If technique units path, studying is what makes it final. Studying is among the clearest locations the place Cisco’s Goal and enterprise intersect. Guaranteeing that persons are ready to participate in a digital and AI-enabled financial system is important to sustainable progress, long-term belief, and shared success. When individuals have the talents to adapt, organizations transfer quickis — with better resilience and stronger outcomes.
Inside Cisco, we’ve been intentional about investing in our personal capabilities. In fiscal 2025, greater than 37,000 staff accomplished AI-focused studying — a 76% year-over-year improve — strengthening our means to innovate, redesign work, and ship worth to our clients. As work continues to evolve, studying has turn into one of many strongest methods leaders allow the long run and drive momentum. For instance, at Cisco, staff are twice as doubtless to make use of AI when their supervisor does, and constant customers are extra productive and extra engaged.
On the identical time, our dedication to studying has by no means stopped at our personal partitions. By means of Cisco Networking Academy, we’ve helped greater than 28 million learners construct the talents wanted to take part within the digital financial system. And, by way of Be taught with Cisco, we’re supporting the White Home’s Pledge to America’s Youth: Investing in AI Schooling with a dedication to coach a million individuals throughout the USA.
In December, IDC MarketScape acknowledged Cisco as a Chief in IT Coaching Companies in each Europe1 and North America2. We see that recognition not as a end line, however as encouragement to maneuver quicker — extending the arrogance and functionality we’re constructing inside Cisco to our companions, clients, and communities around the globe.
Be taught extra about our progress and targets in our FY25 Goal Report.
Hundreds of thousands of Stories: The Influence of Studying
A latest dialog powerfully highlighted the significance and influence of training. Throughout a dialogue with Fairness Financial institution in Kenya about their studying applications for underserved youth, we realized that certainly one of our Cisco colleagues within the assembly was a graduate of this program. She shared how this bank-sponsored training profoundly modified her life. This private testimony underscored the real-world influence of Fairness Financial institution’s efforts. As I shared how Cisco Networking Academy builds digital expertise at scale, a senior chief from the financial institution spoke up. He shared that he earned his Cisco Licensed Community Affiliate (CCNA) by way of Cisco Networking Academy — an expertise that launched his profession and led him to the govt position he holds right this moment.
In an organization as far-reaching as Cisco, we don’t all the time get to listen to the person tales behind our work — however once we do, they create our influence to life. Within the final fiscal yr alone, greater than 5 million learners engaged with Cisco Networking Academy, which suggests hundreds of thousands of tales like these are unfolding around the globe. Each is a reminder that what we do issues — creating pathways for individuals to take part extra totally sooner or later.
Studying in Partnership
One vital manner that we proceed to study as a company and keep related to our trade is thru our management of the AI Workforce Consortium. This collaboration brings collectively Cisco, Accenture, Cornerstone, Eightfold AI, Google, IBM, Certainly, Intel, Microsoft, and SAP. Collectively, we’re mapping how AI is reshaping greater than 50 crucial know-how and supporting roles throughout G7 nations — and, simply as importantly, constructing sensible pathways so individuals can put together for what’s subsequent.
The Consortium’s 2025 analysis reveals that 78% of jobs already require AI expertise. However it additionally makes clear that human expertise — management, problem-solving, innovation, collaboration, and communication — will decide how impactful AI in the end turns into.
That very same analysis reinforces the necessity for steady studying to unlock the total potential of the workforce. It’s telling that Studying & Growth Specialist is now probably the most in-demand know-how help position within the U.S. and Canada, underscoring how strongly organizations are prioritizing studying agility in an AI-driven financial system. That sign is tough to disregard. At Cisco, we’re performing on it by investing in new studying roles and enterprise-wide efforts that assist our individuals construct the talents to leap forward in an AI-driven future.
Permission to Rethink The whole lot
Moments just like the one I skilled in Kenya stick with me as a result of they make clear what’s actually at stake. They remind me that we live in a uncommon time — one that offers us permission to rethink every little thing. How can we spend our assets? What breakthroughs can we pursue? And how much human expertise can we wish to allow?
At Cisco, we’re lucky to be navigating this second from a place of energy, grounded in main know-how, hard-earned belief, our individuals, and our Goal.
However with that energy comes the accountability to pause and ask the best questions on how we transfer ahead collectively.
- As trade leaders, how will we assist form markets that develop alternative and set the usual for safe, trusted, and inclusive innovation?
- As individuals leaders, how will we mannequin studying in actual time, utilizing AI ourselves and constructing cultures the place curiosity, braveness, and compassion drive progress?
- And as people, how will we adapt, unlearn, and retool, realizing that our collective success in the end relies upon on our private willingness to develop?
These questions aren’t simply theoretical for us. In fiscal 2025, we answered every with a actual and measurable dedication:
- 573,000 worker volunteer hours and the sixth consecutive yr exceeding our 80% group influence goal
- 31 disaster response efforts and over 900 worker volunteers supporting communities in disaster
- 100% renewable vitality to match world annual electrical energy wants at Cisco owned and leased services3
- 154 million lives positively impacted by way of the Cisco Basis and Social Influence Investments
Behind every of those metrics are human tales of resilience and expanded risk. Our accountability is to make sure this progress continues — human, inclusive, and grounded in belief. That’s how we’ll meet this second: by studying, by main, and by serving to others do the identical.
