How educators and Red Hat Academy help shape the next generation of IT leaders

How educators and Red Hat Academy help shape the next generation of IT leaders Red Hat Academy: The educator's platform The educator's impact: From classroom to innovation hub What's in it for the student? Get started with Red Hat Academy Red Hat Learning Subscription | Product Trial About the author Syed S Ahmed More like this Listening, learning, and leading: How customer feedback shapes the future of Red Hat Learning Subscription Red Hat Learning Subscription: Expert chat for premium and standard users A vested interest in 5G | Technically Speaking Keep exploring Browse by channel Automation Artificial intelligence Open hybrid cloud Security Edge computing Infrastructure Applications Virtualization Share Technology is the fundamental foundation of modern business and the catalyst for career advancement. While students seek skills that inspire innovation and leadership, it's the educator who specializes in making the transformation possible. A great educator acts as a dedicated mentor, and doesn't just teach theoretical concepts but actively unlocks potential in the next generation. The path to IT leadership is rarely linear, especially when traditional academic curriculum struggles to maintain pace with rapidly evolving industry practices. A significant gap often exists between classroom knowledge and practical skills employers demand, meaning many graduates lack exposure to the enterprise-grade tools used by real companies. Employers have made their priority clear: They need practical, certified skills over purely theoretical knowledge. Red Hat Academy is a no-cost academic partnership program that Red Hat offers educational institutions (like universities and colleges) and turns them into authorized centers for delivering Red Hat's enterprise-ready curriculum for students, focusing on the latest enterprise open-source technologies, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux administration, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, automation, and application development. Educators can easily integrate these industry-ready courses as part of their official or supplemental curriculum plan so students can gain access to the same open-source technologies utilized by major corporations worldwide. The content is delivered through a dedicated, web-based platform where instructors create and manage virtual classes and enroll students to access materials, free cloud labs for hands-on activities. Students also receive digital Credly badges and industry-recognized certificates when they complete a course or certification, respectively. Bridging the skill gap between industry and academia requires strong partnerships that enable instructors to bring industry standards directly into the classroom. This is where educators can leverage Red Hat Academy to transform their teaching environment.