Cisco Networking Academy

The Cisco Networking Academy Program: Every year, the Cisco Networking Academy program teaches hundreds of thousands of students worldwide the skills needed to build, design, and maintain, networks—improving their career prospects while filling the global demand for networking professionals. With 10,000 academies in 165 countries, Networking Academy helps individuals prepare for industry-recognized certifications and entry-level information and communication technology (ICT) careers in virtually every type of industry. Students develop foundational skills in ICT while acquiring vital 21st-century career skills in problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Global Challenge: The growth of networks has created a shortage of people, who are qualified to build, design, and maintain , the infrastructure needed to communicate, do business, and—when critical human needs require it—save lives. This shortage exists worldwide, particularly in emerging countries where networks are being built to aid in economic development and growth. Likewise, people need access to more and better job opportunities and training that will prepare them for the global, technology-driven economy. Networking Academy helps meet the growing demand for ICT professionals and improves career prospects for people around the world.

Program Delivery: Networking Academy uses a public-private partnership model to create the “world’s largest classroom.” Cisco partners with educational institutions, nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations, governments, and community centers that provide classroom space, computer lab equipment, and qualified instructors. Cisco provides online curricula, teacher training, and professional development for instructors.

Networking Academy helps students prepare to assume entry-level ICT jobs, pursue additional training or education, and earn globally recognized certification so they can maintain networks that form the backbone of today’s -- and tomorrow’s global economy.

The Learning Model: Networking Academy courses are offered in multiple languages through a blended learning model that combines classroom instruction with online curricula, interactive tools, hands-on activities, and online assessments that provide immediate feedback to the learner.

This blended learning model uses several innovative technologies, including:

• Cisco Packet Tracer, a powerful visualization and simulation tool that allows students to design, build, and troubleshoot virtual networks in a safe environment. Students and instructors use Packet Tracer to create their own virtual “network worlds” to explore complex technical concepts and networking system designs.
• Cisco Passport21 to Entrepreneurship, a series of case studies and simulation activities that expose students to critical business and financial skills.
• Cisco Aspire, an educational game that provides realistic business and networking scenarios in an engaging virtual environment where students make business and technical decisions to complete projects for clients.
• Online assessments that provide immediate, interactive, personal feedback to students.
• Social media tools, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the proprietary Academy NetSpace and Club NetAcad sites, that connect students and instructors around the world to one another so they can collaborate and continue learning outside the classroom.

Instructors stay abreast of curricula, education and technology news, and best practices through a comprehensive online professional development program.

Results: Networking Academy has trained more than 4 million students to date. Many graduates have gone on to successful ICT careers in a variety of industries, while others have harnessed the entrepreneurial spirit and knowledge they acquired in Networking Academy to start their own businesses and create new jobs.

Established in 1997, Networking Academy is Cisco’s largest and longest-running Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

Corporate Social Responsibility: We believe that businesses have a responsibility to operate in ways that respect and ultimately benefit people, communities, and the planet we live on, we call this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our core CSR philosophy is that impact multiplies whenever human and technology networks combine to solve a problem.

This is why we approach CSR the same way we approach business – by applying our technology, employee expertise, and partnerships. We are focused on four primary goals: improving the well-being of people and communities around the world, reducing our environmental impact and helping our customers do the same, conducting our business ethically, and creating a workplace where our employees thrive. http://Cisco.com/go/csr