Network Technician

If you are someone who has a way with network handling techniques and is well equipped with the knowledge of a programming language, you are good to go for making a career as a Network Technician. If you are wondering where to start, no worries! We are here to light the path for you to become a profound Network Technician. This guide includes a description of the job role, Network technician Salary, Network Technician skills, how to become a network technician, and everything else you need to know while looking forward to pursuing a career as a Network Technician. So, let’s take a step ahead and see what this guide has in store for you. 

1. Who is a Network Technician?
2. Network Technician Job Description
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Network Technician Salary Trends in India/US
   • Based on Company
   • Based on Experience
   • Based on Skills
5. Skills Required to be a Network Technician
6. A Day in the Life of a Network Technician
7. How to Become a Network Technician?
8. What are the Advantages of a Network Technician Course?
9. FAQs

Who is a Network Technician?

A Computer Network Technician, commonly known as a Network Technician, is an IT professional who deals with setting up and managing the computer networks in an organization. A Network Technician has the responsibility of establishing, maintaining, and upgrading different types of networks and resources. The duty of educating the management and staff about the network-related needs of an organization. 

Network Technician Job Description

The job of a Network Technician is to design a reliable, sustainable, and well-functioning network which ensures smooth business operations of an organization. An ideal candidate for the role of a Network Technician is one who has a knack for digging deep into the latest network technologies and their implementation. A Network Technician takes care of the network requirements to support seamless inter-and intra- organizational communication. Someone who can tune in to the guidance of a network administrator well will fit well in this job role. At the very least, a Network Technician is expected to be able to build new computers and servers, establish connections over a network, maintain and troubleshoot networks, and install switches and routers. Knowledge of loading OS, DNS, and router configuration would aid this job role. There are jobs available for the Network Technicians in private as well as public sectors. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Quite essential network-related responsibilities lie with the role of a Network Technician. So, indeed, a Network Technician plays an important role in an organization. The responsibilities falling under the position of a Network Technician are as follows. 

• Designing and Installation of Networks: A Network Technician has to design and install various computer networks. Making sure that the connections and cables over a network are all functioning properly is a part of his/her job role. 
• Troubleshooting Software and Hardware Issues: Identifying the bottlenecks, troubleshooting network failures, making repairs, and ensuring timely updates in order to maintain the long-term efficiency of the network are all done by a Network Technician. Minor and major bugs affecting the LAN are fixed, peripheral devices are repaired, and softwares are tested and configured by a Network Technician. 
• Providing Technical Support: Network Technicians provide technical assistance and support to the clients and end-users through various communication channels whenever they face any type of computer network issue. They provide assistance and guidance on various network aspects.
• Catering to Network Security Needs: Right from installing antivirus software to selecting the best network equipment, a Network Technician does all to protect the organization’s network from cyber-attacks. They look over LAN, MAN, WAN infrastructure and their respective needs. 
• Educating the Staff: Making the co-workers and seniors in the organization aware of the network requirements, usage and different facets of the network through presentations, and other resources is the responsibility of the Network Technicians. 

Network Technician Salary Trends in India/US

Recollecting the importance of the job role of a Network Technician, the Network Technicians are hired on a good enough pay scale, be it in India or US. In India, the average salary of a Network Technician is around 3 – 4 Lakhs per annum. In the US, a Network Technician can earn an average of $44,562 per year in a regular job. On the other hand, a freelance Network Technician can make up to $20.07 per hour on average. Besides the country factor, there are three other factors that determine the pay scale of a Network Technician. The Network Technician salary trends on the basis of company, experience, and salary are as follows.

• Based on Company

The salary of a Network Technician may differ from company to company. There is no second opinion when we say the larger the company, the larger the pay will be. Take a look at the table below to know about the Network Technician salary trends set by some of the leading companies. 

• Based on Experience

Number of years of experience is another key factor that can highly affect your pay as a Network Technician. Experience definitely garners better pay than a novice in the field. The following table shows how the experience difference affects the Network technician salary range. 

• Based on Skills

In the end, what matters the most is the mastery of relevant skills. However, the average Network Technician salary can vary depending upon the skills you have. For instance, the most sought-after skill is Cisco Network Administration, and it can increase your salary by 9% above the national average in the US. Let’s see how various skills can affect the Network technician salary.

Skills Required

Now you have already seen how various Network Technician skills can affect one’s salary package in the above section. Let us see what are the basic skills required to become a Network Technician. The list of skills goes like this:

• Network setup and connection
• OS Configuration and Installation
• Enhancing OS via Scripts
• Network Support
• Troubleshooting
• Switching and Routing
• Cisco Networking
• Network Administration
• Communications
• Training and Technical Support 

For bagging the best Computer Network Technician jobs out there, you would need to have a good grasp on the following Network Technician skills as well:

• Fiber 
• Cabling
• Telecommunications
• VPN

If you are four-square on becoming a Network Technician, this link is all about helping you with your dream of becoming a skilled Network Technician. 

A Day in the Life of a Network Technician

Now that you are much aware of the know-what and know-how of the Network Technician job role let us take a peek inside the day-to-day life of a professional Network Technician. 

The work schedule of a Network technician typically involves working on networks, mainframes, computer equipment, softwares, and hardware. A Network Technician is a multi-talented individual who could be found deploying a new workstation, fixing a wireless access point, sorting out some kind of hardware issue, or meeting a service provider that supports some equipment like a Xerox machine. The day at work for a Network technician starts with checking the monitoring and reporting services used for any occurrences of outages overnight. The rest of the entire day goes according to the works on the priority list. It would start with taking over the leftover works from the previous day, followed by the fresh tasks of the day. He might need to go to the site, call the customers to get them available without interrupting their mainstream works. Sometimes, a Network technician might get busy with preparing PPTs and other learning stuff to educate the Senior Managers or co-workers on the different facets of the network. If we talk about the working hours, it would probably be from 8 till 6. If one succeeds in managing the time and looking after the systems correctly, then there might not be many overtimes to suffer. But, you might have to work in a pressurized environment to find the solutions or implement the fixes. Sometimes, you could possibly be found working on off-days or overtime and respond to network issues. This is something that clearly challenges your flexibility and working patterns and makes you feel valued at the same time. 

Since technology is evolving, even if not at a very fast pace, a Network technician must know how to cope up with that evolution. For that matter, a Network Technician has to spend some time learning and training for the new developments and advancements as they come to maintain the consistency of product evolution. A Network technician basically acts as a doctor for the computers and networks. Segregation comes from the diversity in the size of the company you are working for. If it is a small-scale company, you might have to perform a wide variety of jobs as a Network Technician. But it is different in the case of big IT companies where a Network Technician might have to be focussed on a single type of solution.  

How to Become a Network Technician?

The path leading to becoming a successful Network Technician is neither very easy nor very difficult. Taking the following steps would help you gain what it takes to become a Network technician.

1. Pursue Education in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

You would need to have at least an associate degree in Computer Science or Engineering or any other equivalent discipline. Certification in A+, MCSE, or CCNA can be counted as added benefits for all aspiring Computer Network Technicians. Programming knowledge up to some level can be helpful in maintaining, diagnosing, and operating network systems. The responsibilities headed by the Network Technicians call for excellent analytical, organizational, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills as they play a vital role in an organization. Since the job of a Network technician is growth-oriented, it is definitely a good career to be in. 

2. Accumulate Certifications

So, you can start your journey by getting a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Further, you can opt for some good courses with structured training. It is important to get hands-on experience in Network Management, Hardware Repairing, Installations, and more. Another essential part is to keep up with the ongoing educational component as you must keep learning as the technologies evolve.

3. Seek Job Opportunities for Experience

Now, at this point, you can start seeking out part-time or freelance jobs in this field to increase your experience level with the passing years. At the end of the day, experience proves to be the best teacher. The more industrial experience you have, the better. You can look out for internships to gain some quality industrial experience.

4. Update Your Resume and Apply for Jobs

As you already know, your resume speaks for you. So, it is better to invest enough time to update your resume. Do not overdo it by adding irrelevant skills. Separate each section in your resume and highlight the key points. Update all the work experience you have along with the responsibilities you were shouldered under each job position. Make sure your resume justifies the position of Network Technician. Once you are done updating your resume, go on and apply for jobs. You will surely do well!

5. Continue Learning

Additionally, you can consider taking introductory courses on Project Management or Finance alongside your job. Such courses will help you implement the best computer and network techniques for a project without running out of budget, and you will be able to find the best solution within the means of the company. 

What are the Advantages of a Network Technician Course?

Most of the time, it is better to take a proper Network technician course if you are interested in this direction. The reason is, along with building strong foundations in this field, you get to explore a whole lot of skills you would require while working as a Network Technician. Another advantage of taking such technical courses is that you might get a proper amount of practice and training, which would be, of course, more beneficial than having theoretical knowledge alone. Since Network Technician is a popular career path these days, there are many good institutes out there that offer Network Technician courses with training sessions. With the growing impact of the internet, education is taking a subtle shift from conventional to online modes. So, you can find a number of online Network Technician courses that provide certificates on the completion of final course projects or modules. There is no doubt taking up a good Network Technician course would reflect your worth on your CVs. A Network Technician course can help you acquire a high-paying Network Engineer, Network Administrator, or other similar network and server jobs, let alone be the job of a Network Technician.

FAQs

How is the work environment of a Network Technician?

The office environment for a Network Technician is characterized by the following conditions:

• Surrounded by and working on office equipment like computers, printers, Xerox machines, etc.
• Long hours of sitting time at desk
• Might often require working on the weekends or pulling all-nighters. 

What is the job scope for a Network Technician?

The job scope for a Network Technician is appreciably vast. A Network Technician can be hired by the top IT firms, public or private financial firms, hospitals, educational institutes, etc. There are also high chances of getting in-house work within individual businesses. 

What are the alternative career paths to a Network Technician?

The alternative career options for a Network Technician are Network Engineer, Network Administrator, and System Engineers. Out of these, Network Engineer is the most common and sought-after role. 

What education do you need for becoming a Network Technician?

Completing a college education and getting at least a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Network Administration, Web Technologies, and other similar streams is a must. After that, obtain a Network+ or CCNA certification. 

Is coding knowledge necessary for a Network Technician?

Coding is not necessarily a deciding factor to becoming a Network technician, but knowing how to code can indeed be quite beneficial. You may get better job opportunities and be able to find solutions efficiently as a Network Technician. Hence, a little coding knowledge would do.

How much does a Network Technician make?

In India, a Network Technician can make up to INR 3-4 Lakhs per annum on an average. In the US, the average Network Technician salary is computed to be $44,563 per year.  

Conclusion

As per the statistics, the demand for Network Technicians in the market would keep on increasing during the 2016-2026 period. The enterprises are growing to invest more in technology and mobile networks, leading to the surge in demand for Network Technicians. So, if you have a keen interest in the field of Network Technician and are ready to learn the required Network Technician skills with full dedication, you don’t need to get any second thoughts. There are regular office jobs as well as freelance jobs available out there! You can go for whichever you want as per your suitability. A Network Technician is relied on for all the network-related and computer technician jobs, including troubleshooting and customer support. 

You can check out the tutorial videos from time to time to keep yourself updated with the latest technologies. You may want to go through the site of Great Learning and find a vast ocean of courses to help you establish your career in the desired field.