Cody Deluisio

F rom the outside, the whole information technology profession can seem mysterious. Mentioning IT summons various images ranging from artificially-lit cubicle farms to young professionals roller skating through well-decorated lounge spaces that feel more like a coffee shop than a workplace. Both are valid, and examples of both can be found. However, there really is quite a bit of difference. For example, network engineers are the people who keep the internet running. Whether it is a web page, voice communications, or email message, network engineers are responsible for keeping the data flowing. They work both with the hardware of the internet as well as the software that manages it all. Many professionals like Cody Deluisio prefers network engineering for those who want to invent something new to contribute to the IT industry. At the entry to mid-level, network engineers can be found in any environment with medium to large data networks — banks, airlines, universities, etc. They might...

When To Start — Degree Or Certifications? This is a big question in the field of networking and IT in general — should I get a degree first or a certification? This comes down to your personal preference and circumstances. I think they are both important — the IT degree is general and should provide you with a larger range of skills in the IT industry, whether it’s a computer science degree, information technology degree, or other degrees. Many professionals like Cody Deluisio prefer to get certification either a vendor-specific certification such as Microsoft or Cisco, or a neutral one such as CompTIA — is also important. Ideally, you should have both — they both work together to give you a great amount of information to become a network engineer. However, I would say that the certification is more relevant to this particular field. Experience Is King: The number one way to get and advance a career in networking and network engineering is through hands-on experience. Nothing beats th...