Graduation Ceremony of the first class
A New Secure Cloud-Based Remote Delivery Model of Career Technical
Courses and Certifications Empowers Adults-in-Custody with Skills for
Gainful Employment to Reduce Recidivism for Better Public Safety
Every year we invite our community, partners aHopeAi and Cisco celebrate the graduation of Valley State Prison's first Cisco Networking Academy hybrid online class
SAN JOSE-- News Summary:
- Adults in custody at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, passed the Cisco Certified
Network Associate (CCNA1) Introduction to Networks with excellent grades.
- HopeAi's pilot demonstrates the effectiveness and security of the scalable remote hybrid
delivery of professional career technical courses leading to industry-recognized certifications
from top-tier high-tech companies to adults in custody using existing prison IT infrastructures in
prisons.
- HopeAi and Cisco will mark the occasion with a graduation ceremony celebrating the adults in
custody accomplishments. The graduates will have opportunities to complete the full CCNA
certification, an in-demand industry credential that will enable them to apply for entry level
networking jobs.
(Chowchilla, Calif.) – July 28, 2023 --Non-profit Hope Artificial Intelligence Inc. (HopeAi), and Cisco
Networking Academy (NetAcad) today announced the graduation of Valley State Prison's first class
receiving the Cisco course completion certificates for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Introduction to Networks course. Graduates at the Chowchilla institution are on track to earn an industry
certification in computer network administration, a highly marketable skill. These industry-recognized
certifications will help secure better paying jobs upon release. Based on the pilot’s impressive results,
HopeAi plans to scale its remote hybrid programs to other states and federal prisons and jails.
HopeAi worked with the management of the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation
(CDCR) to offer a hybrid remote model course as part of a pilot program. Students accessed the course
material using HopeAi’s secure cloud-based educational platform and the institution’s existing IT
infrastructure. This online learning was complemented by weekly virtual synchronous video sessions
led by Professor Dr. Wael Abdeljabbar, HopeAi Cofounder and NetAcad certified Instructor. All students
passed the final exam with grades ranging from B+ to A+, as good or better than those achieved from
similar university programs.
“The success of the HopeAi and Cisco Networking Academy program show that the Secure Remote
Hybrid Delivery of technical courses and certifications is a viable option to provide adults-in-custody
access to education and career opportunities on a whole new expanded scale. We have the potential to
positively impact many of the 600,000 adults in custody released yearly from the US state and federal
prisons and jails,” said HopeAi Cofounder, Chairman & CEO Dr. Amr Mohsen.
HopeAi selected the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) courses for their first remote hybrid
delivery courses because of their representative high technical complexities and better paying job
opportunities. Professional career technical certificate programs like the CCNA Certification can open
new job pathways for nontraditional learners. These programs do not require a college degree, take
less time to complete than traditional college degree programs, and offer job seekers higher wages that
equal or sometimes exceed those of college degrees. Professional career technical certificate
programs also promote self-esteem and soft skills such as critical thinking and collaborative teamwork
among students. These skills are necessary for successful reentry and provide a major reduction in
recidivism and significant social impact on the adults in custody and their communities.
“Cisco Networking Academy's partnership with HopeAi is a manifestation of our deep purpose-driven
commitment to empower all people with career possibilities through inclusive workforce development,”
said Laura Quintana, Vice President, and General Manager of the Cisco Networking Academy. “Skills
development and job opportunities must truly be available 'for all' and we are honored to be a part of
empowering these justice-impacted learners with the skills and opportunity to change their lives.”
About Cisco Networking Academy
Cisco Networking Academy is one of the longest-standing IT skills-to-jobs programs in the world. Over
the past 25 years, 17.5 million learners in 190 countries have trusted the program’s skills-to-jobs
curriculum and connections with an educational pathway to meaningful work. In the next 10 years,
Cisco Networking Academy aims to provide digital skills training to twenty-five million people, helping
position them for in-demand jobs and educational opportunities in Cisco’s efforts to help build an
inclusive workforce. Learn more at https://www.netacad.com/.
About HopeAi
Hope Artificial Intelligence Inc. (https://hopeai.org/), a nonprofit corporation, is focused on offering secure and scalable remote learning to incarcerated students in the US prison system for technical career courses
and industry-recognized professional certifications to optimize their reintegration into society, resulting
in major reduction in recidivism and significant social impact on the inmates, their families, and
communities.
