Cisco to Organize Asia Pacific NetRiders 2008

Cisco (News - Alert) has announced that it is going to organize Asia Pacific NetRiders 2008, a skills testing competition to test the capability and skill levels of Networking Academy students in the area of computer network hardware design, configuration, development, and maintenance, all of which are covered in the Networking Academy curriculum.

 

Cisco conducts Asia Pacific NetRiders competition every year to help students and participants to hone their skills in information and communications technology (ICT) and reap better rewards in the global economy. The uniqueness of this year’s competition is that it will be conducted virtually for the first time over Cisco TelePresence and Cisco WebEx.

 

The competition is held by Cisco Networking Academy Initiative and involves two levels of testing. The first level is a multiple-choice online examination as well as an online test using Packet Tracer 5.0 (network configuration through computer simulation). The next level requires hands-on troubleshooting with preconfigured networks.

 

Cisco TelePresence utilizes the latest in video and audio techniques to establish real-time, live, in-person communications while Cisco WebEx provides on-demand collaboration applications that enable individuals, small businesses and enterprise organizations to leverage the web as an efficient channel for interaction with their customers, partners and co-workers.      

 

Asia Pacific NetRiders 2008 will see 45 participants from over 15 countries competing for an all expense paid trip to the United States as well as bragging rights for the next 12 months. Cambodia will be making its debut this year. The inaugural Cambodia NetRiders 2008 was recently held there where students from the Institut de Technologie du Cambodge, the National Institute of Development Authority, YEJJ Training, Enfant du Mekong, and Pannasastra University of Cambodia participated.

 

"We are really pleased to finally complete the first skills competition in Cambodia because it demonstrates that the Networking Academy program has taken root in the country. It's fantastic to have a team from Cambodia competing in Asia Pacific NetRiders. Cisco Networking Academy has made a positive impact on people's lives by encouraging career advancement, improving access to the Internet, supporting the growth of the ICT industry, and promoting sustainable economic development in the communities in which it operates. Asia Pacific NetRiders celebrates the talent that the Networking Academy community is fostering in the region," said Sandy Walsh, head of Education and Corporate and Social Responsibility for Cisco in Asia Pacific.

 

Officials say that there is a gap between potential and the actual ability to achieve among students and young engineers and competitions such as these can help bridge that gap. NetRiders competitions for the Asia Pacific region has helped identify local talents who have gone on to prove that they are the best in the world. The past few winners from Singapore NetRiders for example went on to not just represent Singapore at the widely respected WorldSkills Competition but emerged Worldskills champions.