Main via studying with Cisco 360 Accomplice Program

October 28, 2024

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Cisco’s $80 million funding invitations Companions “again to high school”

I’ve all the time stated that know-how is transferring quicker than folks. Ought to we simply settle for this? I consider now we have a duty to assist folks in every single place construct expertise they should leverage rising know-how and keep on the forefront of innovation. Digital skill-building is how we are going to advance and architect the speedy evolution of our info and communications know-how (ICT) trade, the place 92% of roles are anticipated to remodel because of AI. Digital expertise are additionally our greatest line of protection to deal with the worldwide hole in cyber readiness and the scarcity of 4.6 million cyber professionals which places our world’s digital ecosystem in danger. And most significantly, skilling is a pathway to participation – giving all the prospect to profit from the promise of superior know-how.

Collectively, these dynamics create a urgent want for enterprise and authorities leaders world wide to verify their workforce is AI-ready and AI-enabled. At the moment at Cisco’s 2024 Accomplice Summit, we took the stage to speak concerning the essential want for skilling and the way a brand new imaginative and prescient for Accomplice enablement at Cisco – will permit us to cleared the path.

Ability-building as a strategic functionality

The flexibility to be taught – and quickly translate studying into motion – will differentiate firms competing in as we speak’s hyper dynamic AI-driven market. However, now we have to consider studying in another way and domesticate skill-building as a strategic, ecosystem-wide functionality. It’s this concept that has leaders asking if they’ve sufficient employees with the precise expertise, and the reply is commonly “not but.” As a substitute, we see that:

What does all of this imply for Cisco and our Companions as we journey to AI-readiness? It means it’s time to return to high school!

Again to high school with the brand new Cisco 360 Accomplice Program

Cisco 360 is essentially the most vital evolution of our Accomplice program in 25 years, designed from the bottom as much as assist Cisco Companions construct their workforce, allow outcomes, and cleared the path for our trade. The “college” we envision on the coronary heart of Cisco 360 is totally different from faculties of the previous. It’s AI-centric and AI-driven, with studying that’s easy, versatile and accessible. And, it consists of new approaches and presents like these:

Section 2 of AI-Prepared Infrastructure for Companions, addressing the wonderful knowledge heart and AI merchandise launching at Accomplice Summit this week,
Accomplice Studying Journeys for easy, curated coaching suggestions,
A Unified Studying Strategy combining on-demand with digital Teacher-Led Coaching (ILT) capabilities, so Companions get credit score for expertise no matter technique,
new vendor content material on AI, cloud, and networking and a 2x quicker replace cadence, and
our expanded AI specialization is now out there to Companions freed from cost.

And an $80 million funding in Accomplice enablement

There’s extra to Cisco’s dedication to our Partners’ success. For over three many years, we’ve seen how coaching turns into innovation and actual enterprise worth. Cisco is making an $80 million funding in two new applications to assist Companions energy their workforce – and their profitability. Each applications use our award-winning and AI-powered Cisco U. – the identical coaching platform utilized by Cisco’s inside gross sales power.

Quarterly “Ladder Ups” for all Partners

First, we’re making an $20 million funding in new quarterly “Ladder Up” coaching occasions, supplied free to all Cisco Companions. Ladder Ups present a self-paced coaching choice, with hands-on labs and continuing education credit to assist certifications. Every coaching is aligned to Cisco’s key enterprise priorities, reminiscent of AI, safety, and networking. Our first Ladder Up focuses on the essential difficulty of cyber resilience, providing each Cisco Accomplice free entry to our Cybersecurity Affiliate coaching on Cisco U. This coaching constructs expertise round community protection, risk evaluation, incident response, and safety operations – all vital elements of any safety follow. It’s out there beginning as we speak, and you’ll be taught extra right here.

10 annual all-access Cisco U. subscriptions for certified Most popular Companions

As we roll out Cisco 360 over the following 15 months, we’re additionally investing $60 million in our Most popular Companions’ studying journey. Certified Most popular Companions will obtain a complete advantages package deal that features 10 annual all-access subscriptions to Cisco U., enabling their groups with essential expertise and obtain or re-certify profession certifications. This funding displays Cisco’s deep dedication to our Companions and our intention to amplify the worth of Accomplice capabilities, efficiency and engagement.

As we gear up for the 2026 launch of the Cisco 360 Accomplice Program, we are going to work to verify the “on ramp” is simple and units us up for achievement. Our work displays vital suggestions from our Companions, and we’re relying on that suggestions loop persevering with as we carry Cisco 360 Accomplice enablement to life.

Deep technological expertise flip risk into opportunities

Asserting these new presents has been a spotlight of this 12 months’s Accomplice Summit. I particularly appreciated the prospect to convey in particular person the deep gratitude now we have for the tens of hundreds of Companions who scale Cisco world wide and deepen our affect in such significant methods.

In my 28 years at Cisco, I’ve seen two vital constants – the essential function our Companions play in our success, and the ability of training and digital skilling to raise people, communities and corporations. Cisco and our Companions have embraced these concepts for a very long time now, and our dedication to main via studying is barely deepening as we prepare collectively for an additional technological revolution.