India
Academy Profile
Cummings Engineering College for Women
Local Academy
Established April 2003
Cummins Engineering College for Women in Pune, India is a 100+ year old Institution and the first Engineering College in India, exclusively for girl students. Cummins Engineering College was selected as one of the gender-focused academies under the Internet Training Centers initiative, to specifically target the female students. The Cisco Networking Academy Program was launched in April 2003 as a response to an acute need to integrate practical sessions into the courses. The program gives an alternative to curricula that focus strictly on theory.
The Academy has an average of 24 students per class, and a total of 5 classes. Because all students come from an electronic telecommunications or computer engineering background, they are able to get well integrated in the Networking Academy Program. Presently, the Academy receives all of its computers, internet connection and funding from the College. In the years to come, the Academy’s main objective is to become completely autonomous. The low enrollment fees that the students pay are enough to cover the rest of the expenses that the Academy incurs.
“This new Academy gives an edge over the other technical institutions in Pune”, says Sneha Thombre, the lead instructor at the Academy. There are 25 technical institutions in the city, and they are all coed. The fact that classes at the Academy are strictly for female students, it will give women the opportunity to get away from a more male-dominated environment. “Students will learn more about Cisco products. Cisco has an 80% share in the networking market, so it is important for students to use these products,” says Thombre. Students at the Academy also benefit from job fairs. Presently, more than 50% of students in the Cummings College are recruited by IT companies, so students at the academy will also be able to benefit from these job placements. A scholarship program similar to the one implemented at the college level is also underway for the Academy.
Two female instructors are responsible for the classes. The College recruits instructors, who have interviews with experts, and once recruited, undergo training. All instructors must possess an engineering degree. Thombre, the lead instructor, has a post-graduate degree. Instructors combine theory and practice for a well-rounded program.