CMTC ‘excited’ by Cisco
By Doug Fletcher
Lewiston Sun Journal
June 15, 2000
Only a week after being named one of the country’s “most wired” institutions, Central Maine Technical College has scored another high-tech coup.
It’s just been named as a Cisco Systems Regional Training Academy, one of two in Maine.
“That means,” said CMTC spokeswoman Annee Tara, “that we’ll be training the people who keep the Internet working.”
It also means, said CMTC President Scott Knapp, that business and industry can locate here and be assured of a continuing stream of well-trained high-tech employees certified soon in Cisco Systems as well as Microsoft and other computer giants’ programs.
People completing the college’s Cisco instruction will be equipped “to serve the needs of business well into the future,” he said.
Maine Technical College System President John Fitzsimmons said, “Cisco’s program is exceptional, and we’re very excited to bring it to Maine.”
Besides CMTC, York County Technical College will become a regional training academy.
“If Maine is to fully participate in the Internet economy – from businesses and schools to nonprofits and government – having skilled workers to support our computer networks and Internet sites is critical,” Fitzsimmons said.
The Cisco Training Academy program teaches students to design, build and maintain computer networks, and do so using a “train the trainer” model. Cisco, a worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, launched the program in 1997 to help develop skilled technology workers for its products. The program is offered throughout the United State and in 71 other countries.
Before now, Tara said, the nearest Cisco training facility was in Albany, N.Y. By having the academy at CMTC, she said, people can obtain Cisco Systems certification without going through the time and expense to attend courses elsewhere.
As a Cisco Academy, CMTC will train instructors to deliver the training through high schools and other secondary schools and at other colleges. The training will be available to nonprofit agencies offering educational programs, too.
CMTC will offer the training directly to the public through its Business and Industry Training Division.
Informational sessions will be held this summer with training starting in the fall.
Cisco will provide the college with a complete Web-based curriculum, instructor training, lab equipment and technical support. The regional training academy will then develop Cisco labs, seek partnerships with other schools and colleges and provide them with training.
The Cisco training program consists of four sections or modules that total 280 hours. Student assessment is continuous. Training usually takes a year to complete in a college setting or two years at a high school.
To be named a Cisco Certified Networking Associate, students must complete the training then pass a Cisco certification exam.
Knapp noted that virtually all entities, from schools to businesses to governments to organizations, need networking expertise to support e-commerce, offer online courses for Web-based services and to keep computer networks working properly.
“This is great news,” he said of the coming Cisco program, “and it’s wonderful synergy coming as it does on the heels of Yahoo naming us a most-wired college.”
