Cisco Networking Academy and AI Industry Talk

West London College has become a Cisco Networking Academy, strengthening its digital curriculum and giving students access to industry-informed learning linked to networking, cyber security, AI, programming and wider digital careers.

The academy status was formally marked through a student industry event on Thursday 30 April 2026, led by Pete Rai, Principal Engineer at Cisco. Pete spoke to students about artificial intelligence, how AI systems work, the opportunities and limitations of the technology, and the skills young people will need as they progress into university, apprenticeships and digital careers.

The event was attended by 25 students from across West London College’s digital provision, including T Level Digital, IT Level 2 and Level 3 and Access to HE students. They expressed how fascinating it was to learn more about how AI works, and that the session helped them prepare for progression to university by giving them a clearer understanding of current technology and future career expectations.

Becoming a Cisco Networking Academy is significant because it gives students access to Cisco’s global learning platform, practical learning resources, hands-on labs, digital badges and certification-aligned pathways. This will support students in building the technical knowledge, confidence and professional skills needed for careers in IT support, networking, cyber security, software development, cloud technologies and AI-related roles.

Eddy Chancusi, Cisco Instructor at West London College, said: “Becoming a Cisco Networking Academy strengthens our digital offer by giving students direct access to industry-informed learning, practical skills and clearer progression routes into technology careers.”

The relationship with Cisco has already created valuable opportunities for students, and we have been working with CISCO on industry placements since 2024. So far, eight T Level students from West London College have undertaken prestigious industry placements at Cisco, gaining first-hand experience in a global technology environment. During their placements, students have been based at Cisco’s Bedfont Lakes site, where they have explored areas such as networking, cyber security, technical support, collaboration technologies and digital infrastructure. They have had opportunities to observe professional teams, understand how large-scale IT systems are supported, develop their workplace communication skills, and see how emerging technologies such as AI are being applied in real business contexts.

The key themes from Pete Rai’s talk included:

• how artificial intelligence works
• what AI can and cannot currently do
• why data is central to AI systems
• the importance of responsible and ethical AI
• how AI may affect future careers
• why students still need strong technical, problem-solving and communication skills
• how digital learners can prepare for university, apprenticeships and employment

This partnership supports the college’s wider aim of connecting classroom learning with real industry practice. It also strengthens employer links by creating further opportunities for guest talks, workshops, certification preparation, employer-set projects and student placements.

Looking ahead, the Cisco Networking Academy will support future activity across our IT and Computing programmes, including the T Level – Digital, IT Level 2 and Level 3, Access to Higher Education in Computing and our adult digital skills provision. The college plans to build on this with further industry talks, practical workshops and collaboration with Cisco to help more students develop the skills, confidence and professional awareness needed to progress into the technology sector.’