By the end, more than 90 percent expected to go to college. Jackson also found that kids who had not been interested in honors courses began to realize they would need other skills to succeed. Originally conceived as a way to help schools find staff to support and maintain their own networks, the academies are now full-fledged training programs. The program started in October 1997 with 64 schools in seven states. Today, there are Cisco Academies in all 50 states and in 31 countries.
Cisco provides a Web-based curriculum and requires instructors to attend regional academies.
Schools must provide an instructor, classroom and networking equipment for a lab. In high schools, curriculum takes two academic years to complete and results in students becoming Cisco Network Certified Associates. Schools get trained support staff, and local businesses find the IT help they desperately need. In addition to providing students with training that is immediately relevant in the workplace, we are also providing technicians to run a school network. Schools find it near-impossible to afford qualified technical people.