Cisco Hiring 2026: Software Engineer Trainee – Technical Graduate Apprentice | Bengaluru (Job ID 2014481)

Company: Cisco Systems India Private Limited
Job Title: Software Engineer Trainee_Technical Graduate Apprentice – India UHR
Job ID / Requisition: 2014481
Category: Internships, Apprenticeships, and Co-Ops
Work Arrangement: Onsite Only
Program Duration: 12 Months (Starting September 2026)
Target Batches: 2025 and 2026 Engineering / Technical Graduates
Location: Bengaluru / Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Cisco is a global leader in networking, enterprise AI infrastructure, cloud systems, and cybersecurity. For 40 years, Cisco has connected and protected enterprise digital footprints worldwide, integrating artificial intelligence into data center energy efficiency, real-time threat response, and automated network traffic optimization.

The Software Engineer Trainee (Technical Graduate Apprentice) position operates under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) governed by the Government of India. Based on-site at Cisco’s primary engineering campus in Bengaluru, apprentices work directly with core engineering teams to deploy large-scale SaaS applications, build operational automation tools, and manage continuous delivery pipelines.

• SaaS Software & Upgrade Deployment: Participate in deploying software releases, patches, and feature updates across Cisco’s large-scale SaaS enterprise environments.
• Automation & Tooling Development: Write software tools, shell scripts, and utility microservices in Python or C++ to automate complex network operations and cloud workflows.
• Change Management Procedures: Learn and execute ITIL change management procedures, deployment validation workflows, and system reliability processes.
• AI & Infrastructure Exploration: Support projects leveraging AI/ML to optimize data center energy consumption, smart security threat detection, and network traffic management.
• Agile Software Engineering: Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams using modern development methodologies, peer code reviews, and version control tools (Git).

Academic & Graduation Requirements

• Degree: Bachelor of Engineering (B.E. / B.Tech) or Master of Technology (M.Tech) / MCA in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics & Communication (ECE), Electrical Engineering, or allied streams.
• Eligible Batches: Candidates must have graduated in 2025 or 2026 and possess a final Degree Completion Certificate or Provisional Degree Certificate (PDC).

Mandatory NATS Enrollment

• Candidates must be actively registered as a “Student” on the official Government of India NATS portal ([https://nats.education.gov.in/](https://nats.education.gov.in/)) and hold a valid NATS Student Enrollment Number.

Program Availability & Mindset

• Availability: Must be fully available for the 12-month full-time apprenticeship program starting September 2026.
• Strong foundational programming skills, passion for networking/AI technologies, and effective written and verbal English communication.

• Estimated Monthly Stipend: ₹30,000 to ₹45,000 per month (governed by NATS apprentice stipend guidelines for technical graduates in Tier-1 tech hubs).
• Cisco Apprentice Perks:
  • Direct hands-on engineering experience within Cisco’s core engineering and SaaS infrastructure teams in Bengaluru.
  • Formal government-recognized NATS Apprenticeship Completion Certificate upon successful conclusion of the 12-month program.
  • Access to Cisco internal learning portals, technical certifications (CCNA, DevNet, CyberOps), and mentorship from lead system architects.
  • Potential conversion pathways to full-time Cisco roles based on business requirements and performance.

1. Application Submission & NATS Verification (Job ID: 2014481)
   (Verification of 2025/2026 graduation certificate & valid NATS Student Enrollment Number)
   ↓
2. Online Aptitude & Technical Assessment
   (Questions evaluating C/C++/Python programming logic, Data Structures, Networking basics, & OS concepts)
   ↓
3. Technical Interview Round 1 (Data Structures, OOPs & Shell Scripting)
   (Live coding, array/string manipulation, object-oriented concepts, and basic Linux commands)
   ↓
4. Technical Interview Round 2 (Networking, SaaS & Automation Logic)
   (Questions on TCP/IP protocols, REST APIs, Git workflows, automation scripting, & academic project review)
   ↓
5. HR & Apprentice Onboarding Discussion
   (Confirmation of 12-month September 2026 availability, on-site Bengaluru commitment, & stipend offer)

Cisco Cooling-Off & Policy Notice: Candidates must apply only through official Cisco channels (careers.cisco.com or cisco.wd5.myworkday.com). Cisco never asks for payments or sensitive government ID numbers during application or interview rounds. Candidates rejected in formal Cisco assessment drives generally face a 6-month cooling-off period.

• Programming & Automation: Core Python or C++ syntax, writing scripts to parse JSON/logs, file handling, and REST API integration.
• Networking & Internet Protocols: OSI Model layers, TCP/IP 3-way handshake, DNS resolution, HTTP/HTTPS methods, and basic router/switch concepts.
• Linux & Operations: Linux command line (grep, awk, sed, chmod, netstat), basic shell scripting, Git commands (clone, branch, merge, pull), and SaaS deployment concepts.

• Engineering & Software: Software Engineer Trainee, Graduate Apprentice, NATS Registered, Python, C++, Linux, Shell Scripting, Data Structures
• Operations & Cloud: SaaS Deployment, Change Management, Automation Tooling, Continuous Integration, REST APIs, Git
• Networking & AI: Cisco Engineering, Data Center AI, Network Traffic Optimization, Cybersecurity, TCP/IP, OSI Model
• Program Specifics: Job ID 2014481, Onsite Bengaluru, 12-Month Apprenticeship, Technical Graduate Apprentice

1. What is the Job Requisition ID for this Cisco Apprentice opening?

The official Cisco job ID is 2014481.

2. Is NATS registration mandatory before applying?

Yes. Candidates must be enrolled as a student on [https://nats.education.gov.in/](https://nats.education.gov.in/) and possess a valid NATS Student Enrollment Number.

3. Which graduation batches are eligible for this program?

Only candidates who graduated in 2025 or 2026 with a final or provisional degree certificate are eligible.

4. When does the 12-month apprenticeship start?

The apprenticeship program is scheduled to start in September 2026 and requires a 12-month full-time commitment on-site in Bengaluru.