The Cisco Networking Academy is a comprehensive program with courses that teach students fundamental PC hardware and software troubleshooting skills, how to design, build, and maintain local and wide-area networks, and specialized security skills. Cisco networking academy courses will prepare you for PC support, networking, and IT related jobs in the public and private sectors, and for higher education in engineering, computer science, and related fields.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program helps prepare students for industry standard certifications that help jump-start or advance your career, including:
1. CompTIA A+ and Network
2. Cisco CCENT and CCNA
3. Cisco CCNA Security
4. Cisco CCNP
Classes are held one evening every week, or every other week, and are designed to work around a busy schedule. Students earn college credit while preparing for industry-standard certification exams. Tuition is charged by the credit hour and is very affordable at around $680 per course.
1. Individuals looking to start a career in the information technology field.
2. IT technicians and support staff who desire to build and expand their career opportunities.
3. IT technicians and support staff who wish to pursue their A+, CCENT, CCNA, or CCNP certifications, or the new CCNA Security specialization certification.
4. IT managers looking to find affordable training for their employees.
Cisco Academies aim to help fill the growing need for information and communications technology (ICT) and networking professionals, in order to improve education and career opportunities in communities around the world.
How? By helping individuals develop networking and ICT skills to prepare for ICT and networking careers in virtually every type of industry. Students are also provided with opportunities to develop their creative skills, enhance their problem-solving abilities and improve their long-term chances of employability in today’s new media workforce.
The first Cisco Academy was created back in 1997 as a solution to help schools that wanted to create their own networks but lacked the financial and human resources to manage and maintain systems of their own. Since then, the small-scale programme has grown to help students improve their IT skills in 167 countries worldwide.
Cisco technology provides students the freedom to learn both inside and outside of the classroom, with e-learning, online curricula and assessments. Cisco has run successful academies in places as diverse as community centres, homeless shelters, football clubs, prisons and military bases as well as traditional schools, colleges and universities.
Cisco Lab
Our Cisco lab is equipped with numerous routers and switches to allow students real hands-on training. Current routers in use include the 2600 series, 2800 series, and 2900 integrated services routers. Current switches in use include the 2900 series, the 2950, 2960, and layer three 3550 and 3560 switches. We also have ASA devices in the lab.
The open Cisco lab is available one or two evenings during the week in addition to Saturday mornings. Students may choose when to come in to use the open lab and how often based on their needs. Some students may need to spend less time on campus than others. In addition, some students have routers and switches at home or on their job that may be used to work on labs off campus.
Expected Workload
Students should plan on five to 10 hours per week in class, several additional hours in the Cisco lab outside of class, several hours outside of class reviewing the online curriculum, and completing any labs not finished within class outside of class. The total amount of time a student should plan on is around 20 hours per week.
Hybrid Classes
Hybrid CCNA classes allow students to have more control over their schedule. The hybrid approach is called a blended distance learning format by Cisco. It has been developed for non-traditional students with family and job responsibilities, although any student is eligible. Its purpose is to provide the student with greater flexibility in their time management.
All four CCNA classes are offered in both a hybrid format or as a traditional class. Hybrid classes meet on Monday evenings only. Traditional 8-week classes meet two evenings per week, requiring two semesters to complete all four CCNA classes. The traditional 16-week class meets one evening per week and will take four semesters to complete.