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25 Years of Impact

Cisco Networking Academy is one of the longest-standing IT skills-to-jobs programs in the world. Learn more about our global impact on our website.

17.5M learners have trusted Cisco Networking Academy to gain digital skills and access to jobs. 95% of students who have taken Cisco certification-aligned courses attribute obtaining a job or education opportunity to Networking Academy.

An unmatched global partner ecosystem of educational institutions and organizations offer Networking Academy courses: 11,800 academies, 29,300 instructors, and learners in 190 countries.

Cisco Systems Founded in December 1984

Two Stanford University computer scientists (right) who were instrumental in connecting computers at Stanford, pioneered the concept of a local area network (LAN) being used to connect distant computers of a multi-protocol router system.

By the time the company went public in 1990, Cisco had a market capitalization of $224 million; by the end of the dot-com bubble in the year 2000, this had increased to $500 billion, surpassing Microsoft as the world’s most valuable company. As of December 2021, Cisco had a market capitalization of around $267 billion.

Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack

At Cisco, our purpose to power an inclusive future for all is in every bold breath we take, energizing us with each new opportunity we pursue and new challenge we seek to overcome.

This year we’re celebrating 25 years of impact created by our united focus with Cisco Networking Academy partners, policy makers, and educators to empower people with career opportunities through the power of technology and education.

And we’ve grown! 17.5 million students have participated in Cisco Networking Academy since 1997. Today, we have students learning across 190 countries, and we continue to partner with 29,300 instructors from 11,800 education institutions, to offer curriculum in 27 languages around the world.

We’re continuing to provide global and inclusive access for people from all backgrounds and experiences to participate in the workforce of the future, while helping to close the digital divide.

So, take a deep breath with us and move boldly forward to create an inclusive future for all, together.

It began as an act of community

In 1997, Cisco donated some networking equipment to a local school. But no one was trained on how to use it, so the gear sat unused. This initial donation led to a valuable insight; technology is truly powerful when combined with education.

Cisco Networking Academy was born that day, as we trained the employees at the school to build their network.

Click on the year to discover our stories!