Background
Sightsavers International through the Futuremakers programme, the National Industrial Training Authority, CISCO and Three Talents LLC, launched a special program aimed at providing training and certification for people with disabilities as CISCO Certified Technicians (CCT) andCisco Certified Network Associates in Security (CCNA Security). The IT Academy is located at the National Industrial Training Authority campus in Industrial Centre, Nairobi.The program, which is referred to as the Bridge-IT Academy will leverage the globally recognized Cisco Networking Academy curriculum, which has been implemented by 11,000 academies worldwide over the past two decades.Â
CCNA & CCT – Curriculum
The core curriculum will include Networking essentials, Introduction to IoT (Pre-work), Introduction to Cybersecurity (Pre-work), CCNA class 1-v7, Linux essentials, CCNA Class 2-v7, CCNA class 3-v7, Cyber Security Essentials, CCNA Security and Work readiness training. The language of instruction will be English.
Timeline
The training will begin in March 2023 with nine months of in-classroom technical training and extensive hands-on lab exercises. After completion of the program, students will be placed in a three-month internship on track to full-time employment where opportunity arises. The CCT and CCNA certifications are anticipated to lead directly to jobs for students who complete the training program.
How to apply
People with disabilities are being invited to apply to the Inclusive Futures Bridge IT Academy through the Futuremakers program. Prospective students must apply and complete standardized tests to assess their reading, math and computer aptitude. Applicants must be between 18-35 years old and have a disability. Previous IT certification is not required. The program will provide reasonable disability accommodations and hence encourage people with diverse disabilities to apply. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to review the time commitment requirements i.e. 9 months of training on a full-time basis (a total of approximately 882 hours) before applying.
Requirements
- Must be a person with disability
- Must be between 18-35 years old
- Must be available to attend classes for nine months, Monday – Friday from March -December 2022
- Must demonstrate interest and motivation to work in the IT Industry
Funding and support
Selected trainees will be funded to:
· Enroll in the Inclusive Futures Bridge Academy
· Undertake CCT and CCNA training in a classroom set up for 9 months
· Take CCT and CCNA Certification exams
· Placed in paid internship positions where opportunities avail themselves.
To apply for the cohort III intake please fill out the form below by 20th January 2023
