Start a Cisco Academy today!
Any ICT educator, administrator or industry involved in educating students with the skills needed now and in the future is welcome to work with WASTC. We host professional development events including summer faculty development weeks and a winter conference each year. WASTC is also involved with CyberPatriot, NetLab training and Cisco Academy instructor training. We love collaborating with the end result of contributing some of the necessary resources, skills training and best practices to educators so they can impact the workforce of tomorrow.
Step One
To become an academy, first got to www.netacad.com
Find "Get Started," then "Educators", and scroll down to “Become an Academy.”
Fill out the short form and submit.
After you fill out the application, Cisco will send a notice that they have received your application, then once approved they will send you an agreement to accept. Please find that agreement in a ‘pending’ folder in the manage area.
Once complete your new Cisco Academy will be up and running. You will be able to offer student courses in all of the Non-Core curriculum.
Join an ASC
If you wish to teach the Core Curriculum [IT-Essentials, CCNA, CCNA Security, CCNP, Network Essentials or IoT Fundamentals] you will need to align with an Academy Support Center [ASC]. You may align with any ASC you wish, but we hope you will choose WASTC.
Log into Netacad.com, go to “Manage,” then “Manage ASC relationship,” and use the search box to type in Western Academy Support and Training Center. Then Select with the radio button.
Please send Karen Stanton a note, Karen.stanton@wastc.org so we can approve and get you on your way.
Step Two
Academy Instructors
Identify instructors and have them "get qualified" to teach.
Instructor training is required for core courses, these include: IT-Essentials, CCNA, CCNA Security, CCNP, Network Essentials, IoT Fundamentals.
WASTC Instructor Training Center [ITC] offers the instructor courses needed to qualify your instructors to teach the core Cisco Academy curriculum.
Step Three
Set Up Your Classroom
Academies must provide a classroom with computers for students to access the online curriculum, take assessments and read their lab materials.
Some classes require hands on lab activities so computers and network gear may be needed. Please check with the curriculum you wish to offer your students for lab requirements.
Costs
WASTC Academy Support Center Fees
- 1st year $550.
- Additional years are $300 annually with the Early Bird discount.
Instructor Training
Generally the cost is $600 per instructor, per course.
Please check our Training schedule for exact costs.
Equipment Costs
IT-Essentials Equipment is rather easy to find and not expensive. You will need computers for students to take apart, install OS on etc.
CCNA will need a pod of gear that costs about $5000. It consists of 3 switches and 3 routers with cables etc. This pod will support about 6 students at a time [max]. It would be better to have several pods for students to use. This is just bare bones estimate. To add a rolling rack to mount the gear in add about $1400 for 4 racks. See the lab pictures in the Resources area of the WASTC website.
Students need computers to access their online curriculum, take assessments read labs etc. Information may be found on the Netacad site.
Equipment Ordering
Academies may purchase equipment from any vendor they would like, but remember that Cisco Academies receive a substantial discount so be sure to use a vendor who understands how to get you that discount. Equipment lists for each Networking Academy curriculum can be found on the Netacad site. These files contain part numbers, descriptions, and quantities for each product required to build a course lab. Additional information on lab equipment and topologies can be found in the Instructor Lab Manual for each Networking Academy course.