Cisco Networking Academy, launched in 1997, has a long-standing goal of providing accessible technology education and digital skills training for free to learners worldwide. Over the past 25 years, the program has expanded to offer online courses in networking, cybersecurity, programming, IoT, and many other technical domains. To date, over 10 million students have participated in Cisco Networking Academy courses and benefited from the hands-on, practical learning experience.
Overview of SkillsForAll Platform
Cisco’s newest education initiative, SkillsForAll, takes the Academy’s offerings to an unprecedented level. As the name suggests, SkillsForAll provides a diverse range of online courses focused on foundational digital skills and literacy, available entirely free of cost to learners everywhere.
In 2021, Cisco launched SkillsForAll as its newest education initiative, which provides a catalog of online courses focused on building digital literacy, job skills, and knowledge of emerging technologies. Available in over 10 languages, these self-paced courses are designed to be completed in flexible learning increments. Best of all, SkillsForAll grants completely free access to all learners around the globe interested in advancing their tech education.
Here’s an overview of the key features of the SkillsForAll platform:
- 30+ courses offered in 10+ languages covering beginner to intermediate skills
- Self-paced online learning model with short modules and hands-on labs
- Courses focus on digital literacy, cybersecurity, ethical hacking, data analytics, networking, programming, operating systems, and IT
- Learners can showcase their skills with digital badges upon course completion
With this flexible and accessible course catalog, SkillsForAll aims to equip learners worldwide with career-relevant skills for the digital age.
Core Course Offerings on SkillsForAll
SkillsForAll currently provides a diverse set of foundational courses including:
- Cybersecurity: Introduction to Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking
- Networking: Networking Essentials, CCNA
- Operating Systems & IT: Windows OS, IT Essentials, Linux Essentials
- Data Science: Data Analytics, Data Visualization
- Programming: Python, Java, JavaScript, Go
- Digital Literacy: Internet of Things (IoT), Tech for Good
- Professional Skills: Problem Solving, Collaboration
The curriculum focuses on beginner to intermediate skills spanning multiple technical and professional domains. The courses use a combination of video lessons, hands-on labs, and quizzes to offer an interactive learning experience.
Benefits for Learners
SkillsForAll provides tremendous value for learners across backgrounds and geographies:
- It prepares learners for pathways to new careers and jobs in fields like cybersecurity, networking, programming, and data analytics.
- The courses help build in-demand skills for the digital economy, even for beginners starting from scratch.
- Learners can showcase credentials and badges on resumes to stand out in the job market.
- The self-paced online model offers a flexible and convenient way to learn technical skills.
- Best of all, completely free access makes training opportunities available to everyone.
Specifically, these courses can benefit displaced workers looking to reskill, veterans entering the civilian workforce, women returning to the workforce after a break, and even students and lifelong learners looking to expand their skills.
Bottom Line
With its SkillsForAll initiative, Cisco Networking Academy is significantly increasing access to technology education across the globe. SkillsForAll aims to improve digital literacy and prepare learners everywhere for jobs and careers in the technical landscape of today.
We encourage you to explore the diverse course catalog on SkillsForAll and take advantage of the free courses to build in-demand skills. With its commitment to accessible tech education worldwide, Cisco is empowering people of all backgrounds with capabilities to succeed in the digital economy.
