VOA慢速英语2011-Classes Start in March at Internet Traini

A new Internet training center in Togo will give young people in that part of West Africa a chance to improve their job skills.

The International Telecommunication¹ Union and the computer-networking company Cisco Systems launched the center. A telecom company in Lome is also taking part in the effort.

Robert Shaw of the ITU says students will learn the basics of what he calls the "real plumbing² of the Internet."

ROBERT SHAW: "Internet protocol-based networks, they're almost behind everything we do. They run the financial systems. They might be controlling the power systems. So either directly or indirectly³ we're dependent upon these systems. And there's a lot of pressure to have trained people."

This month, five instructors⁴ completed two weeks of intensive training known as the Cisco Certified⁵ Networking Academy. They also learned how to train others. Robert Shaw says this kind of train-the-trainer program helps meet a growing demand for professionals in information and communication technologies, or ICT.

Internet users at a cyber cafe in Somalia

ROBERT SHAW: "The Internet and these networks are growing so fast, it's really hard to keep up. It's a bit like what they said in 'Alice in Wonderland': you have to run twice as fast just to stay in the same place. And the rate of change means it's very difficult for the classical educational programs to keep up with the demand that's out there in the marketplace."

Mr. Shaw says recent years have seen an even stronger demand for these kinds of programs in the developing world.

ROBERT SHAW: "Now, of course, at the end of 2010 there's about two billion users on the internet. The majority of those -- about 1.2 billion -- is now in developing countries, and that's almost the complete opposite of what the situation was five years ago."

The ITU launched its Internet Training Center program in two thousand one. The centers are meant to help spread the growth of ICT jobs to developing countries. More than eighty centers have opened in the Asia-Pacific area, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.

Mr. Shaw says the new center in Lome will open to students in March.

ROBERT SHAW: "One of the things we're trying to do in this program is also to encourage participation⁶ by women, by girls. So there's a recommendation that they target at least thirty percent female enrollment⁷."

Other locations in Africa include Angola, Cape⁸ Verde, Kenya, Malawi and Mali. They also include Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Mauritania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Students pay for the training; the cost is different in each country. Those who complete the program are known as Cisco-certified. The program lasts about six months because most students attend part time.

And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. You can read and listen to all of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also join us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.

1 telecommunication   

n.电信，远距离通信

参考例句：

• Telecommunication is an industry of service.电信业是一个服务型的行业。
• I only care about the telecommunication quality and the charge.我只关心通信质量和资费两个方面。

2 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

4 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

5 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

8 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。