SANFORD — Central Carolina Community College has become the first public educational institution in North America to offer training in Hewlett Packard’s ProCurve Networking products. 

The college and the corporation have signed a contract for the college to offer the training at its North Carolina School of Telecommunications, in Sanford. Central Carolina C.C. is the first Hewlett-Packard ProCurve Networking training academy center in North America outside a corporate setting. 

HP plans to expand its ProCurve Networking training program to other schools, based on what it learns from this initial college training experience at the NCST. When it does, Central Carolina C.C.’s service area for offering training will be North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. It is anticipated that network technicians and engineers will still enroll at CCCC from other states and other countries.

The ProCurve Networking course is designed for network and information technology technicians and engineers who configure and deploy switches and routers. Those completing the training are prepared to take the Accredited Integration Specialist (AIS) examination, certification offered by the HP Certified Professional Program.

“This is an important step forward in information technology training opportunities provided by Central Carolina,” said college President Bud Marchant. “It is a testament to the quality that has always been the hallmark of the college’s North Carolina School of Telecommunications.”

Marchant said offering the HP ProCurve training will also benefit the local economy. Networking engineers and designers wanting to learn ProCurve will come to the area for training and stay in the hotels, eat at the restaurants, buy gas, and otherwise contribute to the economy.

HP Networking Division, headquartered in Roseville, Calif., is the second largest manufacturer of computer switches and routers in the world, second only to Cisco Systems. The N.C. School of Telecommunications is also an authorized Cisco Academy. It offers Cisco Certified Network Associate courses and other credentials.

John Jabbusch, president and chief engineer of Carolina Advanced Digital, in Cary, was instrumental in working with HP ProCurve to institute the training program at the NCST. Jabbusch is a member of the NCST’s Networking Advisory Board. 

“We have two main goals for advancing the entire information technology industry through this program,” Jabbusch said. “We want to improve the availability of professional and academic level training and certification for users of HP’s ProCurve networking products. We also want to provide standards-based network training and certification programs to technical students and professionals who wish to forward network design centered on internationally-recognized industry standards.”

The ProCurve Networking class, “Deploying HP ProCurve Switches,” is scheduled to begin in February. It will provide three days of hands-on, practical instruction in deploying, configuring and maintaining HP ProCurve Networking switches. ProCurve students will also have access to classes and certification tests offered online by HP ProCurve Networking.

The NCST will offer supporting courses for entry-level computer and network technicians or as refresher courses for those needing them prior to taking the ProCurve Networking class. The courses will include networking foundations and introduction to IP addressing and integration. They would be in addition to HP’s online training opportunities. 

“HP is gaining in market share and the company wants to expand its training opportunities,” said Ben Johnson, lead networking and telecommunication instructor at the NCST. “HP ProCurve Networking communication equipment is standards-based, meaning it integrates well with other companies’ electronics. It also has an outstanding warranty. It is a very viable business technology. We are excited that the School of Telecommunications is the first public educational institution to offer this training.”

For more information about the ProCurve Networking class, contact the N.C. School of Telecommunications, (919) 776-5812 or (toll-free) (800) 948-5043.