Network Operations Center Engineers

High School

To prepare for a career as a NOC engineer, take as many computer science classes as possible—especially in networking, programming, security, and artificial intelligence. English and speech courses will be useful because you’ll need to be able to communicate effectively with coworkers and managers, give presentations, and write reports about your work. Other useful courses include mathematics, statistics, shop, and social studies.

Postsecondary Education

A small percentage of employers hire NOC engineers who only have an associate’s degree in engineering technology (although they typically require them to have at least five years of on-the-job experience in network administration). The majority of employers require applicants to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in network administration, management information systems, network security, electronics engineering, or a related field. It makes sense to earn a bachelor’s degree because competition for NOC engineering jobs is increasing, and those with stronger academic credentials will have better job prospects than those with only an associate’s degree. In addition to their in-class work, students usually participate in at least one internship or co-op at a network operations center to obtain experience.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer certificate programs in computer networking, cybersecurity in computer networks, and related fields. These programs typically last from six months to one year. In-person, online, and hybrid options are available. For example, Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana, offers a cyber security and network operations certificate to students who complete the following classes:

• Introduction to Network Operations and Security
• Information and Data Security
• Basic Cyber Crime and Computer Forensics
• Operating Systems
• Fundamentals in Network Operations and Security
• Advanced Research in Cyber Crime and Forensics
• English Composition
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Applied Psychology

Other Education or Training

A variety of webinars, conference seminars, and other continuing education opportunities are offered by professional associations (such as CompTIA, IEEE Computer Society, and the Association for Computing Machinery), colleges and universities, and for-profit online education providers. For example, the online education provider Udemy offers short courses such as Data Center Fundamentals: The Complete Introduction, Cybersecurity of Networks from Scratch to Advanced, and Introduction to Computer Networks for Non-Techies. The Network Professional Association offers webinars such as Professional Development: Using AI to Boost IT/Networking Infrastructure; Professional Development: Exploring 5G and Edge Computing; and Growth: Emerging Careers in IT/Networking. Contact these organizations for more information.