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 | Digital Divide Best Practices |  | |
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Networking Academy Advocates
Networking Academies can draw on the community for
support and success. As you begin planning, involve people and organizations
that can support and sustain you. Getting their input now means support
and good ideas later. You can make the Networking Academy's success
their success. Consider:
Successful implementation is easier when senior-level management support
the initial stages. Even if the idea to become a Networking Academy
didn't come from the top, try to get their involvement as soon as
possible. Cisco's
Press Kit  has materials and success stories that illustrate the
benefits of the Networking Academy program to share with your organization's
leaders.
The Networking Academy's success can benefit the whole organization.
By sharing plans and ideas with other staff members, you build resources
in the event that plans go astray. You offer them a credible, proven
training program for their clients, and they provide you with staff
and support to help those clients succeed.
Serving at-risk populations requires a network of service providers
to improve success rates. Networking Academies can focus on education
when they have other partners for referrals and support
"Our expertise is education. We have neither resources nor expertise
in housing, childcare, medical or legal issues. We identify organizations
who do have that expertise and develop working relationships."
Acte Maldonado, Dean
Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY
"If a student has a need outside of the curriculum we have partners
that we refer them to who will provide them services free of charge.
For example, if they need legal services for driver's licenses,
employment clearances or police clearances, we send them to Legal
Aid and Defenders Association. They're part of Legal Aid which is
funded by Legal Services Corporation.
Greg Murray
Communities in Schools
Detroit, MI
Strategic partners with a shared purpose or a common goal for clients
strengthen the community of the Networking Academy program. Partners
with a good reputation offer credibility and advice for funding, recruiting,
and other types of support. If your program or organization does not
have funding for service providers, consider forming strategic partnerships
with public and private organizations that can provide the service
with their own funding. Strategic partnerships with employers and
employer organizations can assist Networking Academies with workforce
development and employment.
See work-based
learning and job
placement activities.
"The Corporate Partnership Council of 20 corporations that help
support the program meets every two months and helps provide insight
and resources that we need to sustain our local Networking Academies.
These partners know that the training and certification the kids
get is valid. They provide internships and get first crack at permanent
job placement. They benefit by having access to a pool of qualified
employees."
Greg Murray
Communities in Schools
Detroit, MI
When selecting partners, look for organizations with a commitment
to the success of the program. By setting a mission, goals, and objectives
for the partnership, the organizations share an agenda and won't pursue
activities that distract from the program's focus.
Under the new Workforce Investment Act, Workforce Investment Boards
have been established with representatives from education, human services
and the employer community. The
National Association of Workforce Boards can help identify a local
WIB and their five-year plan.
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Academy & Class Locator |
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Find an Academy near you.
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Success Stories |
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Cisco initiates change in Jordan where sixty six percent of the 600 Academy students are women.More |
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Course Catalog |
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Review Networking Academy course offerings. More
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