I Entered The United Nations Headquarters -A conversation with CNAP Masters graduate Ye Jing
	By Web World reporter Wu Han

About Ye Jing: A 98' Masters graduate student of the Communication and Information Technology Institute at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC). After graduating from the Cisco Networking Academy Program (CNAP), she participated in the planning, designing and actualisation of the Great Wall Broad band Network (Chengdu). On June 4, 2000, Cisco invited her to join the Women 2000 UN meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York, USA, also asking her to give a short, simple speech about the influence of networking and education in the New Century.

Reporter: As a major in Communications Networking and Broadband Communications Technology, do you think that the training provided by CNAP mixes well with and complements your studies?

Ye Jing: The first time I heard mention of CNAP, I still didn't know what it could provide. I just wanted to get the CCNA certification, but was afraid I wouldn't be able to, so I decided to go get training first. Hence, when the UESTC opened the first CNAP in the Southwest regions, I first signed up, becoming my school's first CNAP student.

CNAP's training materials are also the multimedia materials found on the Internet. Aside from listening to teachers in class, a lot of time each day was spent reading these materials online. Because all the content was English, I felt I wasn't training for networking knowledge when I first saw the material, but was learning professional English, which is why all the computers in our school's lab now have the King Soft translating program installed!

The content in the networking academy program's training was systematic, comprehensive, but not at all difficult, because even to those who were not learned in networking it wasn't hard, just that the length of their studies varied. My university Major was Computer Communications, so I learned more than a little on the topic, but these were just theoretical knowledge. Aside from theory discussions during the networking academy program's training, there were also practical lessons, which included learning the configuration of Cisco's low-end switches and routers; these are things that cannot be learned at school. I still remember the time when we attended our first practical lesson where I saw DET and DCE wires, thick as our thumbs, entwined together, and thought that it was particularly fresh and fascinating; I also remember that anxious feeling when we couldn't figure out how to divide sub-networks and IP addresses in our practical examination.

After several months of study, I successfully graduated from the CNAP, passing the CCNA exam as I had hoped, with an extremely lucky score: 888!

Reporter: During your time at school when you joined the construction of the (Great Wall) China Broad band and the Chengdu Broad band, in terms of practical usefulness, what help do you think has been provided through the CNAP's training?

Ye Jing: I entered the UESTC's Communication and Information Technology Institute to study Computer Communication in 1994, becoming a Masters graduate there in 1998, researching Communications Networking and Broadband Communications Technology. Due to an outstanding performance, I first won the Graduate Scholarship of Excellence and then the Specialist Scholarship. But I wasn't satisfied with the knowledge learnt in the lessons, the networking academy program provided quite good training and the chance to put theory into practice, so this was also when I started to absorb knowledge outside of traditional teaching patterns.

Because my instructor Professor Lei Weili is an expert in China Education and Research (CERNET), I joined the CERNET networking center in the southwest regions after my studies through the professor's arrangements. Even though I could only do basic and simple work, I had the chance to put what I learned into practice.

Especially after graduating from the networking academy program, I had the chance to join the Great Wall Broad band Networking service Co., Ltd at Chengdu in the planning, designing and actualization of the Great Wall Broad band Network (Chengdu). In this time, while acting as the company's Technological Support Center's Manager, my knowledge in networking was greatly increased. I felt strongly about having actual practice, because learning networking knowledge from textbooks was far from enough, and being able to apply analytical and operational abilities to particular situations was more important.

After participating in several discussions held by Cisco Co, Ltd, Enterasys Networks Co, Ltd and HuaWei Technology Co. Ltd., I came to realize the importance of the knowledge and training provided by the networking academy program, and at the same time understood the challenges and difficulties of establishing and managing a telecom network. The most worthwhile thing is that the Great Wall Broad band Network (Chengdu) has been running smoothly since the beginning of this year.

Reporter: One of CNAP's goals is to help the students to step outside of the campus, and prepare them for the challenge of the Internet Age. But how much influence does the training it provides have on improving your career and promoting chances?

Ye Jing: The CNAP provides knowledge and promotion for computer networking. But because Cisco occupies the leading position in the IT industry, the networking academy program therefore does not only provide training of knowledge and techniques, but also more chances for personal development.

It is my training with CNAP that made possible my later participation in the Women 2000 UN meeting held at the UN headquarter in New York, USA on June 4th, 2000. Cisco Co.,as one of the main sponsors of the meeting, invited three excellent graduates from the CNAP to participate the meeting together with the Vice-president of Cisco. I went through a strict selection process and a one-hour telephone interview with Cisco before I attended the meeting as the only representative from Asia and delivered a brief speech on the influences of networking and education on New Century. As Chen Weimin, Cisco's education and training department manager, said, this chance is not something I would have imagined gaining when I joined the CNAP.

In conclusion, after 6 year and a half of education in the UESTC and CNAP, I now love this career very much and will continue to delicate myself to it in future.
I truly believe, networking will soon change people's lifestyles and learning processes, providing a better tomorrow for us all!

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