From classroom to profession: Ghana’s new gateway to tech success

At Cisco, we care deeply about innovation and sensible effectiveness. When responding to social challenges, we need to be a part of options that work—and that usually means drawing nimbly, as one Cisco, from our whole organizational toolset, no matter division or area throughout the firm.

By listening to our nonprofit collaborators after which deciding on from our suite of confirmed interventions as we assemble a custom-made assist bundle, we will empower our social impression companions to assist extra folks, extra effectively, in a extra sustainable approach. We search for measurable outcomes, and we like to see our grantees utilizing know-how to vary extra lives for the higher.

Uplifting communities by means of digital skilling

The Chorkor Digital Lab, a undertaking run by Cisco social impression accomplice BASICS Worldwide, exemplifies our integrative and results-oriented method. BASICS supplies schooling, meals, and healthcare for kids in the neighborhood of Chorkor and surrounding areas in Ghana, West Africa—serving to whole communities rise out of poverty. Their new lab is getting ready previously underserved college students for dynamic careers in cybersecurity, networking, and extra. Supported by Cisco Networking Academy in addition to our Expertise Grant Program, the lab gives a hub for studying, collaboration, and creativity, the place college students be taught cutting-edge abilities that may assist them flourish within the digital economic system.

Learn the way college students in Ghana put together for thrilling tech careers on the Chorkor Digital Lab.

BASICS Worldwide CEO and founder Patricia Wilkins notes that Chorkor’s repute as onerous to assist was precisely what impressed her to dive in and start unlocking the potential of the group. “We at all times felt we wanted to provide youngsters entry to know-how,” she stated. “After we discovered about Cisco’s program, the place they meet college students the place they’re, and provides them the technical abilities and pc abilities that they want, we received on board.”

Sharing Cisco’s trusted curriculum and know-how

Wilkins additionally manages the BASICS Cisco Academy, guaranteeing that college students get full entry to Cisco’s trusted curriculum as they work in the direction of the certifications that may unlock higher jobs and futures upon commencement. Cisco Networking Academy is a world, IT skills-to-jobs program, providing digital abilities coaching to arrange college students for industry-standard certifications and careers in networking, cybersecurity, and associated fields.

“For over twenty years, BASICS Worldwide has believed in supporting the entire youngster—combining schooling, vitamin, mentorship, and life abilities to assist younger folks thrive and lead change of their communities.” —Patricia Wilkins, CEO and founder, BASICS Worldwide

Cisco’s Expertise Grant Program supplies our personal know-how to qualifying nonprofit organizations to assist them understand vital positive factors in productiveness, safety, scalability, and value effectivity. For the Chorkor Lab, a Expertise Grant was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Networking Academy.

Patrick Verret, who managed the know-how grant, explains, “We helped them set up a safe and secure community for college kids to entry Cisco Networking Academy, make the most of different on-line studying supplies, and collaborate with others throughout the web. Due to our Meraki firewalls, switches, and entry factors, college students can connect with the community all through the constructing, by way of each wired and wi-fi connections.”

Dreaming of—and dealing in the direction of—careers in tech

Already, the Lab is altering lives. “I needed to do pc science, however I couldn’t get an opportunity to do it, as a result of the charges that it’s a must to pay are very excessive. It has been my dream for thus lengthy,” stated pupil Joyce Banahene, who’s aiming to seek out work as a community engineer when she completes her certification.

Additionally feeling impressed, pupil Pleasure Adevu famous, “I’ll be working in any tech firm. In all probability Cisco, Apple, Samsung—any of them!”

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