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Par Merat

Vice President

Cisco Learning & Certifications

Par is Vice President of Cisco Learning & Certifications, focused on helping IT professionals and software developers learn, innovate, and grow. She is a lifelong learning and technology advocate, and a Cisco veteran with a breadth of experience. She led the Collaboration independent software vendor program, established the Cisco’s successful SolutionsPlus program, was co-founder of Cisco DevNet, and led the DevNet Partner Transformation initiative. Par has been with Cisco for over 15 years, serving a variety of leadership roles including Senior Director of DevNet CX Community & Ecosystems, with a focus on business development and leading partner-centric programs. She was a Sr. Director of Business Development and Sr. Director of Strategic Planning and Operations for Cisco DevNet, and Sr. Manager of Business Development for the Cisco Collaboration Technology Group. Prior to joining Cisco, Par directed business development strategy at Vovida Networks and was a regional sales leader for Digital Publishing Systems at Xerox. She is a native Californian, based in the San Francisco bay area. She has long been an active mentor within Cisco and a volunteer with St. Vincent de Paul, which provides assistance to those in need. When Par is not working, you can find her sailing on the San Francisco bay or hiking with her Airedale Terrier.

Articles

February 27, 2024

LEARNING

Enabling Network Engineering Skills in an AI World

3 min read

Cisco Learning & Certifications provides continuous upskilling opportunities as organizations look to AI’s transformative capabilities for a more productive and growth-enabled future. Get started on new learning opportunities today.

January 24, 2024

LEARNING

Cisco U. Wins Silver at Prestigious Awards

2 min read

Cisco U. has been recognized with a Silver Award for Best Advance in Education through Technology at the Brandon Hall Group's Technology Excellence Awards. Cisco U. provides a continuous learning approach to address the need for upskilling in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

November 15, 2023

LEARNING

Cisco Learning Partners Recognized for Excellence at the 2023 Cisco Learning Partner Awards

2 min read

Par Merat, VP, Learning & Certifications announces the 2023 Cisco Learning Partner Award Recipients, recognized for excellence in driving remarkable business outcomes and exceptional commitment to customers and Cisco.

October 16, 2023

LEARNING

New Cybersecurity and Cloud Skills to Protect Companies from Cybersecurity Attacks of the Future

3 min read

Cisco announces new Multicloud Certifications focused on connectivity and security to ensure IT professionals have the skills to defend future cyber-attacks – get started with a special deal on Cisco CyberOps training. 

September 14, 2023

LEARNING

Bridging the Skills-to-Jobs Gap with a Learning Continuum Approach

2 min read

National Online Learning Day is a time to celebrate the latest iterations of educational technology. At Cisco, Skills For All and Cisco U. are making tech learning more accessible than ever before, with a learning continuum that bridges the gap and guides aspiring and current IT professionals to reach their career and certification goals.

May 9, 2023

LEARNING

The Bridge to Accessible and Inclusive Learning for All  

1 min read

Passionate about creating opportunities, fostering inclusion, and driving positive change in the world, we are thrilled to announce our new collaboration with Coursera, enabling learners from around the world to access Cisco's top-quality learning content in Network Automation and Cybersecurity.

May 24, 2023

LEARNING

Welcome to Cisco U.

2 min read

Cisco U. subscriptions provide IT training for individuals and teams, with personalized recommendations, a catalog of Cisco content, and worldwide community connections.

January 24, 2023

LEARNING

New Entry-Level Cisco Certifications to Start Your IT Career

2 min read

Cisco Networking Academy and Cisco Learning & Certifications introduce two new, entry-level Certified Support Technician certifications focused on entry-level tech job seekers, career changers, and even college and high school students.

November 7, 2022

LEARNING

Meet Cisco U. at Cisco Connect in Cancún, Mexico

3 min read

If you are heading to Cancún for Cisco Connect this week, be sure to visit the Cisco U. Theatre for a quick 15-minute overview of our new digital learning experience.

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