- Commits to developing an equitable, inclusive workforce
- More than 129,000 have undergone training at the academy over 23 years
Cisco Systems inc has announced a pledge to equip 141,000 Malaysians with digital skills for in-demand jobs over the next ten years.
In a statement, the company said this will be done through its flagship corporate social responsibility programme, Cisco Networking Academy.
The firm added that this is part of its commitment to develop an equitable and inclusive workforce for the country.
Technology has advanced at an astronomical rate over the past two years and is today deeply ingrained in how we live, work, and interact with one another, Cisco noted.
This has enabled many digital-first experiences, from cashless banking experiences to experiments in augmented and virtual reality retail applications, it said.
The company said this has accelerated the demand of digitally skilled talent at almost every level of organisations across the country, echoing a trend seen across the world.
At the same time, as Malaysians embrace technology, they are also becoming slightly anxious about their jobs.
According to the PWC Hopes and Fears 2021 survey, three-quarters (71%) of respondents fear that automation is putting their jobs at risk.
Only one in five (19%) believe they have the necessary, adequate digital skills to do their job, the survey highlighted, thus putting a spotlight on th.jpg "Cisco to equip Malaysians with digital skills over next ten years")
e widening digital skills gap in Malaysia that is resounding in the rest of the world.
Hana Raja (pic), managing director, Cisco Malaysia said it is key to bridge Malaysia’s skills to job gap in order to create inclusive access for its population to participate in the evolving digital landscape.
“This is critical as the country strengthens its digital economy.
“This is why Networking Academy has been in Malaysia for 23 years where we have trained over 129,000 students since inception with 419 active instructors today,” said Hana.
She added that Cisco’s pledge to equip 141,000 Malaysians with relevant digital skills is a testament to the potential it sees in the country and its commitment to work with ecosystem partners to empower the Malaysian digital economy.
Guy Diedrich, senior vice president and global innovation officer at Cisco, “Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by closing the digital divide and doing our part to train, upskill and reskill the current population and help ensure everyone benefits from the growing digital economy.
“We are extremely proud of the progress that we have been making in Malaysia and are excited to further our longstanding collaboration with our ecosystem of partners, educators, governments and non-profits in the future,” said Diedrich.
Under its Country Digital Acceleration Programme in Malaysia, Cisco has unveiled a collaboration framework with the Malaysian government to help accelerate the country’s digitisation across four key pillars.
This includes digital transformation in the public sector, digital transformation in industry focusing on innovations for the energy and utility sector, digital transformation in small and medium-sized businesses and digital transformation in service provider sector, focusing on 5G innovation.