Cisco Takes Part in National Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2007

Students Visit Cisco Campuses to Discover Career Opportunities in IT

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 2, 2007 - Cisco® today announced the kickoff of its Job Shadow Day activities at seven primary sites across the country: Southfield, Mich.; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Herndon, Va.; Raleigh, N.C.; New York and San Jose, Calif. Working with America’s Promise and Junior Achievement, Cisco will be hosting dozens of events with students from the Cisco Networking Academy Program throughout the month to provide detailed information about career opportunities in the information technology (IT) industry.

“Job shadowing offers our youths a unique window into today’s real work environment,” said Randy Pond, senior vice president of operations, processes and systems at Cisco. “They learn about career opportunities created by technology and witness firsthand the application of academic and technical skills in the networked workplace, all of which provides context for their goals and aspirations.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for IT jobs is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014. The Networking Academy program provides students worldwide with the IT skills essential for career growth through instructor training, hands-on lab work, and preparation for industry certifications.

“As network technology proliferates into every industry, the demand has never been greater for qualified IT professionals with networking expertise,” said Amy Christen, director and general manager of the Networking Academy program. “Job shadowing presents the ideal opportunity for students to learn about career opportunities and how they can best position themselves for success.”

Designed to inform high school and college students about promising career paths in math, science and technology, Cisco’s Groundhog Job Shadow Day events provide an opportunity for students to interact directly with working IT professionals. Cisco employees will spend the day volunteering for Junior Achievement and giving students a real view of the IT world through roundtable discussions, facility tours and technology demonstrations. The program helps young people understand that the efforts they invest in the classroom will directly affect their future employability and potential for upward mobility within the global economy.

In its 11th year, national Job Shadow Day is a coordinated effort of America’s Promise, Junior Achievement, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Additional information about Cisco’s Job Shadow Day initiative is available at:
http://www.cisco.com/go/promoteitcareers

For more information about the Cisco Networking Academy Program, visit:
http://www.cisco.com/go/netacad
About Cisco Systems

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, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo, and Networking Academy are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. 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 partnership does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

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