Oct. 22, 2023, Post by Curtis
There are 2 ways to become a Network Administrator:
The first method I would strongly not recommend because:
I'm not saying that there is no scenario where going to college to pursue a career in Networking doesn't make sense. There are some reasons why going to college is a good idea.
If you do go to college you will still probably not go straight to work as a Network Admin. You will still need to spend some time at an entry-level IT job getting experience and getting something you can put on your resume.
You should then be able to move rather quickly into a Network job provided that you do a good job and your degree is relevant to the networking field.
2-year degrees in these fields are also good.
This can be done and done rather quickly if you work hard, study, and take an efficient path. You don't need to start at Help Desk, you can start at any entry-level IT job but Help Desk jobs are easy to get and also teach you a lot.
The path is simple, but not easy.
Don't spend too much time finding your first IT job as you shouldn't have much trouble getting a Help Desk position if you can't find anything else. Read my article about How To Get A Help Desk Job With No Experience.
Getting an entry-level IT job will
You shouldn't need more than 2 Certifications though you may be able to get it done with just one. Certs are not for education, they are for your resume to get you an interview. Don't spend too much time getting any more certifications than you need.
The real education comes from doing labs.
You should get 1 networking certification and 1 other certification. I would go with a security cert as security and networks go hand in hand but a Linux certification would be good as well.
Here are some certifications to consider in order of how valuable they are in the Network field.
Build labs to get the hands-on experience that will help you learn how networks actually work.
You can set up a virtual lab or a physical lab.
Virtual labs are less expensive and have more flexibility as to what you can add as you won't have to buy something every time you want to expand your lab.
If you're going to set up a virtual lab you can use either EVE-NG or GNS3. I prefer EVE-NG as it has a wider range of devices you can add to your lab and it performs better in larger network simulations.
You should build an entire network with routers, switches, firewalls, DMZs, and servers. The servers should have Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, and RADIUS. This is a good starting point and you can just add complexity from there.
It should take about 2 to 4 years depending on how hard you work and how much you study. Luck will most likely be a factor also. Chances are that there will be things that have an effect on your quest that are outside of your control and they could be for the good or for bad.
2 to 4 years is comparable to how long it will take you to get a college degree, but instead of paying for a degree, you will have gotten paid to gain knowledge and experience. And just because you have a degree does not mean that you are sure to get the job that you want straight out of college.
Getting your first Network Administrator job is a big challenge. Going from little to no network experience to being employed as a Network Admin is a big step, but it can be done. Fill that gap with a bunch of smaller steps like getting educated and more importantly getting hands-on experience by doing labs and taking on network-related tasks at your entry-level IT job.
Although you may struggle to get your first Network job, don't give up because you can do it. After working as a Network Admin for a few years you will be in a good position to move into other IT fields. Networking is fundamental to all fields in IT. If you want to work in Cyber Security, Systems Administration, or Cloud, having network experience will be a great benefit.
Becoming a Network Administrator requires a combination of technical skills, practical experience, and professional certifications. Following these steps, you can build a rewarding career as a Network Administrator and take part in this rapidly growing field.