I currently have the CompTIA A+ and have not landed my first IT position yet, although I may have an opportunity to start in a data center. My long-term goal is to become a network administrator in a large environment such as a school district or major company. I want broad hands-on skills with hardware, cabling, operating systems, domains, user accounts, permissions, and troubleshooting, along with networking and security.
I am building a home lab to practice creating a network from the ground up. I would like to work with directory services, email and spam filtering, account management, network segmentation, secure DNS, proxies, VPNs, centralized authentication such as TACACS+, certificate-based 802.1X and WPA, mobile-device management, and redundancy. I am also interested in security, privacy, and hardening systems properly.
Which certification should I pursue next—CCNA, Security+, or Network+—and what career path would best prepare me for network administration?
4 Answers
I would prioritize CCNA, then add Security+. A+ is useful for getting started in desktop support or help desk, but it usually is not enough by itself for a network technician or administrator role. In larger organizations, CCNA-level networking knowledge can help you get interviews, while Security+ strengthens your security background and resume.
Build experience alongside the certifications. Use your lab to practice VLANs, routing, DHCP, DNS, firewall rules, VPNs, directory services, permissions, monitoring, backups, and troubleshooting. Document each project so you can explain what you configured and why. Once your networking foundation is solid, consider a cloud platform such as Azure or AWS, since many organizations use cloud services alongside traditional networks.
Microsoft administration and Intune are also worth learning if you want to manage users and devices at scale. Being able to administer thousands of endpoints is valuable in addition to configuring individual machines.
The CCNA is probably the best next step for your stated goal. It goes deeper than Network+ and gives you practical networking knowledge that transfers to equipment from many vendors. After that, Security+ would round out your fundamentals and can be especially useful for government-related positions or contracts.
Security+ is often listed as a requirement for government roles, so it is still worth adding even if networking is your main focus.
The job market can be competitive, so do not overlook practical entry points such as help desk, desktop support, data-center technician, or junior systems support. Those roles can expose you to cabling, hardware, operating systems, ticketing, and real production environments while you work toward the CCNA and build your lab.
For a school or enterprise environment, look for entry-level network technician, systems support, or infrastructure support roles rather than waiting for a network administrator title immediately.