Bringing Professional-Level Skills to Cisco Networking Academy

AI has changed the demand for IT professionals in at least two profound ways.

First, as IT systems grow more complex and as advanced networks are needed to support AI workloads, organizations around the world require advanced expertise to design, manage, and maintain their networks.

Second, at the entry-level part of the skills spectrum, we’re finding that foundational networking is more important than ever.

A recent LinkedIn study found a shortage of skills such as racking and cabling, even as the workforce skills up on AI. This is true even though some rote tasks may be automated or performed by an AI. So IT professionals still need to be able to do basic tasks, but they also need the knowledge and critical thinking skills to guide an AI. If an AI is making mistakes, those need to be addressed before the organization suffers negative consequences. IT professionals, even at the beginning of their careers, are asked to do the work of managers—it’s just that they’re…