Computer Network Administrators

If you are interested in computer networking, you should join computer clubs at school and community centers and surf the Internet. Ask your school administration about the possibility of working with the school system's network specialists for a day or longer. Parents' or friends' employers might also be a good place to find this type of opportunity.

Visit the Web sites of professional associations also to learn more about upcoming conferences and networking events. USENIX, the Advanced Computing Systems Association, offers students discounts on memberships and conferences. Learn more by visiting https://www.usenix.org/students.

If seeking part-time jobs, apply for those that include computer work. Though you will not find networking positions, any experience on computers will increase your general computing knowledge. In addition, once employed, you can actively seek exposure to the other computer functions in the business.

You might also try volunteering at local charities that use computer networks in their office. Because many charities have small budgets, they may offer more opportunities to gain experience with some of the simpler networking tasks. In addition, experiment by creating networks with your own computer, those of your friends, and any printers, modems, and other computer technology that you have access to.

Basically, you should play around on computers as much as possible. Read and learn from any resource you can, such as magazines, newsletters, online bulletin boards, and social media sites.

Get involved in summer exploration programs in computer science and other fields that are offered by colleges and universities, high schools, and professional associations.

Participate in competitions that are offered by professional associations, youth organizations, and other entities. For example, SkillsUSA (https://www.skillsusa.org) offers competitions for high school and college students in Internetworking, Information Technology, and other fields.