I think it's safe to say that wireless networks and mobility are here to stay. But as more and more networks transition from wired to wireless, and as networks reach ever more users, who will design, install, and support these networks? In my travels and at ATMOSPHERE, I've been told by customers and partners that they are struggling to find knowledgeable mobility engineers to hire. My team and others at Aruba have struggled to find good candidates to fill our ranks. We end up hiring folks with a good base knowledge of networking and teaching them mobility. But it takes a long time to get even a sharp person up to speed on the intricacies of what we do.
While networking is being taught by lots of colleges and universities (and even some K-12 schools), almost none are preparing students to build tomorrow's networks. So in an effort to expand the pool of talent and create tomorrow's Mobility Engineers, we are excited to announce the creation of Aruba Mobility Academy. It is the world's first mobility-specific education program designed for colleges and universities.
We combined the Aruba Certified Solutions Professional (ACSP) and Aruba Certified Mobility Associate (ACMA) curriculum to create the Mobility Academy course. The course is designed to be integrated into the institution's degree program. The Aruba Mobility Academy course is a combination of lectures and labs that covers the basics of wireless LAN solutions, including 802.11 Wi-Fi standards, network mobility architecture and design, and wireless LAN configuration. The lab-intensive aspect of the curriculum provides students with the skills and practical experience necessary to setup and configure a wireless LAN, as well as fine-tune the wireless infrastructure for mobile devices.
Upon completion of the course, Aruba Mobility Academy students will receive credits towards graduation, have the technical understanding and hands-on experience to configure a wireless LAN with mobility controllers and access points, and be prepared to sit the ACMA exam. This will provide a ready pool of knowledgeable talent for our customers, partners, and internal hiring into the future.
But don't just take my word for it. According to Greg Lynch, Networking Lecturer for TAFE SA (Technical and Further Education South Australia), the largest education and training provider in Australia and an Aruba Mobility Academy pilot school, "Since wireless is one of the fastest growing technologies in networking, adding a course specific to Wi-Fi implementation was imperative to prepare our students for real-world networking careers. The Aruba Mobility Academy provides our students with a strong foundation in WLAN technologies and, due to its lab-intensive approach, gives our students the practical experience required for understanding wireless networking and the challenges associated with mobile devices."
"The addition of a wireless-specific networking course was a critical ingredient in my Advanced Diploma program," said Daryl Maslin, TAFE SA student and Systems Engineer, Logic Plus. "Completing the Aruba Mobility Academy has helped me gain a stronger foundation to build and secure wireless LAN networks, which has given me a competitive edge in my career as a Systems Engineer."
We will be adding space here on Airheads Social for the Academy students to gather and we hope they will become active members of our community. Find more information on the Aruba Mobility Academy program at Here. Also feel free to contact me here on Airheads Social or via e-mail at academy@arubanetworks.com
