Cisco Live, our annual training, networking, and education conferences, offer attendees a combination of in-depth technical education and insight from experts and organizations that are setting the agenda for the future of technology and business.

This year at Cisco Live in Milan, Italy, it was also an opportunity for 10 Cisco Networking Academy students to get hands-on experience supporting Cisco Live staff who were maintaining the network at the event. Six students worked before and during the event at the Network Operation Center (NOC), helping to set up the network from scratch and troubleshoot during the conference. The other 4 students joined the Cisco Campus in the World of Solutions exhibition space.

Cisco Networking Academy has trained more than 5 million people in 170 countries to design, build, manage, and secure computer networks. Currently nearly 17,000 students, 14 percent of them female, are enrolled in Networking Academy courses in Italy.

Networking Academy students Ivan Saliu and Luca Criscuolo got hands-on experience at CIsco Live.

The experience at Cisco Live was a great opportunity for all these students - who are studying Cisco CCNA and aspire to become system engineers -to meet and work alongside professionals in the field. Students were selected by EForHum, a Cisco Networking Academy partner in Italy.

"Cisco Live was the right experience at right time for our Networking Academy students at the end of their CCNA training," said Networking Academy Program Manager Luca Lepore. "They could work on real equipment, use the most advanced Cisco technologies, and meet worldwide Cisco experts. That was a unique opportunity."

Some of the feedback we received from students includes:

Valentina Dondi: It has been a great opportunity to actively participate in an international event with many technical experts and a plenty of high-level seminars.

Vlad Olariu: Being 20 years old, I appreciated so much the possibility to be part of NOC and see the huge network infrastructure at Cisco Live. Thanks also to CCIE Marc McKillop who explained to us in-depth network design and configurations. During Cisco Live I also got my Cisco CCNA certification.

Riccardo Nobili: Cisco Live is a perfect expression of the human network. You can speak and have a beer with senior CCIEs who failed their first attempt at CCNA certification and then succeeded in their careers and certifications with passion and determination. I learned a lot from Cisco partner demos and labs and I received a lot of support.

Luca Criscuolo: I personally experienced what collaboration means. I was involved in the World of Solutions area, helping engineers in preparing technical demos and devices, and I felt a wonderful team spirit. This helped me also to be comfortable in speaking English with attendees, Cisco staff, and partners.

Ivan Saliu: Thanks to Cisco Academy and eForhum. They helped me to grow, learn, and get certified. Now I'm starting my career in Dimension Data, a Gold Partner Cisco.

Davide Panarese: How many access points I have installed!! I appreciated being part of such a great event, and got inspiration from the Cisco keynote, a real immersion in the future of technology.

Robin Calandri:The engineers really helped us, made us work and learn a lot of things. It has been really gratificating, I'm proud of having installed Cisco IP cameras and Cisco devices. Here I understand that Cisco Academy courses are really valuable, because now during Cisco Live I can understand so many technolgies and I can interact with an international team.

Giulia Dimiziani:I have never imagined that after with my high school degree I could learn networking technologies with Cisco Academy and eForHum, get certified, get a job in a big system integrator, and be a part of Cisco Live. Fantastic days!

Valentina Dondi, Giulia Dimiziani, Networking Academy Program Manager Luca Lepore, Claudio Rossi, and Davide Panarese at Cisco Live Milan

Of working with the students, Cisco Technical Marketing Engineer Remco Kamerman said, "The Cisco Live network always is a massive undertaking to get all the equipment installed on time. They have been great support to work with to get everything setup and ready."

By developing highly skilled network professionals to support local industries, Cisco Networking Academy encourages long-term, sustainable economic growth in communities around the world, and gives students a sustainable career path in an in-demand field.

Learn how Networking Academy offers an advantage in the job market at netacadadvantage.com.