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Closing the Skills Gap
CENGN Partners with uOttawa to Deliver Cloud Computing Program
On January 28th, the University of Ottawa hosted the virtual launch event, “Closing the Skills Gap,” announcing CENGN’s partnership with their Professional Development Institute (PDI). The event was a major milestone, showcasing CENGN Academy’s professional development courses in cloud computing and their new availability through the University of Ottawa’s PDI and Faculty of Engineering. These courses were developed to provide learning and certification opportunities in cloud computing to professionals and students that will enable them to reach new professional heights.
The event hosted several key speakers, including influential Canadian tech leader Dr. Ibrahim Gedeon, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS, a founding CENGN Member company. A champion of Canada’s network sector, Dr. Gedeon spoke on enabling innovation and addressing today’s technology sector challenges, “we need to create intellectual wealth that’s sustainable for the whole region.”
“Tech innovation does not rely on only government money, we need brains, we need talent, we need ideas, and we need to operationalize together,” said Gedeon.
Andrea Johnston, Assistant Deputy Minister at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) touched on the importance of the PDI and CENGN partnership where academia and industry have combined forces to drive growth and success in the innovation economy. On the significance of the partnership, Andrea said, “We’re proud to be a supporter of these unique partnerships. We feel that partnerships with industry, government, and academia, can enable and scale both speed and success.”
It’s clear that all sectors, private, academic and government, have a pivotal role in driving tech innovation and success in Canada. The talent shortage is a major challenge facing Canada’s tech sector today, but with programs and partnerships like CENGN and uOttawa’s that bring all the puzzle pieces together, progress is happening.
University of Ottawa and CENGN Partner to Deliver Industry Relevant Cloud Training Courses
CENGN Academy is a pan-Canadian training program and a key driver in bridging the skill gaps identified by the most advanced companies in cloud computing and networking technologies. By arming experienced professionals, new graduates and students with the most relevant skills in one of the most fast-paced, growing industries in the world, CENGN Academy is working to advance the global competitiveness of the Canadian ICT workforce.
The partnership with the University of Ottawa means CENGN Academy courses and certifications will now be available as part of the uOttawa Professional Development Institute’s learning offerings. Registered learners will gain practical skills and industry credentials through CENGN Academy’s engaging self-paced training with enhanced learner support. In particular, learners will have the unique opportunity to conduct hands-on labs on the commercial-grade multisite CENGN Testbed. The CENGN Testbed is built on industry best practices using a combination of open source and best of breed vendor technologies.
As part of the partnership, CENGN Academy’s CENGN Cloud System Specialist course has also been added as a full credit course for graduate students under the uOttawa Faculty of Engineering. The course premiered at the University of Ottawa in January and will be available in the summer and following semesters.
“Partnering with an institution like the University of Ottawa is a major step for CENGN Academy and our organization’s continued effort to further develop the talent pool of Canadian professionals in cloud networking,” said Jean-Charles Fahmy, President and CEO of CENGN. “Training and talent development is a journey, from learning the theoretical foundations to experiential hands-on learning and internships, to career-long continuous development. Network technology is the backbone of digital transformation, and it is imperative that we nurture the growth of the talented workforce that will enable Canada to not only be an adopter of technology but a leader in its innovation.”
“The Faculty of Engineering at uOttawa is committed to supporting our partners at a time where lifelong learning has become so critical,” said Jacques Beauvais, Dean, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Ottawa. “We’re very proud of our distinctive approach in working closely with the Professional Development Institute (PDI) at uOttawa in order to train not only our students at the leading edge of cloud computing but also to be a key player and a valued partner in supporting innovation throughout the industry in Canada.”
CENGN Academy’s Cloud Computing Courses
Learners taking these courses will be able to “master cloud-native with the experts”. Courses are instructor supported, online and self-paced, mirroring a shift in demand for engaging remote learning due to the pandemic that is sure to continue long after COVID-19. Focusing on cloud and cloud-native technologies, DevOps and intelligent computing, courses target key skill gaps in the Canadian tech sector. Learners will extend their skills in many fields all along the smart networking spectrum, including containerization, infrastructure automation and machine learning – especially with open source tools.
Through CENGN Academy’s courses, tech professionals and students can acquire relevant skills and walk away with credible certifications. Each course ends with an exam and certification through a digital badge. These digital badges can be added to your LinkedIn profile, or badge portfolio to boost your credentials. Click the button below to view and register for CENGN Academy courses available through uOttawa’s Professional Development Institute:
CENGN Academy and the University of Ottawa’s partnership will provide the learning resources necessary to foster skills that will dominate in today’s and tomorrow’s industry landscape. Visit CENGN Academy for more info on CENGN’s talent development initiative:
About the Author
Rick is a proud member of the Canadian research and technology community, having an extensive background in tech commercialization and industry adoption of innovative technologies. Through his experience with start-up businesses and not-for-profit organizations, Rick is an outspoken advocate for the integration of technology to improve both industry outputs and society.
Over the past 5 years, Rick has managed the public relations and communications for CENGN, Canada’s Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks. At the centre of an organization that facilitates collaboration between tech businesses, industry leaders, academia and government, Rick champions the message that talent development and commercial growth in advanced networking technology is crucial to a thriving economy.
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