A digital future for all
5 February 2025

At a time when the world lacks nearly 4 million cybersecurity professionals and when only 3% of organisations have the resilience needed to combat modern cybersecurity threats, the EU’s Digital Decade targets aim to have 20 million information and communication technology specialists in Europe and for 80% of the population to have basic digital skills by 2030.

In response to this urgent need, Cisco has set its own goal of training 250,000 people in cybersecurity skills across the EU by 2026. This target is part of the company’s larger ambition to upskill 2.6 million people in Europe over the next decade through the Cisco Networking Academy. The initiative brings together educational institutions, government leaders and community-based organisations to deliver a curriculum and tools focused on information and communication technologies shaping the future.

In 2024, Cisco achieved 90% of its 2026 objective by providing 224,000 Europeans with the digital skills the EU needs to bridge the skills gap and make the digital space safer and more accessible. According to Pastora Valero, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Cisco:

‘Whilst we celebrate this achievement, our work is far from over. Cisco remains committed to continuously work with governments to scale efforts in bridging the skills gap. We will continue to collaborate closely for greater impact and to update our training programs to address the evolving technology and cybersecurity threat landscape.’

Part of this impact includes a commitment to diversity in the digital sector. Along with international initiatives to close the gender gap, Cisco’s free, vendor-neutral training programmes give learners from all demographics the opportunity to gain vital cybersecurity skills. Within Europe, Cisco promotes a diverse workforce through various initiatives:

  • In Spain, the Rethinking Digital scholarships programme awards 200 women €2,500 to study through the Cisco Networking Academy. The only requirements are that participants be over 18, reside in Spain and have an average level of English and basic computer skills. More than 10% of slots are reserved for people with disabilities.
  • In October 2023, the Cisco Networking Academy sponsored the European CyberCup, a learnathon where 30,000 participants from across Europe took part in cybersecurity courses for beginners. The training focused on how to protect personal data and privacy online and on social media, whilst discovering job opportunities in the cybersecurity field.
  • In Poland in 2023, the company launched the StartIT #Cisco4Ukraine initiative, which trained over 9,000 Ukrainian refugees in digital skills. Working with the Ukrainian government, Cisco integrated its cybersecurity courses for technical entry-level roles into Diia.Osvita, the country’s e-gov platform to advance digital transformation.

Cisco’s programming emphasises that education is a right, not a privilege. The company expects to have trained 250,000 individuals in Europe with cybersecurity skills by mid-2025. However, long after that goal is reached, Cisco will continue to support the EU’s upskilling and reskilling efforts while striving for an inclusive digital sector.

Skills training, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
Story contributor
Cisco
https://www.cisco.com/c/en_be/index.html
@Cisco
Key numbers
Europeans trained in cybersecurity in one year though the European Cyber Academy