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Beyond Computing: How Newcastle College is Using Cisco Networking Academy to Build Digital Skills Across the Entire College
Beyond Computing: How Newcastle College is Using Cisco Networking Academy to Build Digital Skills Across the Entire College
Digital skills are no longer just the responsibility of computing departments. Every learner, regardless of their chosen career, needs the confidence to use digital technologies effectively and think critically about emerging technologies.
For FE Colleges, this presents a significant challenge. How do you equip thousands of learners with high-quality digital skills while maintaining academic standards and working within the reality of limited staff time and resources?
At Newcastle College, the answer has been to think differently about Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad).
While many institutions associate NetAcad primarily with networking and IT programmes, Newcastle College has embedded NetAcad courses across multiple curriculum areas, creating a scalable approach that benefits learners, staff, employers and the wider education community.
Building Digital Literacy for Every Learner
Building Digital Literacy for Every Learner
As digital technologies continue to transform every industry, digital literacy has become an essential employability skill rather than a specialist one.
Newcastle College uses NetAcad’s Digital Literacy courses, developed in partnership with OpenEDG, to help learners across a wide range of subject areas develop the confidence and understanding needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world. The courses provide a structured, engaging way of developing practical digital skills while reducing the burden on teaching staff to create additional learning materials from scratch.
This approach ensures students leave college with the digital capabilities employers increasingly expect.
Supporting ESOL Learners Through Technology
Supporting ESOL Learners Through Technology
The college has also found innovative ways to use NetAcad beyond traditional digital education by incorporating English for IT into its ESOL provision.
The course gives learners the opportunity to develop both English language skills and technology vocabulary simultaneously, helping prepare them for employment in modern workplaces where digital terminology has become part of everyday communication.
By combining language development with practical, real-world contexts, learners build confidence while gaining valuable employability skills.
Strengthening T Level Delivery
Strengthening T Level Delivery
T Levels place a strong emphasis on developing practical, employer-focused skills that prepare learners for industry.
Newcastle College uses the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) courses in Networking, Cybersecurity, and IT Support to complement its T Level delivery, providing learners with structured technical content, hands-on activities, and industry-recognised learning that reinforces classroom teaching.
"The practical emphasis of NetAcad aligns closely with the philosophy and assessment criteria of T Levels, helping students build the knowledge and confidence required both for their industry placements and future careers."
"The practical emphasis of NetAcad aligns closely with the philosophy and assessment criteria of T Levels, helping students build the knowledge and confidence required both for their industry placements and future careers."
Kevin Hillary, Head of Curriculum Digital Technologies at Newcastle College
Kevin Hillary, Head of Curriculum Digital Technologies at Newcastle College
Supporting Apprentices and Employers
Supporting Apprentices and Employers
NetAcad resources are also used within apprenticeship programmes to strengthen technical delivery while providing apprentices with additional opportunities to develop industry-relevant skills.
This helps Newcastle College to create value for employers, as apprentices bring new knowledge and recognised skills into the workplace. Moreover, the college offers access to NetAcad courses to the broader workforce, allowing the businesses where apprentices are placed to foster a more digitally capable workforce through free, accessible training.
Sharing Success Across the Region
Sharing Success Across the Region
As one of the few Cisco Academy Support Centres (ASCs) in the UK, Newcastle College is also committed to helping other education providers succeed.
The college provides free support to schools, colleges, training providers, and other non-traditional education institutions, across the North East, and beyond, who are interested in getting started with NetAcad or expanding their existing use.
Whether an institution is looking to introduce its first course, explore curriculum opportunities outside of computing, or scale delivery across multiple departments, Newcastle College shares its experience and practical guidance to help others maximise the value of the platform.
Looking Beyond IT
Looking Beyond IT
Newcastle College’s approach demonstrates that Cisco Networking Academy is far more than a platform for teaching networking.
By embedding NetAcad across digital literacy, ESOL, T Levels, apprenticeships, and other areas, the college has created a scalable model that helps prepare learners for an increasingly digital world while making the most of staff time and maintaining high-quality learning experiences.
As the demand for digital skills continues to grow, particularly in the age of AI, this cross-college approach shows how education providers can equip every learner with the capabilities they need to succeed, regardless of the career path they choose.
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