Instructors

Rebecca Harrop

Celebrating her 20th year as a Cisco Networking Academy instructor - Rebecca Harrop plays a vital role in the education of professional Network and Cyber Security personnel. As a key educator of Network and Cyber Security in the UK, her work continues to help bridge the Cyber Security skills-gap. Rebecca has acted as a Cisco Networking Academy manager and a Higher and Further Education Lecturer, working for an ‘Investors in Diversity’ - Barnet and Southgate College, Open University and now Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity at the University of Bedfordshire. Rebecca has trained and inspired thousands of students on their pathways to becoming IT Technicians, Network and Security Engineers and SOC Analysts, teaching CyberOps Associate, CCNA Security, Cybersecurity Essentials, IT Essentials, CCNA, and many more courses.

Rebecca has been rated consistently as an excellent instructor in lesson observations and course feedback. Also, she has been granted an Instructor Excellence Award in recognition of her lasting contribution to the Cisco Networking Academy program.

Read more about Rebecca in the blog here:

https://blog.teachingdigital.org/2020/10/ECSM2020-Rebecca.html

View Rebecca’s profile from the University of Bedfordshire here:

https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/computing/staff/rebecca-harrop/

Rebecca Harrop teaching hands-on IT skills.

Photo credit: Mark Phillips

Listen to Rebecca’s Podcast with Andrew Smith from The Open University here:

University of Bedfordshire - Rebecca Harrop v3.mp3

Gloria Opara

Based in Medway, Kent, Gloria is a Director of training and development for Cyber Engineers Ltd. Started in 2018, it is a Cisco Networking Academy, which provides hands-on, instructor-led training and services in cybersecurity for individuals and businesses. She is an experienced Further Education/Apprenticeship educator for Computer Science at Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) in Kent and outside of educating cyber security, she is an active elected member of her local Council.

Gloria has a passion for supporting students in the bridge between school, Further Education, and employment. Having achieved 100% external cyber security examination pass rate so far, she has made it her priority to have her students gain the essential cyber security skills to take with them into the industry. Gloria works closely with non-traditional learners, including NEET learners, at different stages in their careers to become cyber security professionals. She works long hours but always cares about making learning interactive and accessible for her students, by hosting practical sessions using packet tracers and live machines to employ a blended learning approach. She finds it unique, sometimes challenging but always rewarding.

Read more about Gloria in the blog here:

https://blog.teachingdigital.org/2020/10/BHM20.html

Photo credit: Gloria Opara

Listen to Gloria’s Podcast with Andrew Smith from The Open University here:

Gloria Opara CyberEngineers v2.mp3

Femi Adegbite

Femi is a Computer Science lecturer as well as a certified CompTIA & Cisco Networking Academy Instructor from Doncaster College. He has been a teacher for over 10 years. He teaches across education Levels 1-5. More presently he is teaching specifically Levels 2 and 3 in computing, with the awarding body of City and Guild and Pearsons BTEC. Focussing first on his personal, professional and academic development as an educator. Over the years he has developed new skills in digital technologies, such as programming, networking and security, and has a passion to be up to date with the recent technologies within the industry.

He has since become a supportive educator, that cares about students' progress and career beyond the classroom and into the working world. Discovering Cisco Networking Academy courses around 3 years ago, he has been teaching students IT Essentials, Networking Essentials, Python programming, Introduction to CyberSecurity, CyberSecurity Essentials, and much more to add value for his students. Going above and beyond, he equips his students with the skills to independently train themselves, by upskilling individuals, rather than simply aiding in gaining a qualification.

Lynne Norman

Lynne Norman knows the importance of education and opportunities. After working in Further Education for many years, she joined Watford UTC (University Technical College) where she spent the last 3 years dedicating her role as a BTEC Lead Practitioner and running a Cisco Academy. Lynne has spent approximately 11 years in teaching and inspired students of all ages. Her past involvement with Cisco Academy led her to offer the current students she teaches a digital education through virtual learning environments, providing a more accessible and independent learning experience. In the region of a thousand students have been educated through Lynne's classrooms and they have been taught various courses from the Cisco NetAcad platform such as Get Connected, Introduction to Cyber Security, Introduction to Packet tracer and many more. With a high percentage of her classrooms from Years 10 up to 13 passing their courses, Lynne’s passion and dedication to her students’ successes are evident.

Toby Bell

Toby Bell is a lecturer in network computing at Northumberland College. He teaches CCNA and Cyber Security Essentials content from Cisco NetAcad to Levels 1-3 students. When he is not doing his day-to-day job, he is also spending most of his time as a Competition Organising Partner for WorldSkills UK. Toby organises four IT competitions, with each competition having a national qualifier competition, which happen in Further Education Colleges and various locations around the UK. For example, one competition he organises is called Network Infrastructure Technician, it is based on skills and knowledge that students Levels 1-4 have learned and developed through the Cisco NetAcad CCNA programme.

Andy Jones

Andy is the Head of Computing at Sacred Heart School in London. During the first lockdown of 2020, Andy was searching for remote learning platforms, specifically ones that could allow him to monitor and engage with the students but more importantly, high quality course materials with content that is structured well and impactful to their education. He discovered Cisco NetAcad through a teacher’s web forum group, from a member of the group that was already using NetAcad and was teaching one of the many courses available on the platform.

Listen to Andy's Podcast with Andrew Smith from The Open University here:

Sacred Heart Andy Jones v4.mp3

David Anderson

Dave from the Computer Science curriculum teaching team at Cedars Upper School in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Like many schools, Cedars is focussed on ensuring that their students gain the right academic education and qualifications to meet both national expectations and employer/university desires.

Watch Dave's interview with Andrew Smith from The Open University here: