Bridging the digital divide, powering an inclusive future for all

Ntombozuko Luningo (Instructor of Learnership, South Africa) guides students, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds with few resources to invest in themselves or their education, toward economic empowerment and self-reliance with the Cisco-sponsored Learnership program using the Cisco Networking Academy curriculum. 

In an increasingly competitive, interconnected, and technology-driven world, where the global process of digital transformation continues to deepen, a digitally informed education has become more crucial than ever before. However, it has also given rise to a digital divide. Cisco Networking Academy Program, as a flagship initiative of Cisco's social responsibility, aims to bridge the divide and provide opportunities for digitally informed education for learners of all ages in the way they learn and connect today through leveraging Cisco's unique strengths in technology and experience and seeks to empower the underserved and underrepresented to level the playing field as well create an inclusive future for all.

Building classroom without boundaries, landing dream job

Established in 1997, Cisco Networking Academy, one of the world's longest-running IT skills-to-jobs education programs, delivers some of the most in-demand digital skills with a high-quality online curriculum backed by learning science and Cisco industry expertise for learners everywhere for free. Cisco continues to innovate, invest in, and evolve learning technologies for greater opportunity to scale and personalize learning. The global program operates through an unmatched ecosystem of partnerships, including governments, academic institutions, and nonprofits, as well as direct delivery of courses to learners. In October 2022, the Cisco Networking Academy program celebrated its silver anniversary with a new goal to provide digital and cybersecurity skills training to 25 million learners over the next ten years through the Cisco Networking Academy program.

Cisco Networking Academy program partners with 11,800 education institutions (including high schools, vocational colleges, universities, and non-profits) and 29,300 instructors in 190 countries across the globe to equip educators with free, best-in-class online curriculum in up to 27 languages, Webex for Educators, Cisco Packet Tracer, professional development seminar and teaching resources and offer learners with industry-recognized skills and certifications. Since 1997, the program has trained 17.5 million learners, with 95% of students saying that Networking Academy helped them obtain a job or educational opportunity.

Reaching and empowering more learners, advancing education equity

Despite challenges and disruptions in the education sector, Cisco has continued to see steady growth in demand for our digital skills programs. Cisco continues to expand the Cisco Networking Academy program to reach more people how they learn and connect today.

In 2021, the Cisco Networking Academy program launched Skills for All, a free, mobile-first learning platform, further evolving equitable access to education. Whether you're curious about the tech field, seeking to develop new skills, or ready to embark on a new career path, Skills for All is your place to get started with equitable access to a top-notch, practical online curriculum. In 2022, the Cisco Networking Academy program made a deeper investment in our Skills for All Cybersecurity Learning Pathway, aligning with a new industry-recognized cybersecurity certification for learners to signal their readiness for entry-level cybersecurity roles, such as cybersecurity technician and junior cybersecurity analyst.

Further supporting learners with employment opportunities, Networking Academy's Talent Bridge program offers learners a career portal, career resources, an alumni network, and the Talent Bridge Matching Engine to connect learners to over 1000 employment partners.

Connecting Girls with Digital Skills, Paving the Path to Success in the Tech Field

Across our areas of work, the Cisco Networking Academy program is building resilience by bringing education and career connections to people who have historically been underserved and underrepresented in technology fields, including women, people with disabilities, and rural or underdeveloped areas populations worldwide.

Research shows that girls, particularly in developing nations, are less likely than boys to have access to STEM education opportunities. The Women Rock-IT program, aiming to address the gender gap in STEM-related subjects, which works in tandem with Cisco Networking Academy, exposes girls to female role models in IT, entrepreneurship, and many other technology fields to ignite their passion to forge successful careers in IT. The main event of International Girls in ICT Day in 2022 was broadcast online worldwide, focusing on esports and gaming. It aimed to showcase how players can transform their skills into careers in the technology industry, inspiring girls to pursue opportunities in the IT field. Since its launch in 2014, Women Rock-IT has engaged 2 million participants, of which nearly 870,000 subsequently enrolled in Networking Academy courses.

In 2023, as the world continued to open back up, we could once again experience the power of human connections. Cisco and the Cisco Networking Academy program will continue doing all we can to build a more equitable and inclusive future for everyone.