Although in recent years, other companies have introduced Certification programs, the Cisco Certification remains a sought after certification for judging the skill level of a potential employee. This is especially true in the networking field. At present, Cisco Systems sponsors 9 different Certifications. They range from CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) to CCSI (Cisco Certified Systems Instructor). The most common and entry level Certification is the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate).

Cisco Systems was founded in 1984 and was responsible for creating the first commercially successful multi-protocol router. This was exactly the right product at the right time as it enabled previously incompatible computers to communicate with each other. The Cisco router was thus instrumental in the establishment and growth of the internet. The change to the standard Internet Protocol (IP) cut drastically into the need for a multi-protocol router, but by this time the company was well established and able to diversify into other networking system products.

Cisco training was established as a benchmark standard for network associates and IT technicians. It is also considered a leader in the introduction of formal certification programs to insure the competence and skill level of networking employees. The certification training was established to prepare candidates to pass the Certification exams.