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Cisco to Organise Asia Pacific Skills Competition Over Powerful Collaborative Platform With Cisco TelePresence and Cisco WebEx
Asia Pacific NetRiders Draws Contestants From 15 Countries
| Source: Cisco Systems, Inc.
SINGAPORE--(Marketwire - November 26, 2008) - Demonstrating the powerful collaborative
capabilities of the network, Cisco (NASDAQ : CSCO ) is organising its
first-ever regional networking skills competition, Asia Pacific NetRiders
2008, over Cisco TelePresence™ and Cisco WebEx™.
The competition will feature 45 participants representing 15 countries in
the Asia Pacific region challenging each other for the top prize of an
all-expenses-paid trip to the United States as well as bragging rights for
the next 12 months.
Asia Pacific NetRiders is an annual competition held by the Cisco®
Networking Academy® program, a comprehensive e-learning program that
enables students to develop valuable information and communications
technology (ICT) skills for increased access to opportunities in the global
economy. Since 1997, Networking Academy has grown to reach a diverse
population of approximately 800,000 students each year in more than 160
countries. The competition tests the capability and skill levels of
Networking Academy students in the area of computer network hardware
design, configuration, development, and maintenance, all of which are
covered in the Networking Academy curriculum.
Competing for the first time is Cambodia, where the inaugural Cambodia
NetRiders 2008 competition was recently concluded. The competition featured
140 students from the Institut de Technologie du Cambodge, the National
Institute of Development Authority, YEJJ Training, Enfant du Mekong, and
Pannasastra University of Cambodia.
"We are really pleased to finally complete the first skills competition in
Cambodia because it demonstrates that the Networking Academy program has
taken root in the country. It's fantastic to have a team from Cambodia
competing in Asia Pacific NetRiders. Cisco Networking Academy has made a
positive impact on people's lives by encouraging career advancement,
improving access to the Internet, supporting the growth of the ICT
industry, and promoting sustainable economic development in the communities
in which it operates. Asia Pacific NetRiders celebrates the talent that the
Networking Academy community is fostering in the region," said Sandy Walsh,
head of Education and Corporate and Social Responsibility for Cisco in Asia
Pacific.
The competition involves two levels of testing. The first level is a
multiple-choice online examination as well as an online test using Packet
Tracer 5.0 (network configuration through computer simulation). The next
level requires hands-on troubleshooting with preconfigured networks.
The unique feature about this year's competition is that will be conducted
virtually for the first time over Cisco TelePresence and Cisco WebEx on
Nov. 27. Cisco TelePresence is a ground-breaking technology that utilises
the latest in video and audio techniques to establish real-time, live,
in-person communications. WebEx® provides on-demand collaboration
applications that enable individuals, small businesses and enterprise
organizations to use the Web as an efficient channel for interaction with
their customers, partners and co-workers.
The Asia Pacific NetRiders competition has traditionally produced talent
that match the best the world has to offer. The past few winners from
Singapore NetRiders, for example, not only went on to represent Singapore
at the widely respected WorldSkills Competition but also
emerged WorldSkills champions. This year's Singapore NetRiders team from
Nanyang Polytechnic will also represent Singapore in WorldSkills Calgary in
2009.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ : CSCO ) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms
how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco
can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to
http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in Singapore by
Cisco Systems International, BV.
Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco WebEx,
Networking Academy and WebEx are registered trademarks or trademarks of
Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain
other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the
property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not
imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This
document is Cisco Public Information.
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