10/3/2007 -- This week marks the 10th anniversary of Cisco's Networking Academy. Since its inception, more than 2 million students in 160 countries have gone through the program and gained IT skills that would've otherwise been difficult to acquire.

More than 460,000 of the students have been in the United States, and the program has been offered at "academies" within high schools, colleges/universities and technical schools.

Currently, there are 16 courses that fall under the academy, ranging in scope from the basic (building a network) to complex (advanced troubleshooting). Most of the courses include hands-on components and often meet science or math state standards.

More information about the Cisco Networking Academy can be found here.

Sallie Findlay: Certification Pioneer
In every field, there are pioneers -- often unnoticed -- who make noteworthy contributions to the way things are done. In the field of IT certification, one of those pioneers is Sallie Findlay.

In 1995, Microsoft approached Findlay's company, Pembroke Consulting Services, with a problem: Dozens of companies were churning out products aimed at helping individuals prepare for Microsoft exams, and many of the products had significant quality problems. Microsoft wanted a way to verify that the study materials being put out by third parties met the minimum requirements to help someone pass the exams.

Findlay drafted a proposal and Pembroke was selected as the exclusive third-party review company to determine which products were good enough to wear the official Microsoft seal of approval (think of the Microsoft Office logo today). Under the double-blind method, third-party companies sent their materials to reviewers who had no way of knowing which company's materials they were reviewing. The reviewers approved or rejected the materials based on how thoroughly they discussed the exam objectives. If you've ever bought a weak exam guide, think about the ones that were rejected!

In the mid- to late-'90s, Pembroke approved study materials for the MCP and MCSE, as well as the MOUS programs (later renamed MOS). By the end of the '90s, Microsoft believed there was enough competition in the MCP/MCSE field -- and that a strong enough message had been sent out -- and it discontinued the review/approval process of all the materials, save for Office. Pembroke continued reviewing Microsoft Office materials into the 2000s and helped other large companies tackle similar problems.

Between 1995 and 2005, Pembroke continued to have a significant impact on the quality of training materials, and what her company did for Microsoft reverberated throughout the certification industry. So the next time you study for -- and pass -- an exam using a third-party tool, say a silent "thank you" to Sallie Findlay.

Book of the Week: 'The Speed of Trust'
As this book's subtitle says, trust is "the one thing that changes everything." While my first impression was that it would be next to impossible to write an entire book on the concept of trust, I was happily proven wrong.

The 300-plus pages of Stephen R. Covey's The Speed of Trust are packed with insights and information that make a fascinating read. Not only does it explain what trust is, but it also discusses its "waves" and how to use them to maximize results.