Wiley Edge & Cisco team up to bridge tech skills gap for graduates

Wiley Edge, an emerging talent and reskill training provider, has entered into a strategic partnership with Cisco Networking Academy to provide graduates with vital tech skills.

Given that approximately 95% of Fortune 500 businesses utilise Cisco technologies, this collaboration looks to arm graduates with the skills these companies need, giving them an edge in a highly competitive industry.

The partnership will enable Wiley Edge to integrate the academies' contemporary, real-world curriculum into various training courses. With this integration, Wiley Edge will be able to expand its service range, offering trainees enhanced abilities in several areas such as cybersecurity, networking, programming, data science, the Internet of Things (IoT), and infrastructure automation.

A report on Diversity in Tech by Wiley Edge noted a distinct skills gap between what is taught in universities and what is needed in the professional world. It revealed that 45% of businesses reported potential candidates for entry-level tech roles often lacked core technical skills.

Wiley Edge views this partnership with Cisco Networking Academy as a timely, proactive response to this challenge.

Dennis Bonilla, Vice President and Dean of the Wiley Edge Academy, highlighted the significance of their partnership with Cisco Networking Academy. The collaboration enables them to deliver practical training to graduates through a customisable curriculum that stays current with emerging technologies.

Bonilla stressed that this partnership ensures Wiley Edge Academy alumni possess up-to-date cybersecurity and tech skills crucial in today's market. He underscored the value for client organisations, describing the partnership as a source of diverse, skilled graduate tech talent tailored to meet specific business needs. Bonilla expressed confidence that Wiley Edge's alumni would bring immediate value to the teams they join.

Dennis Bonilla says, "Our partnership with Cisco Networking Academy helps us provide 'real-world' training to graduates through a customisable curriculum that evolves with emerging technology. It will help ensure our alumni are fluent in the latest cybersecurity and tech skills that are essential in today's market."

"Diverse pipeline of graduate tech talent trained with their business needs in mind."

Elizabeth Barr, Head of the Cisco Networking Academy UK & Ireland, echoed a similar perspective, emphasising the alignment between Cisco Networking Academy and Wiley Edge in recognising the significance of expanding access to technology education and fostering inclusive workforce development.

Barr anticipated that the partnership would result in a growth of graduates equipped with skills related to Cisco. Given Cisco's prominent position in the IT network market, these skills are highly sought after. With Cisco's accreditation, employers can have confidence in the value Wiley Edge Alumni brings to their teams, making them invaluable additions.

Elizabeth Barr said: "Cisco Networking Academy and Wiley Edge are aligned on the importance of opening access to technology education and promoting inclusive workforce development."