Gannon University located in Erie, PA launched a partnership with Extreme Networks to offer new professional training opportunities to the area. The program will provide Gannon’s Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge with cutting-edge networking technology and enhance the University’s cyber programs. The University will be bringing their technical certification and training curriculum into the academic curriculum of Gannon’s undergraduate and graduate engineering and computing programs. Gannon students will be able to receive industry certification as they fulfill their coursework.

At  Gannon University’s unveiling of the I-HACK facility on their campus, we interviewed our very own Dan Dulac, VP Solution Strategy and Rohan Abeysuriya, Director, Training and Sales Enablement, to hear about technical curriculum plans, new technologies that will be part of the program and what the community can expect. Watch the video learn all about our partnership with Gannon University, or check out the brief Q&A summary below.  

Q: What will the Extreme Academy curriculum look like at Gannon University?

A: Extreme Academy is a program that’s going to bring training and skills enablement for students all around the world. We’re taking Extreme knowledge and package it up into a brand-new course that we’ll deliver through the Extreme Academy in universities, colleges and organizations that can offer out content to students and help them find jobs with our partners, customers and even the Extreme team.

Gannon University is the first university partner that will be implementing the Extreme Academy programs. It’s not just the curriculum and the program, but the investment in the I-HACK laboratory here at Gannon University where we’ll be able to provide students, faculty and staff with hands-on technology to help augment the theory curriculum and also intermix local IT professionals to visit and collaborate. This is all for the purpose of helping to build the next generation of IT technologists and networking experts.

Q: What can students, faculty and technologists in the community expect from a technology perspective within the I-HACK lab?

A: The technology in the I-HACK lab will include all our wireless solutions, wired switching and routing and our cloud-based management platform that comprises machine learning, artificial intelligence and automation technologies. All these capabilities will be paramount for next generation IT infrastructure technology.

It’s the perfect time to create this course because everything is going to be based around the cloud – ExtremeCloud IQ. When students are in the workplace, they’ll know how to configure and manage cloud-based networking technologies.

Q: What can you tell us about the relationship between Gannon University and Extreme Networks? What does it mean for the community of Erie, Pennsylvania?

A: The relationship we forged with Gannon in such a short period a testament to our shared philosophies and mission. Together, we’re asking: how do we better equip the next generation of technologists out in the workforce and the community? The mission of this project is abouthelping Gannon create a stronghold of technology that’s going to the community, students and the networking industry.

The Extreme Dojo is the nucleus of the time and energy we put into building the program for our employees, partners and customers. Now, in collaboration with Gannon, we have the unique opportunity to extend this to the broader community of Erie. By partnering with our university customers, Gannon being the first, we’ve found a great way to repurpose our investment to empower the higher education community, and it’s very exciting.

With the I-HACK program and the academy initiative at Gannon, the Extreme curriculum will be part of the computer networking and science curriculum at beginning of fall this year, 2020. As soon as this facility opens in the spring, we’ll start to see the I-HACK lab come to life.