Boosting IT skills for the future

This ``skilled people gap'' is higher in the fields of advanced networking technologies, including wireless technology, network security, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), with a gap of 15 percent in 2006 that grows to 20 percent by 2009.

Released in June 2006, the IDC Networking Skills Study in Asia Pacific marks the ten-year anniversary of the Cisco Networking Academy programme, a worldwide e-learning programme that aims to develop graduates with networking and Internet skills.

The study was based on an in-depth survey of more than 1,000 middle to senior management respondents from 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with the main objective of measuring the gap in the demand and supply of professionals with general and advanced networking skills.

``As a key programme in technology, it's very important for us to take a look at the future needs of the market for technology skills, so that we can make sure that our [Cisco Networking Academy] programme is well aligned for the future,'' says Sandy Walsh, regional manager of the Cisco Networking Academy programme.

Academy on the move

In 1997, Cisco Systems launched the Cisco Networking Academy in the United States, before introducing it to the Asia Pacific region in 1998. To date, the programme has produced nearly 1.5 million graduates who have completed one or more IT courses.

Besides its flagship programme, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), other courses at the academy include: Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP); IT Essentials I and II (PC hardware and software/network operating systems); Fundamentals of Unix; and Fundamentals of Network Security.

In 2000, Cisco Networking Academy was introduced in Thailand, with the CCNA course that comprises CCNA 1 (networking basics), CCNA 2 (routers and routing basics), CCNA 3 (switching basics and intermediate routing), and CCNA 4 (Wide Area Network technologies). Students who have completed CCNA 1 to 4 gain solid networking knowledge to prepare for CCNA certification which, according to the IDC report, is highly preferred among employers.

Vorkon Patra-Yanan, Cisco Systems' regional managing director (Indochina)

Today, 38 academic institutions nationwide _ high schools, colleges, and universities _ participate in the programme, producing more than 1,500 graduates. ``The academy's activities have nothing to do with the commercial side of our business,'' says Vorkon Patra-Yanan, Cisco Systems' regional managing director (Indochina). In fact, the online courses are available to participating academies at no cost.

``Our main objective is to produce graduates with networking skills, since our clients need them, we need them, and our partners also need them,'' he adds, noting that the programme's success depends very much on collaborating with the government, academic institutions, and private organisations.

The academy's structure is divided into three types: local academies, regional academies, and Cisco Academy Training Centres (CATCs). While local academies teach the courses to students, regional academies train and mentor local academies as well as teach courses.

The CATCs are Cisco-selected regional academies that train regional academy instructors. Out of the 38 academies in Thailand, four are also regional academies.

To serve as an academy, Vorkon says, the academic institution must send their teaching staff to train with Cisco, and they must pass the exam to be certified. ``This is to ensure that the teaching quality is the same standard globally,'' he says. To date, the Cisco Networking academy programme is available in more than 160 countries. In Asia Pacific alone, more than 1,200 academies in 25 countries have produced more than 75,000 graduates.

Skills shortages increasing

Despite its eight-year presence in the Asia Pacific region, the shortage of professionals with networking skills continues to rise. ``In 2006, we already see a gap projected at around 210,000 and growing to nearly 400,000 by 2009,'' says Walsh, citing the IDC report's findings. The numbers represent a gap of 19 percent in networking skills in 2006 and 23 percent gap in 2009, respectively.

``The advanced technology skills gap is growing at an even faster rate than some of the core networking skills, with the gap expected to reach 26 percent by 2009,'' she adds. This trend applies to countries like Thailand, where the skills gap for professionals with advanced networking skills _ wireless technology, network security, VoIP _ is growing at a faster rate than for those with general networking skills.

In Thailand, the IDC report reveals an overall shortage of 4,000 skilled networking professionals in 2006, representing a gap of 13 percent. This gap, however, is expected to grow to 15 percent, with the shortage increasing to about 6,600 professionals by 2009. By breaking the numbers down into general and advanced skills gap subcategories, Vorkon says, Thailand will need to pay more attention to the training of professionals with advanced networking skills.

``The skills gap for professionals with general networking skills remains steady at 10 percent and will grow to only 11 percent by 2009,'' he explains. ``But in advanced technology like wireless, we have the widest gap of 21 percent, which will grow to about 25 percent in 2009,'' he adds. Similarly, in network security and IP telephony, the skills gaps increase from 14 percent and 17 percent in 2006 to 17 percent and 25 percent by 2009, respectively.

Out of 12 countries, the study found that the greatest demand for skilled networking professionals is in India and China, where the markets for IT have a high growth rate. In emerging markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Indonesia, the demand remains relatively limited, although it is growing. In countries with mature economies _ Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia _ the skills gaps were narrowest for general networking skills but still large for advanced technology skills.

``This study affirms Cisco's strong commitment to the Cisco Networking Academy programme,'' Vorkon says. ``We will continue to expand the reach of this programme and partner with additional academic institutions. At the same time, we will maintain the high standards of existing courses to help train and produce IT and networking professionals for the industry,'' he adds.

For more information about Cisco Networking Academy, see www.cisco.com/global/TH/learning/academy.shtml