Skills are changing faster than traditional learning models can keep up — especially as AI continuously reshapes jobs and work. For Cisco, a global technology company with more than 80,000 employees, that reality demanded a more agile, strategy-aligned, and unified approach to development. Enter Edge Up: the brand behind Cisco’s bold learning transformation.

In this episode, we speak with Marci Paino, Chief Learning Officer at Cisco — a 2026 HR Pacesetter Award winner — about how her team moved from fragmented legacy learning to a unified, AI-powered skilling ecosystem. Marci walks through four key pillars of Cisco’s learning transformation: AI-powered lifelong learning mindset, Cisco’s strategic capabilities, always-on modern learning, and a unified skilling environment. She also shares the results Cisco has seen: from replacing a 20-year-old tech stack three times faster than the industry average to a culture where employees embrace continuous learning.

Marci Paino is Cisco’s Chief Learning Officer, driving AI-era workforce readiness for 80,000+ employees and leading the cross-industry AI Workforce Consortium, backed by 20+ years shaping talent development and digital transformation at companies like American Express, Accenture, and Western Digital.

We awarded Marci a JBC Pacesetter award in 2026 for her leadership and strong AI-centric focus. If you have an innovative solution you’d like to share, join our Pacesetters Program.

Additional Information

Download the Pacesetter Research

Irresistible 2027: The Global HR Conference for Leaders and Teams (Sign up now: May 17-19, 2027)

Research: From Training to Dynamic Enablement

Your Learning: The Global HR Excellence Certification

Galileo goes Enterprise: The Jupiter Release

• (00:00:05) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
• (00:01:54) - Marcy's Role and Cisco Learning Priorities
• (00:03:40) - State of Learning Before Transformation
• (00:05:35) - Overview of the Four Strategic Pillars
• (00:08:06) - Defining Guiding Principles and Culture
• (00:11:01) - Building the Skills Intelligence Engine
• (00:14:38) - Modernizing the Technology Stack
• (00:17:24) - Enabling Modern, AI-Driven Learning Experiences
• (00:19:30) - EdgeUp Labs and Time to Grow
• (00:22:43) - Measuring Success and Results
• (00:27:12) - What's Next: Agentic AI and the Skills Flywheel
• (00:29:36) - Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts