Multihexa College expands tech training with IBM, Cisco

Multihexa College has expanded its student training through partnerships with IBM, Cisco and CompTIA, giving students access to industry-recognised technology certifications.

The Canadian private career college, which has campuses in Vancouver and Saguenay and delivers online across Quebec, said the partnerships are intended to align its teaching more closely with employer requirements in information technology and related fields. It offers 17 programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, business, healthcare and digital technology.

Employer demand is increasingly shifting towards verified certifications alongside formal study, particularly in technical roles where hiring managers often use vendor and industry qualifications as a screening tool, according to Multihexa. The college cited a graduate employment rate of 90% and presented its model as a response to what it sees as a gap between conventional academic awards and the skills employers seek.

Its arrangement with CompTIA gives students access to materials linked to certifications including A+, Network+ and Security+, which are widely recognised in entry-level and mid-level IT recruitment. Students receive study guides, interactive tools and specialist instruction tied to those exams.

Cisco's Networking Academy forms another part of the approach. Through that partnership, students can work towards the Cisco Certified Network Associate, or CCNA, a qualification commonly used in networking and infrastructure roles. The programme also connects learners to Cisco training content and a wider international learning community spanning 190 countries.

In artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data analytics, the college is drawing on its IBM relationship. The partnership gives students access to IBM learning tools, software and project resources used in teaching subjects such as Generative AI, Machine Learning, Prompt Engineering and Applied AI.

Employer links

The college's pitch rests not only on certification routes but also on its presence in two established labour markets. It said its Vancouver campus is in a metropolitan area with more than 75,000 technology professionals, while its Quebec campus is in a building that houses more than 800 technology workers in Saguenay.

That proximity, the college said, helps it adapt course content to hiring needs in surrounding industries. In Quebec, it listed employer partners including CGI, Bombardier, Hydro-Québec, Videotron and the City of Montreal.

"At Multihexa, we believe that a credential is only as valuable as the employer confidence behind it. Our partnerships with IBM, Cisco and CompTIA were built with one purpose: to ensure every student who walks out of our campuses walks into a role, with the certifications that the industry trusts and the skills to back them up," said Tejal Laul, Director, Multihexa College.

The emphasis on shorter, job-linked credentials reflects a wider debate in higher education and workforce training. Technology employers increasingly use external certifications to verify practical knowledge in areas such as networking, cyber defence, cloud systems and technical support, especially when roles change faster than traditional course structures.

Private career colleges have sought to benefit from that shift by presenting themselves as more responsive than universities or broader further education providers. In Multihexa's case, the strategy combines classroom teaching with certification preparation, aiming to give graduates both a formal programme record and recognisable external qualifications.

Student outcomes

The Vancouver and Quebec campuses serve somewhat different mixes of learners. Multihexa said its Quebec operations have nearly 40 years of history in IT education and offer programmes in network security, applied AI and cybersecurity online across the province. Its Vancouver site has a broader mix of business, digital, healthcare and technology courses.

The institution also pointed to student experience as part of its case for the model. One graduate described the combination of training and certification preparation as a route into employment before completing the course.

"I came to Multihexa unsure of which direction to take. What I didn't expect was that within months, I'd be studying with IBM tools, preparing for my Cisco certification, and receiving job offers before I even graduated. The credentials opened doors I didn't think were possible at this stage of my career," said Sharma.