Technology Education Program for College- and Career-Ready Students

Schools and governments are under increased pressure to deliver rigorous studies that can prepare students and retrain individuals for 21st century careers.

Cisco Networking Academy provides comprehensive and cost-effective coursework to teach the technology skills that are in high demand in businesses today. The curricula support a broad range of national education goals, including increased student engagement, improved 21st century career skills, and enhanced teacher expertise, and are available to educational institutions and community organizations.

Courses teach multiple levels of Networking and Information Communications Technology (ICT) knowledge and skills. Providing the technology training essential for most 21st century careers and the foundation required for a dedicated career in technology. Our program can help schools identify education paths for students from K-12 onto community college and university.

By implementing Networking Academy courses, you can:

choose a cost-effective, comprehensive program with proven success
improve student academic and career outcomes
fulfill demands of your business community
teach more than just technology

Use the tabs below to learn more.

Curricula at No Cost

Networking Academy curricula are available to nonprofit schools at no cost. There are two requirements that ensure success for instructors and students. The first is classroom lab equipment, which is offered at a substantial discount and varies depending on the course, number of students, etc. The second is instructor training, which is required prior to teaching an academy course, and provided in a cost recovery model by regional training centers.

Curricula are made available to instructors online, meaning textbooks are not required. However, companion guides, lab manuals, video mentors, certification preps and other resources are made available from CiscoPress and often developed in collaboration with our instructors.

Free Teaching Enhancement Tools
Cisco provides a number of teaching enhancement tools for instructors at no cost, including:

Cisco Packet Tracer: a lab simulation tool available to instructors and students to be used with coursework
Interactive teaching guides
Online assessments
Grade books
Gaming: work scenario environment for students to manage projects and develop work and thinking skills
Case studies: work scenarios for students to build skills and specialties
Communities of support for both instructors and students

Instructor Professional Development
For students to be successful, we need well-equipped teachers. Networking Academy provides ongoing professional development opportunities and communities of support to contribute to the success of our instructors, and ultimately, the students.

Professional development opportunities are provided to active academy instructors and include the following:

Webinar series: free, averaging 2-3 per month, addressing technology, curricula and program updates
Instructor Academy Conference: annual in-person and virtual event providing development sessions and peer networking opportunities
Communities of Support: innovative instructor community portals facilitating best practice sharing and interaction among peers and Cisco
Regional training centers also host a number of development and peer networking opportunities

Curriculum	Description
IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software	IT Essentials provides an overview of computer fundamentals and an introduction to advanced concepts.
CCNA Discovery	CCNA Discovery provides an overview of general networking theory and opportunities for practical experience, career exploration, and soft-skills development.
CCNA Exploration	CCNA Exploration provides a comprehensive overview of foundational to advanced networking concepts, with an emphasis on theory and practical application.
CCNA Security	CCNA Security introduces the core security concepts and skills needed to install, troubleshoot, and monitor a network to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and devices.
CCNP	CCNP teaches the advanced skills needed to install, configure, monitor, and troubleshoot enterprise-sized networks and manage wireless, security, and voice applications.

See complete course and certification information

Cisco partners with public and private organizations to help not only shape the future of education and develop students, but also to ensure our education program directly addresses national education standards and requirements.

Areas of focus and priority across the U.S. and Canada include:

Improve test scores
Better prepare students for scientific and technological careers
Encourage student interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career paths
Increase sophisticated STEM skills
Prepare students with career-ready skills: problem-solving, analysis, communication, intellectual curiosity
Increase qualified educators to support these education efforts

Networking Academy provides a course of action to address these growing requirements:

Largest and longest running social responsibility program at Cisco
World’s largest classroom, with over one million active students worldwide
Cisco expertise in technology
Innovative teaching techniques
Highly effective classroom and online experiences
Academic rigor combined with 21st century work and thinking skills
Use of technology positively impacts formal and informal STEM learning
Development and community support for instructors and students
Unique private and public partnerships

Aligning to U.S. Education Standards
States are adopting requirements as defined by the STEM Career Clusters, Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

Cisco Networking Academy Alignment to Ed Standards
Review this document for detailed grids aligning academy courses to the education standards listed above. The first page shows how you can use this tool in your planning, to present strategies, to support interdisciplinary teaching, and when applying for related grants.

Cisco Networking Academy STEM Data Sheet
Review this document for information on how academy courses meet key STEM focus areas and stakeholder concerns.

To become an instructor or to implement Cisco Networking Academy courses at your school, or within your city or state institutions or programs, complete the request form and a representative will contact you.
Use the resources below to share information about Cisco Networking Academy:
- Brochure
- Courses Descriptions and Certifications
- Forward information about Networking Academy courses to a colleague
Visit the Impact in Your Area section to see how Cisco is already partnering to impact education in your state.
See which high schools, community colleges and universities are offering academy courses in your area by using the Academy Locator.

Cisco Provides

High quality curricula and learning tools (free to nonprofits)
Classroom lab equipment discounts
State-of-the-art online assessments (quizzes, chapter/final/skills exams)
Learning management system (integrated grade book, teaching resources, etc.)
Instructor support, global community of peers, ongoing professional development
24x7 online support
Online collaboration communities

You Provide

Classroom space for in-person instruction
Qualified instructor available for training (cost for training)
Funds to purchase lab equipment (discounted, varies by curriculum)
Computers for students to engage with online curricula and labs
Internet access with sufficient network connections and bandwidth

Classroom Lab Equipment

Lab equipment may be purchased from any Cisco Authorized Partner. SIGMAnet is the only partner who specializes in curricula-based bundles, parts, and services for academies in the U.S.

STUDENT IMPACT STORIES

Elayne Man, Mililani High School, Hawaii
High school academy student participates in SkillsUSA competition, earns full scholarship, and becomes a software engineer
Casey Kewais, Sudbury Secondary School and Cambrian College, Canada
First Nations academy student becomes Cisco systems engineer

SCHOOL/PROGRAM IMPACT STORIES