The push to make network engineering cool again

Make networking more accessible

Scott Robohn, founder and CTO of TechSalesCraft, originally studied industrial and manufacturing engineering as an undergrad at Rochester Institute of Technology in the '80s. At the time, the school had few networking programs, but he eventually found his way into computer modeling at Penn State University, where he said the networking bug bit him.

He started with networking protocols, like Asynchronous Transfer Mode, and then telephony. When the internet took off, he installed Netscape browsers, intrigued by the access to information and communication now available. Since then, he co-founded Network Automation Forum and started hosting the Total Network Operations podcast, with the intention of making networking more accessible and mentoring new and enterprising network engineers, he said.

If you know network engineering, you know the secrets of the universe.

Many network pros who built some of the first networks are still in the industry. They were part of the early internet buzz when people marveled at the ability to access the internet via dial-up modems and intercontinental fiber optic cables transformed global communications.

"For people who are older, going into network engineering, building the internet and getting into tech in the early 2000s was super cool and exciting," Bertholf said. "You were literally building the future of the internet."

The novelty of the internet has since diminished, however, and younger generations tend to take the marvels of network engineering for granted. Kids and teenagers have grown up with cellphones, Wi-Fi and streaming, but they don't necessarily realize that those all work because of networking, she said. As a result, Bertholf and Robohn both acknowledged the need for knowledge transfer from seasoned network pros to the next generation of network engineers.

So, how can the industry bridge the gap between those who helped build the internet and those in the digital-native generation? According to Robohn, the "networking industry isn't doing well, full stop." One challenge is the effect of fully remote work, as in-person collaboration and spontaneous conversations decrease.

"People on a network operations team used to go out to lunch, get a beer, ask each other questions," Robohn said. "Now, I can Slack someone. But am I going to?"

Another problem, he added, is that many networking veterans maintain a cowboy or curmudgeon mentality, believing that, because they learned networking on their own, the next generation should do the same.

That mentality and a general lack of outreach to broader communities can exclude certain ages and demographics from joining the field, Cooper said.

"The demographic right now in network engineering is incredibly male and incredibly old," Cooper said. Changing that takes more than women's panels at conferences, she added. It's also about exposing network engineering opportunities to girls, women and underrepresented communities and sponsoring their growth.

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Increased accessibility is also a significant concern for Emmanuel Mordi, a network engineer based in Nigeria. He said his sister, who is a systems administrator, inspired his career path into networking. After researching his options, Mordi went to university for computer engineering to explore his interest in networking. He was then inspired to get others in his community into networking.

"I was inspired by the fact that, while I was in school, I went for a six-month internship on a graduate program, and in the process, I went through the certification process to [Cisco Certified Network Associate]," Mordi said. "Getting back to school, I had to pass on that knowledge."

He started teaching people in different departments the basics of networking, providing hands-on experience with routers, switches and packet tracers. But gaining access to facilities and computers that enable the hands-on labs necessary for network engineering is often difficult, he said.

"For us here in Africa, in Nigeria particularly, the challenge is so many people don't have personal computers," Mordi said. "You really need personal computers to simulate and learn the aspects of network engineering."

In other tech fields, it's possible to find introductory training online via a smartphone or tablet and get a certificate after completing the course, he said. But networking lacks many of those basic, high-level online courses that pique people's interest without sending them into deep, technical information or requiring expensive certification tracks. Additionally, in Nigeria, he said he's noticed a lack of support for network engineering boot camps, in stark contrast to the funding cybersecurity boot camps receive.

In such cases, the impetus to build awareness about networking frequently falls on individual network pros, who take it on themselves to teach people about network engineering.

Language can be another barrier, according to Pedro Cáceres, a Cisco Networking Academy instructor for 15 years and video creator. Based in Panama, Cáceres said it can be difficult for people in Latin America to find networking content in their native language.

"My subscribers sometimes tell me that it's difficult to get good networking content and demonstrations in Spanish, as most of them are available in English," Cáceres said. About seven months ago, he decided to start a YouTube channel to provide networking demos and help viewers prepare for Cisco certifications -- all in Spanish. He said he hopes that, by sharing his experiences, creating tutorials and making recommendations about networking skills, he can help make networking cool again.

What needs to change?

Mentorship programs, internships, apprenticeships and boot camps can help pave the way for the next generation of network engineers. These initiatives introduce people to the industry and enable knowledge transfer between seasoned pros and networking newcomers, Bertholf said.

But the industry has room for improvement in outreach. Robohn suggested organizations stop fixating solely on new college hires and look for people without college degrees, those making career changes or those transitioning from military to civilian life, among others.

"Look at people who have tremendous college debt," Robohn said. "You can get into network operations without a college degree." Certification is a viable path to validate achievement, but he emphasized the importance of pursuing knowledge, not a certification.

Companies should also adapt how they look for employees, instead of making unreasonable job requisitions that look for the "perfect unicorn" who knows everything, Cooper said. Most people are scared off by those requirements and don't apply for the job, she added.

Mordi agreed, suggesting that companies should support true entry-level positions and encourage training on the job. Generous companies could even sponsor certification tracks for employees, he said, noting that network engineers often feel forced to follow a specific track.

"Everybody knows you have to go through CCNA, [Cisco Certified Network Professional and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert] and get the experience," Mordi said. "It's a more rigid path for people who want to get into network engineering."

Vendors, providers and IT organizations also shoulder responsibility to support and reach out to aspiring network engineers, Bertholf said, as they have a vested interest in addressing the skills gap and talent shortage in networking. Many offer workshops, take on interns, run mentorship programs and donate to networking causes.

But Cooper said it still seems like networking vendors and big companies are sitting in their ivory towers, focused more on filling their quotas than reaching out to underrepresented groups.

"Sponsor. Do more to reach out to disadvantaged communities that may not have the fancy equipment, and try to show younger kids of all kinds about network engineering," Cooper said.

What network pros love about network engineering

So, is network engineering dying, fading into oblivion as other tech industries grow? While it's a hyperbolic question, it's one people are asking, as seen in Google search results, articles and Reddit discussions.

Those who understand the art of network engineering know that most of the world runs on networks, whether it's Netflix, ChatGPT or a restaurant chain. Without those networks, life as humans know it now would be dramatically different.

But the prevalence of networks means network engineers don't have to limit themselves to working in large tech companies or vendors, Bertholf said. Instead, they can pursue opportunities in areas they're passionate about, such as sports, art, music or poultry products.

"Our field is privileged because you have networking everywhere," Bertholf said. "You can go into any industry, like oil, gas, aerospace or Butterball. All of these companies need networks."

Whether people know they want to pursue network engineering from high school or realize they want to transition to it later in their careers, most discover their love of network engineering due to its inherent logic and problem-solving, as evidenced by Cooper, Mordi and Robohn.

Robohn noted his fascination in "the simple, nerdish steps" involved in network engineering processes and flows. Mordi said he cherishes how network engineering enables him to "never be stuck and be a lifesaver to others." And, sometimes, Cooper said, network engineering makes sense even when the rest of the world doesn't.

"If you know network engineering, you know the secrets of the universe," Cooper said.

That sounds pretty cool.

Jennifer English is executive editor for TechTarget's Networking and Cloud sites. She joined TechTarget as a writer and editor after graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 2016.