AI is in every single place – and never simply in dialog and on the information. It’s in software program, in workflows, and throughout community and safety operations. It’s a transformational second for job roles and job duties, whether or not you might be utilizing AI or constructing AI infrastructure.
Cisco’s latest AI Readiness Index, launched in November 2024, confirmed that only one in seven organizations are absolutely ready to deploy new AI applied sciences. An absence of abilities is a key purpose for this low degree of readiness: Solely 31% of organizations mentioned their workforce is at a excessive state of readiness to leverage AI.
At Cisco, we imagine an AI-powered workforce is vital as a result of AI has large potential – however can deepen the digital divide if we don’t act deliberately, ensuring that no populations get left behind. We’re transferring full velocity forward to assist IT professionals put together and upskill for this newest know-how transformation and the usage of AI with our function on the forefront: to energy an inclusive future for all.
We’ve got various packages to assist
IT professionals and organizations upskill on AI.
We’ve got various packages to assist IT professionals and organizations upskill on AI. At Cisco LIVE Amsterdam this week, we’re asserting a number of new programs and updates to our present studying pathways to broaden our choices. These vary from AI fundamentals for many who are new to tech careers or simply studying to include AI into their roles to superior networking design courses for the professionals that design, construct, and run the networks that help AI workloads.
We’re enabling skills-based AI readiness in 3 ways: First, in case you’re seeking to higher perceive precisely what AI is, and why it’s essential, our Introduction to Trendy AI is accessible to everybody at NetAcad.com. Second, for these seeking to construct AI abilities for skilled roles, we’ve created a brand new studying path obtainable on Cisco U that can assist engineers and designers be taught all the abilities essential to implement AI Options on Cisco Infrastructure. Third, we’re updating our present studying supplies in our Knowledge Middle and Safety certification tracks to include the AI-related data that IT professionals want at totally different ranges of experience.
About AI Options on Cisco Infrastructure Studying Path
Our new AI Infrastructure studying path covers all the AI studying continuum, from entry degree to professional. By following this studying path, constructed with a give attention to multi-vendor deployments, professionals will acquire the AI infrastructure abilities wanted to maneuver their organizations and their careers ahead.
We’ve chosen the primary a part of this studying path, known as Necessities, as our present Rev As much as Recert, working from February 7 to March 24. Our superior materials will probably be obtainable earlier than Cisco Stay U.S. in June 2025.
Necessities is every part that you must get began in constructing AI infrastructure. It begins with three programs on AI fundamentals and a sequence on AI infrastructure necessities. It then covers AI community architectures, AI knowledge issues (together with privateness and sovereignty), compliance (sustainability and energy administration), and {hardware} assets.
This materials is primarily meant for DC community engineers, DC system engineers, IT infrastructure architects, and IT operations engineers — anybody engaged on a multi-vendor method to constructing AI infrastructure.
Integrating AI throughout our certifications
Along with the brand new studying path dedicated to AI, we’re refreshing our present certifications to verify additionally they embody the AI-related materials most related to IT professionals. You might already pay attention to the modifications to our cyber safety coaching, which now consists of AI-related examination subjects. On the affiliate degree, candidates will discover ways to use predictive AI to safe networks. On the skilled degree, they’ll discover ways to use AI-powered and AI-driven evaluation.
We’re additionally doing extra to acknowledge those that have gained experience.
Listed here are some highlights:
- CCDE AI Infrastructure Elective testing
At Cisco Stay U.S. in June, we introduced a brand new elective inside the CCDE certification: AI infrastructure. The primary day to check for that new elective is February 9th, at Cisco Stay Amsterdam.
This elective is a big addition to Cisco’s certification choices, protecting important subjects resembling designing scalable AI options, leveraging AI for community automation, and making certain safe and environment friendly knowledge dealing with in AI-driven environments.
- New CCDE Specialist Badges
Beginning February 9th, CCDE’s will probably be eligible to earn new badges. These badges will replicate the elective {that a} CCDE licensed professional chosen throughout their examination. Badges will probably be obtainable for Giant Scale Networks; On-Prem and Cloud Providers; Workforce Mobility; and the brand new AI Infrastructure elective.
- Knowledge Middle certifications now embody AI
Our DCID focus now consists of an AI and AI Infrastructure area to validate abilities in designing fashionable Knowledge Middle AI Infrastructure. Accordingly, we’ll be renaming the DC Design certification. With the addition of this new AI-related materials, the certification will now be known as Designing Cisco Knowledge Middle Infrastructure for Conventional and AI Workloads.
- AI for Community Engineers badge turns into externally obtainable
Those that full our hottest AI tutorial, Understanding AI and LLMs as a Community Engineer, will now be directed to an evaluation upon completion of the tutorial. After passing the evaluation, they’ll declare a Credly badge. The badge will validate their abilities in understanding the idea, background and use instances for AI and LLMs as a community engineer.
- Integration of AI-related abilities all through certifications, studying and coaching
Along with including AI Infrastructure abilities to our DC certification monitor (from CCNP to CCIE), we’ve additionally been including related AI and AI/ML abilities to our present certifications. In August of 2024, the up to date CCNA certification and coaching was amended to incorporate abilities associated to generative and predictive AI. Our Cisco cybersecurity certifications (previously CyberOps) have additionally been up to date to replicate the usage of AI to enhance incident response and menace protection. We’veembedded AI/ML abilities and operations into our multicloud specialist certifications, particularly our Cloud Connectivity (ENCC), Safe Cloud Entry (SCAZT), and Community Assurance (ENNA) certifications and coaching – with ENNA incorporating AI/ML developments embedded in Cisco ThousandEyes.
Starting the training journey
For these simply contemplating a profession in IT, Cisco gives a set of assets to assist them turn into well-versed in AI at earlier levels of their studying journey.
On NetAcad.com, those that are at earlier levels of their careers will discover introductory supplies, together with programs resembling The Street to Clever Machines and Introduction to Trendy AI.
Cisco U hosts all kinds of studying supplies and courses. These embody Understanding AI and LLMs as a Community Engineer, presently our hottest tutorial, in addition to Palms-On ChatGPT: Exploring the ChatGPT APIand Palms-On AI: Constructing Infrastructure as Code.
Extra skilled community engineers and IT professionals will discover our AI studying path on Cisco U, together with the Fundamentals, Necessities, and Superior coursework for Constructing AI Options on Cisco Infrastructure.
As ever, we’re dedicated to persevering with to replace our studying supplies and our certifications to answer new applied sciences and new calls for on IT professionals –and Cisco’s new AI studying journeys permit everybody to construct AI abilities. The continuous progress of our AI programming for learners is a mirrored image of market demand, expertise transitions, and Cisco’s capability to assist create profession and financial alternatives throughout the globe.
For extra data on Cisco’s latest
AI Abilities Journey studying and certification program,
go to u.cisco.com
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