The National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC) is partnering with Cisco to equip educators with AI skills, resources, and tools to help prepare their students for the AI workforce. Through Cisco Networking Academy,  one of the longest-standing skills-to-jobs programs in the world, it will provide ready-to-teach curriculum across AI, networking, cybersecurity, and other digital skills, as well as professional development for faculty and educators within NAAIC’s national network of community colleges and workforce partners. By integrating these resources into NAAIC’s academic framework, faculty gains access to scalable, job-aligned learning models that prepare students forreal-world AI and digital roles.

“Community colleges are a cornerstone of America’s workforce, and through the Cisco Networking Academy and NAAIC partnership, we’re equipping educators with the professional development and tools they need to bridge the skills gap and lead their students confidently into the AI era,” said Marci Paino, VP and Chief Learning Officer at Cisco. “This collaboration brings our purpose to power an inclusive future for all to life, ensuring that the curriculum keeps pace with innovation and advances workforce readiness for every community.”

Cisco Networking Academy has trained more than 28 million learners across 195 countries since 1997. Through partnerships with high schools, community and technical colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations, Cisco Networking Academy delivers industry-leading curriculum, instructor professional development, and inclusive workforce development programs at no cost to educational institutions. Its AI and data science offerings are designed to democratize access to AI education, close skills gaps, and equip learners with practical, job-ready capabilities. Moreover, Cisco Networking Academy courses align to over 25 industry-recognized certifications and are developed by subject matter experts and job-task analysis to ensure curriculum is relevant and up-to-date.

“We’re proud to partner with an industry leaderlike Cisco to help educators bring applied, job-aligned AI learning into the classroom,” said Antonio Delgado, Founder of NAAIC. “By pairing NAAIC’s national network of community colleges with Cisco Networking Academy’s proven curriculum and faculty development, we’re expanding access to the skills, credentials, and pathways learners need to succeed in an AI-driven workforce.”

For NAAIC member institutions, this partnership reinforces a shared commitment: ensuring that AI education is accessible, applied, and directly connected to real-world outcomes. By embedding Cisco’s industry-recognized learning pathways into community college programs, NAAIC is helping educators deliver curriculum that reflects current industry standards while expanding opportunity for diverse learners nationwide.

Together, NAAIC and Cisco are advancing a practical, scalable model for AI workforce readiness — one that connects classroom learning to recognized credentials and measurable career paths.

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Learn more about the NAAIC x Cisco partnership here.