With a view to bridging the ICT skills gap in the country, The Polytechnic of Namibia has leveraged its partnership with the global IT and networking giant, CISCO, to establish a training academy on campus.

Among other roles, the academy is expected to deliver CISCO Networking Academy Instructor certification modules and testing to the public.

“Today marks yet another significant milestone in the partnership. CISCO systems identified a need within the market and instead of waiting for a competitor or third party to fill the void, it provided an answer that has not only expanded the services it offers, but has contributed to skills development and employment creation on a global scale,” said Dr Tjama Tjivikua, Rector of the Polytechnic of Namibia during the launch.

The partnership between both institutions was struck in 1999, when a growing demand for ICT professionals in the country necessitated the establishment of a CISCO Networking Academy in Namibia.

The idea was to address the skills gap by offering quality training with international standards, which could enhance career and employment prospects of Namibians.

CISCO certifications were therefore integrated into the undergraduate curriculum at The Polytechnic. Concluding his comments at the launch, Dr Tjivikua emphasized that the world is becoming more connected and reliable networks are therefore an absolute necessity. The new academy would be instrumental in developing young Namibians to add value within this sphere.

“The other spin‐off accruing from this mutually beneficial relationship has been an opportunity to create a strong linkage between industry and academia. That is our trademark,” he said.

By Emmanuel Iruobe

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