Overview
Network engineer apprentices develop the skills to maintain communication networks across your business ensuring maximum performance and availability. The network engineer gets involved in designing, installing, maintaining and supporting communication networks within an organisation or between organisations.
This occupation is found in large and small businesses, in all sectors, and within public, private, and voluntary organisations. Network Engineers are a key occupation in most organisations which are increasingly dependent on their digital networks.
The demand for people who can manage, build, maintain virtual and physical networks is increasing. This is because of technological developments such as, 5G and Cloud. The broad purpose of the occupation is to install computer networks, maintain them, and offer technical support to users where necessary.
A Network Engineer provides networks and systems to deliver the objectives of varied organisations. They will make sure that systems are working at optimum capacity and problem solve where they are not. To be able to do this effectively a Network Engineer must interpret technical information and understand organisational requirements and expectations. They support delivery of legislatively compliant solutions to challenges in network and infrastructure.
Network Engineers deal with both hardware and software issues. They are a key part of putting things right quickly when networks fail, and they communicate problems that they have identified with network integrity or performance rapidly to ensure service is resumed and downtime minimised. Network Engineers help customers both technical and non-technical to install computer networks, maintain them, and offer technical support to users where necessary.
Network Engineers can be customer facing or internal. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with management within organisations, team members, staff, clients, customers, and suppliers. They may interact face to face or remotely by using a range of technologies. They may be working independently or collaboratively as part of a team.
The work of a Network Engineer is office-based, although they may need to work across different sites depending on the size of the organisation and their network. When working as a consultant a Network Engineer may spend a lot of time at clients' offices and on large installations, which may mean spending time away from home or their usual work base.
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Entry requirements
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Level
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Delivery/Study method
A minimum of 30 hours of on the job training at the work place per week including a day/ block release to study theory at our Uxbridge/Hayes/ Harrow campus.
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What will I learn?
Over the course of the apprenticeship, you will learn to:
- Install, configure, and test appropriate network components or devices securely to well-defined specifications whether physical or virtual
- Acquire and analyse network performance data to monitor network activity
- Optimise and maintain the performance of network systems or services in line with well-defined specification whether physical or virtual
- Investigate and problem solve to address technical performance issues in networks to return the network to successful operation and escalate as necessary
- Undertake upgrades to a network including physical or virtual systems
- Interpret written requirements and technical specifications in relation to delivery of network systems and services
- Maintain accurate logical records in line within organisational policy when carrying out network tasks
- Use operational data to manage weekly work schedule in an efficient and cost effective way
- Consider the impact and risks when implementing network changes in line with work activities and escalating as required by organisational policies
- Communicate technical network requirements effectively and professionally with a range of stakeholders ensuring stakeholder relationships are maintained
- Practice continuous self-learning to keep up to date with technological developments to enhance relevant skills and take responsibility for own professional development
- Incorporate considerations of the requirements of the wider digital context in which they operate to ensure that network engineering activities are carried out effectively
- Ensure all network engineering activity complies with organisational policies, technical standards, Health and Safety legislation, data security requirements, professional ethics, privacy and confidentiality
- Deliver and manage a high quality service under pressure.
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Duration and assessment
The duration of the apprenticeship will typically be 30 months.
You will be assessed continually in knowledge, skills and behaviour areas at work. Towards the end of the apprenticeship, employers and providers will ‘sign-off’ the apprentice as ready for the end-point assessment (EPA).
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
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Where next? Career/study opportunities
The skills and knowledge you will gain throughout this qualification will qualify you for roles including:
- Desk Based Engineer
- Dynamic Network Engineer
- Field Based Engineer
- Infrastructure Engineer
- Network Administrator
- Network Architect
- Network Engineer
- Systems Engineer.
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
- BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT for Register of IT Technicians (RITTech) level 4.
