A week of acronyms that would rival any other at Cisco Ireland.

A week of acronyms that would rival any other at Cisco Ireland.

SVP, CDA, FMCI, WDC. Not the everyday tech acronyms, but what a week. And one that I hadn’t quite realised the impact of until it was well underway.?

It?started with the arrival of our Senior Vice President & Chief Government Strategy Officer, Michael Timmeny and ended with the announcement of our commitment to help Ireland become a more inclusive digital economy, with the expansion of our Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme.?

After months in the planning, the one thing I’d underestimated was the intangible benefit?of seeing our teams recognised for the work they do – in person. It was in the schedule, planned on paper for both our teams in Dublin and Galway to meet with Michael (who incidentally is also our country sponsor), but in a seemingly always connected virtual world, the handshake or the demonstration of the hologram technology that the team in Cisco Galway had?been working on for a number of years, were moments to be celebrated.?

Whether it was during roundtable sessions with public sector leaders and?Cisco partners, ministerial meetings with the likes of Simon Harris TD to discuss?digital skills development in Ireland, or the signing of a formal agreement with the WDC to address digital opportunity in the West,?what is clear, is that our teams are helping to create?Ireland’s digital future.?

To top it all off, we closed?the week on Friday discussing with?Tánaiste?Leo Varadkar Cisco’s IoT Portfolio at the launch of the Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI). FMCI is a?project that personifies the importance of global brands partnering with local, innovative tech in Ireland, from Cisco & Jaguar Land Rover, to Provizio. FMCI is set to solve many of the challenges facing smart and connected communities for a more sustainable digital future.?

?We’re partnering to help create a more inclusive, digital Ireland?

We are partnering to ensure that the benefit of a more inclusive, digital future, aligned to initiatives like the National Broadband Plan, are felt by everyone. ?

Research commissioned by Cisco with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) shows that there is a €28bn opportunity for Ireland’s economy between now and 2030, if we can collectively help it realise what digital brings to everyone. ?

That is why, this week we have announced that we will not only be expanding our CDA programme in Ireland, but as part of which, we are launching initiatives in two areas to address the opportunity.?

Firstly, a partnership?with the Western Development Commission to explore opportunities for the digitisation of the West of Ireland, including strengthening rural connectivity and mobility across the region. The first phase of the partnership includes three distinct projects in healthcare, rural development and the future of work.?

The second initiative relates to digital skills. ?

Our research indicates that to achieve digital inclusion in Ireland by 2030, where everyone can participate in a more digital society - including access to online services like banking or virtual GP appointments, 70,000 people a year in Ireland must gain essential digital skills (EDS). That in itself is no mean feat.?

To build a more digital workforce, 131,000 need to develop a higher level of digital skills each year. With advances in skills, connectivity and digital adoption, it is estimated that Irish industry would benefit from a boost to productivity in the region of €24 billion.?

To that end, we have announced two initiatives to build on an existing network of over 20 Cisco Networking Academies and 30,000 people trained in digital skills by Cisco in Ireland to date.?

We’re supporting teachers to deliver a more digital curriculum, providing foundation level digital skills?by committing to help those teaching to Level 5 Leaving Certificates through the Cisco Networking Academy, by providing free unrestricted access to the platform, content, and coaching from programme partners. ?

We’re also launching ‘Skills for All’ in Ireland. Providing free access to digital skills courses that support professional development or retraining, Cisco’s digital skills platform ‘Skills for all’ enables self-paced, mobile-first learning ranging from ‘Intro to Cyber Security’ to ‘The Internet of Things’. ?

?So what did I get from a week of acronyms? ?

Pride. In my team. In the difference I see that we are making, but more so in what is to come.?

#cisco #wdc #ciscopartners #cda #digitalsociety #ciscogalway #webex #ireland #inclusion