ated by the payroll department and paid on the behalf of the employee by cisco. employee 401(k) and espp deductions (if applicable) are withheld from any check awards issued in the amount of $200 or more, and are not included in the "grossed up" amount. if award is distributed by cash or certificate, 401(k) and espp deductions will no be withheld from award.

eligibility:

regular full-time, part-time, and casual employees of cisco that are eligible for the company performance award plan with performance ratings of x or e are eligible. consulting and systems engineers and their managers are also included. managers in grades 12 or above may receive an award on an exception basis with vice president approval. under no circumstances can the initiator by the recipient of the award.

iii) salary

salary is determined by your gpa, school you went to, previous work experience, current knowledge, and how you interview.

salary increases at cisco can happen at anytime. the targeted salary increase is 7% of your current base salary.

iv) relocation

-30 days temporary living

-travel to san jose (via plane or reimbursement for mileage)

-miscellaneous cash allowance (depending on where you live)

academy overview

in 1993, cisco embarked on an initiative to design practical, cost-effective networks for schools. it quickly became apparent that designing and installing the networks was not enough - the schools also needed some way to maintain the networks after they were up and running. cisco senior consulting engineer george ward developed training for teachers and staff for maintenance of school networks. he soon discovered that the personnel lacked the time required to learn the material, so he moved to the next population of learners in the school - the students themselves. the success of these student seminars led to requests from participating schools across the country for cisco to develop a curriculum that could be integrated as elective courses taught in a semester format. the formalized curriculum and support activities evolved into the cisco networking academy program.

the concept proved to be a powerful draw for students, many of whom initially volunteered for classes outside normal school hours. today, thousands of students coast to coast are pioneering a school-to-work program engineered for a new global economy.

the solution

through the cisco networking academy program, high school and college students can learn the information needed prepare them for the cisco certified networking associate exam. this certification positions them for immediate openings in a talent-hungry job market or for engineering- and science-focused college studies. in a nutshell, the cisco networking academy is a complete, four-semester program on the principles and practice of designing, building, and maintaining networks capable of supporting national and global organizations.

cisco provides course work for a complete range of basic through advanced networking concepts - from pulling cable, through such complex concepts as subnet masking rules and strategies.

the program uses regional academies as hubs, each of which supports a minimum of ten local academies. these regional academies teach the teachers who oversee programs at the local academies under their jurisdiction. the regional academies funnel input to cisco on topics such as individual school performance, curriculum quality and effectiveness, and student progress.

the format for the classes reflects the content: interactive lessons stored largely on the classroom's cisco web server. the academy design also accommodates diverse learning styles. for those who learn by reading, text is available. more visual learners can focus on the course material's extensive graphics and quicktime movies. to promote development of the personal skills that underpin successful careers, projects require students not only to resolve technical issues but also to successfully address network users' needs.

local academies receive mentoring and technical support from the regional academies and are backed by smartnet? services, a service and support program that provides round-the-clock access to assistance from cisco's technical assistance center (tac) and the cisco connection online (cco) web site, plus major software and maintenance releases, product documentation updates, and next-day delivery of replacement parts.

benefits and results

the cisco networking academy program is in its first full year at schools. but the pilot semester at one site, thurgood marshall academic high school in san francisco, provides an indication of the potential impact: more than 25 percent of the students involved in the school's program in spring 1996 secured summer jobs as a direct result of their single-semester experience.

and for teachers who have seen the early impact on students and their futures, the academy stands as a model for school-to-work programs.

dennis frezzo, technology instructor