by Telethia Willis
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 25, 2026 / Building an inclusive digital workforce
The disconnect between skilled talent and open jobs has become one of the most pressing challenges worldwide. Cisco Networking Academy and Indeed, the world's #1 job site*, have joined forces through a global strategic partnership to address this gap-creating a seamless, end-to-end pathway from tech skills training to employment.
For over 28 years, Cisco Networking Academy has empowered millions of learners and instructors with the skills needed to succeed in a digital world. Now, with Indeed's mission to help 30 million job seekers facing barriers get hired by 2030**, this partnership marks a new chapter in bridging education and employment at scale.
A proven model for a global vision
To begin our collaboration, we launched an initial pilot in the United States to build a customized career hub. Our model features a co-branded career hub on Indeed, tailored specifically for Cisco Networking Academy learners to streamline the journey from skills to jobs by offering:
Curated job boards: Pre-filtered roles directly aligned with Cisco Networking Academy's curricula, including Cybersecurity, Networking, AI & Data Science, Programming, and more.
AI-enhanced tools: Personalized career advice, AI-powered resume builders, intelligent job matching, and comparison tools help learners put their best foot forward.
Career services: Access to free and discounted resources, including resume writing, mock interviews, and negotiation preparation.
Career preparation workshops: Free, comprehensive sessions to help learners plan their career goals and enhance their professional profiles.
Since the U.S. pilot launched in August 2024, the results have been remarkable, with tens of thousands of job applications started by Cisco Networking Academy students. This high level of engagement highlights the value of connecting verified tech talent with real-world opportunities and demonstrates a proven model for bringing our global vision to life.
India: The next step in a global rollout
Building on the success of the U.S. pilot, we're expanding our reach to the first dedicated Career Hub outside of the United States. As the world's third-largest digital economy***, with over 70 percent of India's youth aspiring to work in tech****, India's potential to shape the future of tech is extraordinary. By launching our career hub model in India, Cisco and Indeed are providing localized, high-impact opportunities for a workforce that is ready to lead the next wave of digital innovation.
Powering potential at scale
Cisco's goal to train 25 million learners by 2032, combined with Indeed's global reach, creates a powerful force for social and economic impact-and this launch is just the beginning. By creating a seamless connection between education and employment, we aim to power potential and advance inclusion for learners everywhere and build the workforce of tomorrow-starting today.
"Cisco Networking Academy offers access to in-demand digital skills for learners across the globe," says Par Merat, Vice President, Learn with Cisco. "Now, our collaboration with Indeed helps those learners find jobs best aligned to their skills. By combining our industry-leading curriculum and global community with Indeed's world-class platform, we're creating a bridge from skills to jobs that will change lives and help close the talent gap."
How to get started
Explore the Career Hub: Explore the new Career Hub to discover local opportunities matched to your skills.
Update your profile: Make sure to add "Cisco Networking Academy" to your Indeed and LinkedIn profiles. This is a critical step to boost your visibility with employers!
Showcase your skills: Follow these steps to Stand Out with an Optimized Indeed Profile. This guide will help you add your earned badges, certificates, and certifications to your profile.
For employers: When using Indeed products such as Smart Sourcing, search for "Cisco Networking Academy" or relevant Cisco Networking Academy certifications to build a pipeline of job-ready tech talent.
Visit the Career Hub now
*Total Visits, Comscore, March 2025.
**Sustainability: Breaking Down Job Market Barriers to Help 30M Job Seekers Get Hired, Recruit Group, November 2025. View source
***State of India's Digital Economy (SIDE) Report, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), 2024. View source
****Gen Z and Millennials: Reshaping the Future of Workforce, Nasscom, December 2022. View source
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SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/cisco-networking-academy-and-indeed-launch-global-partnership-debut-de-1140851
