Introduction to Modern AI
Entry15h
What AI is, where it comes from, where it's going.
Outcome: Explains generative AI vs. classical ML in plain language.
Course on NetAcadCisco Networking Academy partner
Cisco Academy
Certify. Build. Stand out.
We are a Cisco Networking Academy. Students at TSI partner schools learn through NetAcad's curriculum across programming, cybersecurity, AI, and entrepreneurship — and finish with assessments, hours, and certificates that admissions officers and employers already recognize.
Cisco NetAcad partnerSpecialist-led, not self-serveAssessments + certificates of completion
40+NetAcad courses available through TSI
4Pathway families (Programming, Cyber, AI, Entrepreneurship)
K–12Grades supported with age-appropriate sequencing
The partnership
What "Cisco Academy" actually means
TSI issues NetAcad-aligned certificates of completion. Industry certifications themselves (CCNA, CyberOps Associate, and so on) are awarded by Cisco after passing Cisco's proctored certification exams — the same posture we use everywhere on this site. Our Cisco Academy ID is verifiable on request.
Cisco's curriculum
Cisco Networking Academy is Cisco's global education program — 20M+ learners since 1997. We deliver the same official curriculum, labs, and assessments inside K-12 classrooms in NYC and partner districts.
TSI's classroom
NetAcad is normally self-paced and adult-oriented. TSI runs it as instructor-led: specialist educators, pacing built for school schedules, and a coordinator who handles enrollment, rosters, and credentials.
Credentials that travel
Students earn NetAcad-issued statements of accomplishment and badges, plus TSI certificates of completion. The credentials are recognized by Cisco's hiring partners and align with NICE, NGSS, ITEA, CSTA, and DODEA standards.
Pathways
Four pathways. One academy.
Cisco's catalog is huge. We focus the four families that actually map to K-12 programs and to the careers students ask about.
AI pathway
Cisco's NetAcad AI track plus TSI's own classroom-safe AI stack (AI Tutor, PIXIO, Machine). Students don't just use AI — they learn what's actually happening underneath, where it fails, and how to use it responsibly in school and work.
Who it's for
- Schools running TSI's AI & Machine Learning program.
- AP CS, CTE, or honors students; buildings that want AI literacy across the curriculum.
Mapped to: AI & Machine Learning.
Capstone credential: Cisco Certified Data Analyst pathway + NetAcad AI badges.
AI Fundamentals with IBM SkillsBuild
Entry20h
ML concepts, neural nets, ethics (NetAcad-distributed).
Outcome: Identifies common AI use-cases and risks.
Course on NetAcadData Analytics Essentials
Intermediate70h
Spreadsheets → SQL → Python → visualization.
Outcome: Pulls insight out of a real dataset.
Course on NetAcadPython for Data Science
Intermediate30h
NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib basics (prerequisite path).
Outcome: Cleans and charts a CSV without help.
Course on NetAcadAI pathway
Cisco's NetAcad AI track plus TSI's own classroom-safe AI stack (AI Tutor, PIXIO, Machine). Students don't just use AI — they learn what's actually happening underneath, where it fails, and how to use it responsibly in school and work.
Who it's for
- Schools running TSI's AI & Machine Learning program.
- AP CS, CTE, or honors students; buildings that want AI literacy across the curriculum.
Mapped to: AI & Machine Learning.
Capstone credential: Cisco Certified Data Analyst pathway + NetAcad AI badges.
Introduction to Modern AI
Entry15h
What AI is, where it comes from, where it's going.
Outcome: Explains generative AI vs. classical ML in plain language.
Course on NetAcadAI Fundamentals with IBM SkillsBuild
Entry20h
ML concepts, neural nets, ethics (NetAcad-distributed).
Outcome: Identifies common AI use-cases and risks.
Course on NetAcadData Analytics Essentials
Intermediate70h
Spreadsheets → SQL → Python → visualization.
Outcome: Pulls insight out of a real dataset.
Course on NetAcadPython for Data Science
Intermediate30h
NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib basics (prerequisite path).
Outcome: Cleans and charts a CSV without help.
Course on NetAcadCredentials
From first badge to first job
What students walk away with, in order — and what each step opens up.
In-class
Module badges
NetAcad issues a digital badge per module finished
Who awards it
Cisco NetAcad
End of course
Statement of Accomplishment
Cisco-issued statement listing hours and skills
Who awards it
Cisco NetAcad
End of pathway
TSI Certificate of Completion
Signed by TSI, mapped to standards (NICE / Common Core / CSTA)
Who awards it
TSI
Career credential
Industry certification (PCEP, CCST, CCNA, CyberOps Associate, etc.)
Earned by sitting Cisco's proctored exam — TSI prepares but does not award
Who awards it
Cisco
- 1
In-class
Module badges
NetAcad issues a digital badge per module finished
Who awards it
Cisco NetAcad
- 2
End of course
Statement of Accomplishment
Cisco-issued statement listing hours and skills
Who awards it
Cisco NetAcad
- 3
End of pathway
TSI Certificate of Completion
Signed by TSI, mapped to standards (NICE / Common Core / CSTA)
Who awards it
TSI
- 4
Career credential
Industry certification (PCEP, CCST, CCNA, CyberOps Associate, etc.)
Earned by sitting Cisco's proctored exam — TSI prepares but does not award
Who awards it
Cisco
About industry certifications: Credentials such as CCNA require a Cisco-administered proctored exam, usually with a fee. TSI prepares students for the exam, provides exam-aligned practice, and helps schools navigate the voucher program — but the credential itself is issued by Cisco.
Assessments
How we know it stuck
Aligned to NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards, NGSS, ITEA, and DODEA College & Career Ready clusters. Crosswalk available on request.
Inside NetAcad
- Auto-graded module quizzes and checkpoint exams
- Hands-on labs in Cisco's Packet Tracer (networking) and OpenEDG sandbox (Python)
- Final course assessment per pathway course
Inside the classroom
- Weekly artifact reviews — students show working code, configured networks, or a pitch deck
- Mid-semester portfolio check with the TSI coordinator
- End-of-semester showcase event (the same one the rest of TSI runs)
For the school
- Standards crosswalk (NICE Cybersecurity, CSTA, Common Core)
- Roster-level completion data the TSI coordinator hands to the AP
- Optional college / industry rec letters for top performers
What you'll build
Artifacts students keep — not worksheets that hit the recycling bin
A configured network in Packet Tracer
Students design, configure, and document a multi-VLAN network. Submit the .pkt file plus a written write-up.
A working Python project
From a CLI utility in Python Essentials 1, up to a small web app or data analysis notebook in Essentials 2 / Data Analytics.
A pitch deck + MVP
Entrepreneurship students leave with a slide deck, a lean canvas, and a working prototype — defended in front of a live panel.
Tools & stack
Industry tools. Not toy demos.
Premium software and platforms provisioned so every student can participate — we remove the setup burden.
Cisco Packet TracerNetAcad Learning PlatformOpenEDG Python sandboxCisco Skills For AllLinux CLIWireshark (sandboxed)Replit / VS CodeJupyterTSI MyApps (web + AI tools)AI Tutor (TSI)Machine (TSI AI workers)
Real tools. Provisioned by TSI through MyApps so students aren't paying consumer subscriptions to finish a unit.
For districts & schools
Why principals choose Cisco Academy through TSI
Plainspoken partnership: credentials that mean something on a resume, with specialist educators in the loop.
You don't have to become a Cisco Academy. Becoming an Academy is a multi-month application process for a school. We already are one — your students plug into ours.
No teacher retraining. TSI brings the specialist instructor. Your CS teacher (if you have one) becomes a co-pilot, not the sole subject expert.
Vouchers handled. Cisco's exam voucher program is real but bureaucratic. We navigate it on your behalf for students ready to certify.
Auditable. Every course module is timestamped, badged, and standards-mapped. Pull a roster for your DIIT audit in 5 minutes.
Stackable with existing TSI programs. Cisco Academy slots into the Cyber Security, AI, Web Dev, and Entrepreneurship programs you may already run.
One coordinator, one invoice. Same TSI billing and same coordinator as the rest of the program. No new vendor to onboard.
Questions schools actually ask
FAQ
Straight answers on exams, age bands, hardware, and how TSI plugs into NetAcad.
Yes. We are a Cisco Networking Academy and have access to the full NetAcad curriculum library, instructor resources, and credentialing platform. Cisco is listed in our partner block on the homepage.
No — and no one can. CCNA is earned by passing Cisco's proctored exam. TSI delivers the preparation curriculum and helps schools access exam vouchers. The credential is awarded directly by Cisco.
The catalog spans middle school through adult. We sequence age-appropriately: middle schoolers usually start at Get Connected and Introduction to Cybersecurity; high schoolers can move into Python Essentials, Networking Basics, and CCNA prep.
Programming and Cybersecurity full pathways are typically 2 semesters. AI and Entrepreneurship full pathways are typically 1 semester. We adjust to your bell schedule.
Cisco's NetAcad curriculum is free to academies. TSI charges for the staffing, the tools, the coordinator, and the credentialing logistics — same as our other programs.
Yes. The four pathways are independent. Most schools start with one — usually the one that matches an existing TSI program — and grow from there.
A working 1:1 device program is enough for Programming, AI, and Entrepreneurship. Cybersecurity benefits from access to a lab cart with networking equipment — TSI can provision this.
Cisco's official Academy locator lists active academies. The TSI partners page also lists Cisco NetAcad in our partner network. We can send the verification email on request.
Explore more
Related pathways
Also explore
Fall 2026
Bring this track to your school
Request TSI to match instructors, hardware, and pacing to your building — the same full-service model we run in partner schools.