Numbers Mean Nuthin….It’s People That Count

While most of my attention in this blog focuses on how the public education sector in America must be upgraded in how we teach science, technology, engineering and math, a conversation with Cisco CEO John Chambers last month reminded me of another angle in STEM education in America and around the world….namely tech vendor certification programs.

Cisco’s well received marketing program is entitled “the human network” and Chambers believes continued global economic growth is more “human” than “network” and an entry level certification program launched by Cisco several weeks ago called Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (http://www.cisco.com/go/ccent) is aimed at the human factor hoping to entice more humans to get into the tech industry.

Global market research IDC agrees with Cisco’s moves. It predicts as much as a 40 percent global gap between the demand and supply of technical networking skills by the year 2012.

CIO Magazine’s Tech Poll supports IDCs finding. On July 1 CIO reported that 40 percent of CIOs claim right here and now IT labor is “hard to find and keep”. Forget about 2012….we are feeling the pain right now!

My point in touting the Cisco CCENT program? It is a great example of a corporation stepping up and taking responsibility to make sure there are enough talented human beings in the future who can build and manage our pervasive networks.

An example that points also to the responsibility each of us have to spread the wonders of our industry, our profession to young – and old – hey, life long learning is cool too.

It would be a sad party in 2012 if technology continues to advance way ahead of the numbers of people who can manage it.

Paraphrasing Will Rogers quote that heads this post…..”technology don’t mean nuthin…..it’s people that count”

Log on to the CCENT site. Spread the word however you chose.