When we think of some of the greatest minds in the industry, those that come to mind include leading organizations like Cisco (News - Alert), NICE and ShoreTel. Most consumers, when looking at these leaders, are truly impressed by the complexity and technology that go into the developments they create and that are used by businesses worldwide. But, just as the same problem permeates the educational sector with a lack of technology studies, so does the corporate world.

To alleviate the lack of training in the corporate technology sector, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be collaborating with Cisco, an international provider of computer networking, to set up networking academies in Burma that will train citizens in the country’s information technology (IT) sector.

Cisco will be donating networking equipment in labs in two education institutions and provide training for up to 15 faculty staff members apart of the program.

But this isn’t the first time that Cisco has taken a stand in the education of the IT sector. Currently, it has over 10,000 networking academies in 165 countries that help citizens train for entry-level careers, as well as certifications required for various industries, where students learn skills in ICT, along with experience in problem solving, collaboration and critical thinking.

"Cisco has a long track record of supporting the development of emerging economies through education, and the Cisco Networking Academy program will equip students in Burma with industry relevant skills for the 21st century workforce, as they transform their country and their communities,” explained Sandy Walsh, regional director of Cisco’s Social Innovation Group in Asia Pacific.

USAID recently held a meeting with Cisco, Google, HP, Intel and Microsoft (News - Alert) in Burma to discuss educational technology programs and initiatives, which seems to be an overriding issue in the world. Apple has already launched a new edition to its Apple (News - Alert) in Education collection that is designed for faculty and staff of K-12 schools, along with college students and professors that are working within tight budget restrictions. Additionally, there is Coding.org, a non-profit organization that has created a campaign to make programming classes more widely available in schools around the country.

With leaders like Cisco providing funding and training for IT career opportunities for students around the world, the industry is beginning to see just how much this educational movement has flourished.

For more information about USAID, click here.