The industry
According to Tech Nation's 2024 report, the UK tech sector was valued at $1.1 trillion (£784billion) at the start of 2024, making it the leading tech ecosystem in Europe.
Networking Career Starter Pathway
Develop your skills and capability to start your career in IT networking.
Why choose the Networking Career Starter Pathway?
Opportunities
Adzuna Intelligence states that IT salaries exceed the national average by 66.3% and CompTIA's State of the Tech Workforce UK 2024 report shows tech sector employment incresing year on year and providing more diverse opportunities across sectors such as Financial services, manufacturing, public sector and retail.
Job insights
Here are some potential job roles you could pursue after completing this pathway:
IT Support Specialist
Installs and configures computer hardware, software, systems, networks, printers, and scanners. Also monitors and maintains computer systems and networks.
Network Administrator
Manages and maintains computer networks, ensuring they operate efficiently and securely. Responsible for the infrastructure that connects computers, including hardware like routers and switches, as well as software and user access.
Network Engineer
Designs, implements, and maintains computer networks to enable data and communication within organisations. Ensures networks are secure and reliable, and handling everything from physical infrastructure to virtual systems.
Accreditors
We make sure we provide our students with the most relevant, industry standard content, which is why this course is made up of material accredited by the following education leaders.
CompTIA
The leading global IT trade association, CompTIA, gives the industry a unified voice and real leadership in the IT community. As a non-profit organisation, CompTIA offers a unique range of training courses that validate your IT skills without restricting you to individual product suites.
AWS
Amazon Web Services is a subsidiary of Amazon providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
CISCO
Cisco offers an industry-leading portfolio of technology innovations. With networking, security, collaboration, cloud management, and more, they help to securely connect industries and communities.
CompTIA A+ course overview
Choosing the CompTIA A+ course offers various benefits for both newcomers and seasoned IT professionals. For newcomers, it provides a comprehensive understanding of IT concepts, paving the way for a successful career. For existing IT professionals, the certification validates their skills, enhancing career prospects.
With over 1 million IT professionals worldwide holding this certification, it is highly recognised and respected in the industry, making it a valuable asset to showcase your expertise and stand out in the competitive job market.
Study time: 80 guided learning hours
Modules breakdown
What you'll learn
CompTIA A+ Examination
CompTIA A+
2 x 90 minute exams (included), 90 questions per exam. Also includes practice exam and questions.
CompTIA Network+ course overview
The CompTIA Network+ certification is a highly regarded entry-level certification that opens doors to various network administration and IT roles. Gain practical skills and become proficient in working with a wide range of hardware, software, and networks.
The demand for CompTIA Network+ professionals continues to grow, offering you abundant opportunities to explore and excel in the IT world.
Study time: 80 guided learning hours
Modules breakdown
What you'll learn
CompTIA Network+ Examination
CompTIA Network+
1 x 90 minute exam, 90 questions.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) course overview
The CCNA certification course is a globally recognised credential and covers a range of networking topics. If you are seeking to expand your existing skills, this course enhances your networking expertise, career prospects, and industry recognition.
Study time: 60 guided learning hours
Modules breakdown
What you'll learn
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Examination
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
1 x 120-minute multiple-choice exam, featuring 100-120 questions.
Future proof your career with AI certification:
AWS Certified AI Practitioner, is a course designed to provide a strong foundation in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and generative AI within the AWS Cloud ecosystem and is provided as standard with our tech career pathways*.
This certification validates your ability to understand AI concepts, identify practical business use cases, and leverage AWS services to build smarter, more efficient solutions without requiring a programming background.
By earning the AIF-C01 certification, you position yourself as a forward-thinking professional who can bridge the gap between technical teams and business strategy. You’ll gain the language, tools, and frameworks needed to guide AI initiatives, communicate with stakeholders, and ensure projects deliver measurable impact.
Course modules:
- AWS Certified AI Practitioner Modules Breakdown:
- Basic AI Concepts and Terminologies
- Practical Use Cases for AI
- The ML Development Lifecycle
- ML Operations (MLOps)
- Basic Concepts of Generative AI
- Capabilities and Limitations of Generative AI
- Building Generative AI Applications with AWS
- Design Factors for Applications Using Foundation Models
- Effective Prompt Engineering Techniques
- Training, Fine-Tuning, and Evaluating Foundation Models
Study time: 10 learning hours
Exam: 1 x 90 minute exam, 65 multiple choice and multiple response questions
*content is made available once your first core pathway certification has been passed
Boost your employability with our career booster courses:
Your pathway also includes our communications skills and critical thinking course. While technical skills are important, communication and critical thinking skills are often the distinguishing factor that sets successful businesses and professionals apart. They enable individuals to effectively navigate the complexities of the business world, build strong relationships, and drive innovation and growth.
- Communication essentials: This part of the course helps you build the skills to connect, influence, and lead with confidence. You'll cover topics such as AI-powered communication tools, intentional messaging, nonverbal techniques, technical communication strategies, and the power of effective writing to help you to convey ideas with clarity and impact in any professional setting.Critical thinking: Strengthen your ability to analyse, evaluate, and lead with clarity. This course covers challenging assumptions, investigating arguments, drawing sound conclusions, leveraging analogical thinking, overcoming cognitive biases, and applying critical thinking to leadership giving you the tools to make smarter decisions and guide teams with confidence.
