Learning and digital skills development

Cisco Networking Academy

Cisco Networking Academy is one of the longest-standing IT skills-to-jobs programs in the world. We transform the lives of learners, educators, and communities through the power of technology, education, and career opportunities to power an inclusive future for all. We bridge digital divides for underrepresented communities, opening them up to a world of opportunities in the evolving digital economy.

In its 25th anniversary year, Cisco Networking Academy celebrates educating the learners who connect the world in collaboration with our unmatched ecosystem of partnerships including governments, academic institutions, and nonprofits.

In fiscal 2022:

3.2M learners

190 countries

29,300 instructors

11,800 academies

40 courses in up to 27 languages

We're proud to have reached 17.5 million learners around the world who have participated in Cisco Networking Academy courses through one of our academies or directly through Skills for All over this time. Our emphasis on providing equitable access to education and inclusive workforce development has led to women representing 4.6 million students since the program began, and 153,000 people reporting disabilities since 2019.

Academies

Partnerships with governments, academic institutions, NGOs, and other organizations make the Cisco Networking Academy program possible. We continue to grow this network. Some of our academies support underrepresented communities, including women, rural populations, people with disabilities, veterans, and persons within the justice system. Our ecosystem of partners help to grow skilled workforces to power a competitive digital economy. To ensure inclusive access, Networking Academy's curriculum and tools are free to eligible education partners.

For example, we signed a memorandum of understanding in 2019 with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for Digital Transformation Centers to train underserved communities with digital skills.

"As a 23-year Cisco Networking Academy teacher, I have experienced the success of my students—90% of them are considered at risk yet they thrive in the Networking Academy. As a teacher nothing is better than seeing a student succeed in class, get a job, move up in their careers. They credit successes to the skills they learned in the Networking Academy. The rewards of seeing students succeed is like nothing I've experienced in my 32 years in education."

-Jim Elkins,
North Technical High School, U.S.

Instructors

Skilled and passionate instructors are essential to Networking Academy's success. We offer comprehensive professional development and training for our instructors throughout the year. The Instructor Professional Development (IPD) program is designed to ensure our instructor community is well-trained on the latest Networking Academy curriculum while being up-to-speed with the most relevant technological advancements in areas like networking, infrastructure automation, cybersecurity, and programming. Instructors have access to a variety of communities within Cisco where they interact directly and share insights with product teams and peer experts. Additionally, feedback from instructors on program direction and enhancements is collected through surveys and instructor advisory boards around the world. This data collection also helps us understand the impact of Networking Academy on instructors' lives and careers.

92% of instructors say Cisco Networking Academy helped them become a better educator.

Based on Instructor Survey participants in fiscal 2022 who were actively teaching

Curriculum

Our technology and education experts design skills-to-jobs curriculum and experiences to support people on their learning journeys, from curiosity through career development. We continue to innovate to keep our curriculum relevant as industry needs evolve and learning technology enables new ways to facilitate effective learning.

As a leader in technology, Cisco brings our industry expertise in areas like networking, cybersecurity, and programmable infrastructure to develop high-quality learning backed by learning science. Courses are developed with the end in mind: the skills to get jobs. We translate those skills into learning objectives and then build purpose-driven, practice-oriented courses aligned to industry-recognized certifications to prepare learners with transferable, vendor-neutral skills. For example, learners get practical experience through leading-edge remote and hands-on learning with physical equipment and the powerful network simulation tool Cisco Packet Tracer.

"Honestly, if Cisco Networking Academy didn't exist, I wouldn't be in cybersecurity right now. I had very little knowledge of it before I took the Introduction to Cybersecurity course. Threat hunting is my favorite part of the job."

- Agnes Chege, Kenya

Visit netacad.com for more student
success stories.

The program is available to a range of learners—from young adult to lifelong learner—including those pursuing higher education, seeking a new career path, or wanting to gain tech skills. It is delivered through universities, colleges, high schools, NGOs, governments, and directly to learners through its education platforms, allowing the program to reach diverse learners in 190 countries. With 34 percent of its 3.2 million participants in fiscal 2022 from the Americas, 26 percent from Asia Pacific, Japan, and China, and 40 percent from Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Cisco Networking Academy is making major strides to help address the global technology skills gap. The program is:

• Comprehensive. A skills-to-jobs learning experience where learners work to develop skills they will use in the workplace.
• Accessible. Content is available through instructor-led or online self-paced courses and through compatible assistive technologies. It's also localized in up to 27 languages worldwide.
• Career-focused. Learners can access comprehensive career resources and connect with over 1000 potential employers through the Cisco Talent Bridge program.
• Proven. Year after year, student surveys show the program provides valuable skills that help them obtain jobs and grow their careers.

Impact in Brazil
Brazil cyber education

In fiscal 2022, we celebrated reaching over half a million students in Brazil since inception. Partnerships with Cisco Networking Academy can help countries grow digital skills using high-demand technologies. In 2020, Cisco Country Digital Acceleration and Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations, and Communications announced a new strategic partnership to accelerate digital transformation. As part of this partnership, we introduced a Cyber Education Program launched through Cisco Networking Academy that has reached over 40,000 young people, helping to meet the demand for professionals in IT and cybersecurity. The program included self-guided cybersecurity training through Skills for All; instructor training, with courses available in Portuguese; career training for students; and job matching opportunities.

Global Problem Solvers: The Series

With Global Problem Solvers: The Series, an animated video series, Cisco is helping students in grades 4-8 learn that being a social entrepreneur is as simple as working with others, being creative, and using technology to solve problems. Each season tackles a different global problem using the different stages of social entrepreneurship, from defining a problem to marketing a product. The series, along with lesson plans for parents and teachers, is available in English, French, Hindi, and Spanish.