Grant program to donate Enterasys equipment to schools in need, giving students hands-on experience with networking equipment and operations

Enterasys Networks, a Siemens Enterprise Communications Company, today announced its first-ever Electronics for Education (E4E) program, a donation/grant program created to help encourage technology training in schools. E4E will provide recipient schools with switching, routing and wireless LAN equipment for educational purposes. Enterasys’ goal for the program is to help schools establish technology classes in which students receive hands-on training and experience with networking equipment and operations.

“Technology continues to be a growing source of high paying careers, even in a challenging economy, leading more students than ever toward a technology-centered education,” said Barry Cioe, vice president, product management at Enterasys Networks. “Enterasys is committed to education and is excited to kick off E4E as a way to add value to technology education and help more students gain firsthand experience with networking equipment and operations. We are confident that E4E will improve and expand opportunities for growth in technology education.”

“We at Boston College are happy to be a part of this philanthropic venture to benefit technology education in the United States,” said Ann Murphy, associate director of network systems at Boston College. “Programs like E4E can equip students with useful skills and experience that later will help them compete in the workplace.”

“We believe that grant programs like this, that offer to provide modern, professional-grade technology equipment for student instruction, can assist schools and districts to prepare students to be successful after high school, in college and in today’s work force,” said Mardee Barnett, executive director for technology services at Aldine Independent School District. “We are happy to participate in this program that supports public and private education in the growing field of networking technology.”

Enterasys is accepting applications for E4E through December 10th, 2010. Any North American school, school district, college or university can apply and no purchase is required. Winning schools will be chosen by a selection committee based upon a variety of criteria, including need, the strength of the proposed technology education program or course at the institution and the breadth of the student population that will be served.