Traditional IT jobs are morphing, requiring new abilities. Not only that, but technologies are moving faster than the expertise needed to grapple with them. Without a rich talent pool armed with the latest IT skills, organizations cannot fully realize the business outcomes, productivity gains and efficiencies they need to thrive. That's why we are continually working to ensure there is a robust collection of resources available to help individuals -and organizations -gain the skills they need to be competitive.

Although every individual has different needs when it comes to training, there is one commonality -everyone needs the right resources for their specific learning style. That's why Cisco offers an array of learning and skills development materials ranging from instructor led training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners to self-study tools. Cisco has been developing and publishing the leading Cisco certification and network technology exam preparations and study guides through Cisco Press for the past 20 years.

It's been our goal as an organization to create an industry benchmark by aligning with industry job roles and to provide the talent needed for organizations to thrive in today's fast paced digital world. We continue to evolve our certification program to help professionals obtain the skills they need to align with emerging technologies, including the recent re-vamping of our Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Route and Switch curriculum, one of the most widely held IT certifications. Through our certification and training program, we offer a non-traditional environment to learn and obtain the necessary skills needed to fill the technical job roles of today through public-private partnerships, apprenticeships, self-study courses and other innovative forms of learning helping to build the workforce of the future.

To truly succeed in this, learners must be empowered with the resources they need to help themselves. Cisco and Pearson Education established Cisco Press in 1996 to further our commitment to provide current and future technology professionals with the training and information they need to succeed.

As the needs of the industry and customers grow and change, so has Cisco Press evolved. Today the program delivers an assortment of certification preparation tools - including books, flashcards, videos and more - across all Cisco technology tracks. Learners can choose what methods work best forthem, enabling their chances of success. Combined with hands-on instruction and e-learning, Cisco Press' self-study materials complement our recommended learning path.

As we move into the publishing program's third decade, Cisco Press continues to provide publications on Cisco's innovative technologies, successful certification tracks and Networking Academy program courses. These materials incorporate new and emerging technologies, such as cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, Software Defined Networking (SDN)/network programmability, and data analytics. We're looking forward to continuing our work with Cisco Press and preparing the workforce of today for the challenges of tomorrow.

Interested in learning more about the self-study resources available through Cisco Press? Visit the Cisco Press Lounge now.