity, a win-win-win situation is created for everyone. There has never been a better time to get involved with Talent Bridge.

For More Information:

Get involved with the Networking Academy by following these steps:

Join LinkedInand setup your profile in a professional manner. (Need advice? Read this blog post for tips.)

Include “Cisco Networking Academy” in your education AND add any Cisco Certifications or NetAcad Courses you have completed to your profile.

Join the Cisco Networking Academy Groupon LinkedIn.

Check back next week to hear from Talent Bridge educators and the program evolution going forward.

Get Social

Connect with me on Twitter: @nsheth_ahimsa and follow Cisco NetAcad.

And, feel free to leave any questions or feedback in the comments below.