The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Network Support Specialist (Mid-Level)
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Independent incident resolution, basic change implementation, strong foundational troubleshooting across multiple vendors.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently resolves complex Tier 2/3 incidents without escalation.
- Successfully implements routine network changes with minimal supervision.
- Proactively identifies opportunities for process improvement.
- Demonstrates a solid understanding of network protocols and topologies.
- 2
System Administrator (with Network Focus)
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Deep understanding of server-network interactions, virtualisation networking, and a strong grasp of network services (DNS, DHCP).
You're ready to move on when
- Can diagnose and resolve network-related issues impacting server performance.
- Has configured and managed network interfaces on various operating systems.
- Understands the impact of network design on application performance.
- Has implemented basic network security controls on servers.
- 3
NOC Engineer / Network Operations Centre
3-5 yearsSkills to master
- Rapid incident identification, advanced monitoring tool usage, initial triage of complex network events, and strong escalation procedures.
You're ready to move on when
- Expertise in using network monitoring tools to identify and diagnose issues quickly.
- Experience with initial troubleshooting of major network outages.
- Strong understanding of network performance metrics and baselines.
- Proven ability to follow incident management procedures under pressure.