Why CCNA ?
Growing Need for ICT Professionals
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professionals are in short supply. (See Related Resources below for industry reports). Networking is predicted to be the second fastest growing occupation, faster than the average for all occupations, and will continue to grow as investments are made in newer, faster technology, and mobile networks.
The Cisco CCNA curriculum helps students prepare for ICT careers and are aligned with the globally recognized Cisco CCENT and CCNA certifications, further validating skills to potential employers.
CCNA, Designed for Entry-Level ICT Jobs
The Cisco CCNA® Routing and Switching curriculum is designed for Cisco Networking Academy® students seeking entry-level jobs in the ICT industry or fulfilling prerequisites in pursuing more specialized ICT skills. The curriculum provides comprehensive coverage of networking topics, from fundamentals to advanced applications and services, while providing opportunities for hands-on practical experience and career skills development.
The CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum is appropriate for students at many education levels and types of institutions, including high schools, secondary schools, universities, colleges, career and technical schools, and community centers.
Industry Recognized Certification Alignment
The Cisco CCNA® Routing and Switching curriculum is aligned with the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification that helps maximize students’ investment in foundational networking knowledge and increase their value of with employer’s. The CCNA Routing and Switching certification validates students’ ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-size routed and switched networks.
CCNA Curriculum
The CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum consists of four courses:
1) Introduction to Networks is the first course in the Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum teaching students the architecture, structure, functions and components of the Internet and other computer networks. By the end of the course, students will be able to build simple LANs, perform basic configurations for routers and switches, and implement IP addressing schemes.
2) Routing and Switching Essentials is the second course in the CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum teaching students how to configure a router and a switch for basic functionality. By the end of this course, students will be able to configure and troubleshoot routers and switches and resolve common issues with RIPv1, RIPng, single-area and multi-area OSPF, virtual LANs, and inter-VLAN routing.
3) Scaling Networks is the third course in the CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum teaching students how to configure routers and switches for advanced functionality. By the end of this course, students will be able to configure and troubleshoot routers and switches and resolve common issues with OSPF, EIGRP, and STP.
4) Connecting Networks is the fourth and final course in the CCNA Routing and Switching curriculum covering the WAN technologies and network services employed by converged applications in a complex network. By the end of this course, students will be able to configure and troubleshoot network devices and resolve common issues with data link protocols.
Cisco Packet Tracer
Packet Tracer is an integral part of the CCNA curriculum. Packet Tracer provides simulation, visualization, authoring, assessment, and collaboration capabilities and facilitates the teaching and learning of complex technology concepts