Cisco Systems selects Davenport University to pilot workforce retraining initiative in healthcare IT

Cisco Systems has selected Davenport University to be the only Michigan university to pilot its Workforce Retraining Initiative focused on preparing information technology workers for jobs in health care IT. Cisco is the leading global supplier of Internet networking equipment and creator of the Cisco Networking Academy, an educational initiative that supports 128,000 college students nationwide who are pursuing technology-based jobs.

The university will offer the seven-week course as a traditional classroom option and through Internet learning this September.

"We partnered with Cisco immediately to strategize doing this healthcare module to allow IT professionals more ability to move into healthcare jobs," says David Fleming, provost. "Especially for people associated with the auto industry, this retraining can help move them into healthcare IT positions."

Students will learn the IT systems necessary for successful practice management, creating and protecting electronic health records, telemedicine, mobility, telephony and the use and integration of information.

The training will broaden the knowledge and experience of unemployed and employed IT professionals as well as college students working toward IT degrees, making them more attractive to potential employers.

Through Davenport's Leadership and Management Development Institute, the university partners with corporations to train top management using an online system. As a result, Fleming says, the university can deliver this training to any employee at any location in the country.

Source: David Fleming, Davenport University

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].