Cisco Commits to Digital Upskilling of 1.5m EU Citizens
Cisco has announced plans to equip 1.5 million people across the European Union with basic digital skills by 2030, as part of a broader initiative to support the EU’s Union of Skills framework.
The commitment, revealed by Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins at the European Commission’s Employment and Social Rights Forum in Brussels, represents a significant expansion of the company’s long-running Cisco Networking Academy programme.
“Cisco is committed to supporting the EU and our education partners in developing the talent essential for thriving in an AI-driven future,” he says. “This new initiative strengthens our partnership to build a resilient and skilled workforce ready to meet Europe's digital transformation and AI objectives.”
Cisco Networking Academy expands European digital literacy programme across cybersecurity and AI domains
The initiative will focus on providing free courses designed to enhance digital literacy across the EU, with content covering digital awareness, cybersecurity, data science, Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. These offerings align with the European Commission’s 2030 Digital Decade targets, which aim to build a more digitally proficient population across member states.
The technology company will leverage its Cisco Networking Academy, which has operated in Europe since 1998 and has already provided training to over 3.2 million learners across the EU. The academy functions through a network of more than 3,000 partner institutions and 7,000 educators throughout the Union.
This latest commitment builds on previous European initiatives from Cisco, including its recent completion of a goal to train 250,000 people in cybersecurity skills as part of the EU’s Cyber Skills Academy initiative.
Beyond providing basic digital skills to the broader population, Cisco has outlined plans to train 5,000 instructors over the next five years on competencies needed for success in an AI-driven economy. This “train the trainer” approach aims to strengthen vocational education and higher education across the region.
The instructor training will cover AI at basic and intermediate levels, along with material addressing AI’s impact on cybersecurity, networking, and other IT roles. Cisco will also introduce a new Industrial Networking curriculum focused on operational and energy efficiency, innovation, and connected factory technologies, particularly relevant to the automotive and manufacturing sectors.
EU skills development partnership forms cornerstone of Cisco's continental education strategy beyond 2025
To ensure widespread adoption, Cisco plans to deliver content in multiple European languages and work with regional partners to integrate the curriculum into national education systems. This approach acknowledges the diversity of educational frameworks across EU member states and the need for localised content.
The partnership with the EU falls under the company’s broader learning continuum, which includes specialised courses for professionals at various career stages. Earlier this year, Cisco launched its AI Skills Journey programme to build AI infrastructure skills from entry to expert level. The company has also updated its professional certifications, including the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Internetwork Expert (CCIE) to incorporate AI and cybersecurity components.
- 1.5 million - Number of EU citizens Cisco aims to equip with basic digital skills by 2030
- 5,000 - Instructors Cisco plans to train over the next five years on AI, cybersecurity and data science competencies
- 3.2 million - Learners who have participated in Cisco Networking Academy courses across the EU since 1998
The training initiative comes at a time when technology firms across Europe are grappling with significant skills shortages, particularly in emerging fields such as AI and cybersecurity. By focusing on both basic digital literacy and advanced technical training, Cisco aims to address immediate skills gaps while building a pipeline of talent for the future.
Cisco’s Networking Academy has established itself as one of the world's longest-running skills-to-jobs programmes, operating for more than 27 years globally. The academy provides a curriculum that prepares learners for careers in the digital economy through partnerships across public and private sectors.
The EU’s Union of Skills framework, which Cisco's initiative supports, represents a coordinated approach to addressing skills shortages across the European Union. By aligning corporate training programmes with EU objectives, the framework aims to create a more coherent strategy for workforce development across member states.
“This new initiative strengthens our partnership to build a resilient and skilled workforce ready to meet Europe's digital transformation and AI objectives,” says Robbins.
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