“CISCO Academy Is Significant Step Forward”
The Minister of Government Estates and Information Services Michael Scott has commended the recent launch of Cisco Academy Bermuda at the Bermuda College as a “significant step forward in intellectual capital creation in Bermuda.”
Minister Scott said: “This is a most inspiring and welcome development on Cisco Academy Bermuda classes. We have begun our very own home grown Bermuda instruction in Cisco. We underestimate the importance of intellectual capital creation at our peril.” Minister Scott said.
He added: “Mr. Arthur Eugene Phillips and Mr. Lionel Jason Thomas, both trained as Cisco instructors, have embarked on a path that will equip Bermudians with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete not only on the local playing field but also globally and only the stars are the limit.”
The Minister attended the launch of the first Cisco Certified Network Associate, CCNA, class, personally welcoming the students. “I want to thank your team of professionals who have taken the vision and made it happen, specifically Mr. Robert Horton (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Government Estates and Information Services), Mr. Michael Oatley, Mr. Shawn Lightbourn, Mrs. Rhonda-Woods-Smith, Miss Jonelle Steede, Mr. Quinton Butterfield, Miss Mikia McGowan, Dr. Irving Berkowitz, Miss Tawanna Flood and Mrs. Evelyn James Barnett. Their support and hard work have made this launch a success,” Mr. Phillips said.
Orientation was successfully completed last week and Mr. Phillips said the students appear eager to start and succeed. “We have a wide range of experience and educational backgrounds represented in the class and Jason and I look forward to guiding these new recruits successfully through the program. As mentioned in the class that evening – ‘the prize is there for the taking, it’s entirely up to each one of the students to do what is necessary to collect it’.
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In my opinion, and in basic terms, the majority of Cisco devices that require Cisco engineers are appliances such as computer network switches and routers. Appliances, in terms of plug it in, configure, set it and forget it. These devices are at the backbone of all infrastructure and work is plentiful when new environments are being built or existing networks need configuring. But how often to you need your refrigerator repaired?
From my perspective, there are large – but few – new environments being built and existing sites rarely need tinkering. There are already many Cisco engineers on-island through a combination of local and expatriate talent. Most Cisco engineers locally do not need to touch Cisco equipment on a daily basis and, again, most are well-rounded in a sense that they also have skill-sets in Microsoft, VMWare, Citrix, etc. Further, many local sites (businesses, organizations) have their Cisco talent working remotely from overseas. How often do you need your home internet DSL router configured?
This initiative, though very good, is about 15 years too late. Very similar to the drywall and nail technicians. Great, but late. A Microsoft Academy would have been a much better idea.
I received my CSC (Cisco Sales Certification) a few years ago while work at Cisco and what you are stating is correct. Cisco has gret products but its low if any maintenance. Microsoft would have been the way to go.
Great idea and effort though. You can never learn too much.
this is another notch in the belts of those participating in the course. No one said this was a guaranteed employment opportunity. What you need to understand is that many of us are willing to do what it takes to make it in this world. Any IT professional knows that being one dimensional in your skill sets isn’t going to take you very far, so having multiple skills only gives you more employment opportunities. This is an opportunity for the students to progress in a very lucrative work environment. Not only that but it opens up doors to many jobs over seas as well. You can try to beat down the program but while your out there throwing stones into the school yard I’ll be in there laughing at your dumb a**. The Cisco “refrigerators” that you speak of need tweaking all the time. If your trying to make people believe that the little mom and pop store with a Cisco switch is all there is to it then you obviously have no clue. Get a job at a major ISP or in a corporate environment and you will realize that there is plenty to be done. And guess what! that ex-pat talent that you speak of will only have to step aside for the local talent once certified.
Certification gets you to the interview. Experience gets the job done. Who are you going to trust when it’s reinsurance renewal season when there is millions to be gained and lost. A mistake can take out your phone system, underwriting system, email etc. The expats are going to be around for a long time as there have the exposure to these environments in the fortune 500s, hence got the job in Bermuda to start with. I hate to say it but there are very very few good locals in the Cisco field.