Network engineer : Training

Many colleges and private training organisations participate in theCisco  Networking Academy programme, which provides certification at several levels for students and network professionals.

Whatever knowledge you already have when you enter this field you can be sure that, in this rapidly changing industry with its many and frequent advances, you will need to make training a constant part of your career development. Large companies may send you on appropriate training courses and will provide training as they introduce new systems or expand their IT facilities. But you will often find you need to seek out appropriate training for yourself, especially if you are seeking promotion or a career move.

Relevant qualifications include:

• MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) and MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer);
• CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certification;
• Certified Novell Engineer (CNE) and other Novell certifications;
• Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) and/or Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) or Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA).

Courses may be expensive and you may have to pay the fees yourself, so make sure they are relevant by checking they cover the topics most frequently mentioned in job vacancies.

e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for business and information technology, has created the National Skills Academy for IT  in conjunction with employers. It aims to help subscribers who are interested in, or already working in, IT to identify suitable courses, qualifications and apprenticeships. There are courses, mentors, eBooks and more available online.