CISCO to invest $62 million in local IT academies

Lindsay-Nation

CISCO Systems Inc., one of the world's leading Internet network providers, has partnered with the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish 11 networking academies in Jamaica at a cost of $62 million.

Aimed at assisting in increasing the information technology skills of over 100 Jamaicans initially, the project will see the establishment of a CISCO Regional Academy at the Stony Hill HEART/NTA Vocational Institute and ten 10 local academies in other institutions. Through a series of courses, students will be prepared for certification as "CISCO Certified Network Associates" (CCNA).

"This initiative will create a critical mass of technicians for Jamaica initially, who can design, build and maintain computer networks. It will fill a growing demand for network specialists, whose knowledge and experience would contribute to Jamaica's development," said UNDP resident representative, Gillian Lindsay-Nanton.

Over time, she noted, "it is expected that this training programme would be extended to persons in the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean, as well." This project, which will be implemented over a two-year period, is consistent with the Government's objective of generating employment and reducing poverty through the creation of a knowledge-based society, equipped with the necessary skills to take advantage of development opportunities in the IT sector, locally and globally.

It is also consistent with UNDP's own view that new technologies can play a major role in reducing poverty. Since the 1992 Earth Summit, UNDP has been instrumental in assisting the developing world to increase connectivity, build capacity and networks and generate local and relevant content in digitised format. It has also been giving policy and strategic advice for effective IT applications.

The recently published 'UNDP Human Development Report 2001', concludes that information and communications technology (ICT) can make an important development impact, because it can overcome barriers of social, economic and geographical isolation, increase access to information and education, and enable poor people to participate more in the decisions that affect their lives. UNDP's programme of co-operation with the Government of Jamaica for the period 1997-2001 focuses on capacity building and institutional strengthening using information communication technology.

Particular attention has been given to public sector modernisation, improving environmental management and strengthening the productive sector. Specific projects have included support to the Parish Infrastructure Development Programme; the Planning Institute of Jamaica and the Jamaica Sustainable Development Networking Programme (JSDNP) which was established as a means of providing community members and groups with easy and cost effective access to e-mail, the Internet and opportunities for distance learning and e-commerce based development.

This CISCO/GOJ/UNDP partnership to establish networking academies in Jamaica is the result of another UNDP initiative aimed at forging strategic partnerships between public and private interests in an effort to advance the goal of sustainable human development.

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