Skip to main content

Tell us whether you accept cookies

We use cookies to collect information about how you use this service. We use this information to make the service work as well as possible and improve this service.

Set cookie preferences

You've accepted all cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Find apprenticeship training for your apprentice

We're improving Find apprenticeship training. What did you think of this service? (opens in a new tab)

  1. Search
  2. Course search results
Apprenticeship training course

Network engineer (level 4)

There are 50 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

Apprentice's work location

View providers for this course

Information about Network engineer (level 4)

The broad purpose of the occupation is to install networks, maintain them, and to offer technical support to users, where necessary.

Knowledge, skills and behaviours
View knowledge, skills and behaviours

Knowledge

  • Causes and consequences of network and IT infrastructure failures.
  • The architecture, physical and virtual, of typical IT systems, including hardware, operating systems , server, virtualisation, voice and applications.
  • The tools and techniques for optimising network performance.
  • Diagnostic techniques and tools to interrogate and gather information regarding systems performance.
  • Organisational policies and procedures to ensure accurate recording and management of information.
  • Service level agreements, SLAs, contractual obligations and customer service when delivering network engineering activities.
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery and their role within in, including preservation of system configurations.
  • The purposes and uses of sockets pair and protocols.
  • Devices, applications, protocols and services at their respective open systems interconnection or, transmission control protocol or internet protocol models or layers.
  • The concepts and characteristics of routing and switching.
  • The characteristics of network topologies, types, technologies and network modelling and or diagrams
  • Wireless networks technologies and configurations.
  • Concepts of cloud and cloud services.
  • Functions of network services such as domain name system and dynamic host configuration protocol.
  • Types of network maintenance.
  • Legislation and standards in the workplace and the impact on their role including sustainability, e.g. energy-efficient networking, hardware longevity, and e-waste reduction.
  • Troubleshooting methodologies and root cause analysis techniques for network issues.
  • Approaches to integrate services into a network.
  • Types of security threats to digital networks and risk mitigation.
  • Approaches to network automation such as use of artificial intelligence.
  • Approaches to change management, Secure Access Service Edge SASE and Zero-trust networking when operating in a network environment.

Skills

  • Apply tools and techniques when securely operating and testing networks.
  • Install and configure network components.
  • Implement tools and techniques to monitor, identify, analyse and record systems performance in line with defined specifications.
  • Maintain security of the network against potential threats.
  • Apply tools and or techniques to gather information to troubleshoot issues and or isolate, repair or escalate faults.
  • Communicate outcomes of tasks and record actions in line with organisational procedures.
  • Upgrade, apply and test components to systems configurations ensuring that the system meets the organisation’s requirements and minimises downtime.
  • Interpret information and or specifications received from a manager, customer or technical specialist and accurately implement the defined requirements.
  • Implement techniques to optimise systems or component performance in line with defined specifications.
  • Apply the required level of responsibility when organising and prioritising work tasks, clients’ or stakeholders’ requests in line with SLAs and organisation processes.
  • Explain their job role within the business context to stakeholders to enable a clear understanding on both sides of what their remit is and convey technical constraints.
  • Operate securely, and apply process, policies and legislation within their business responsibilities.
  • Configure and maintain network addressing in line with customer requirements.
  • Ensure compliance of network engineering outputs with change management processes including Secure Access Service Edge SASE or Zero-trust networking .

Behaviours

  • Work independently and demonstrate initiative, being resourceful when faced with a problem and taking responsibility for solving complex problems within their own level of responsibility.
  • Work within the goals, vision and values of the organisation.
  • Work to meet or exceed customers’ requirements and expectations.
  • Commit to continued professional development, in order to ensure growth in professional skill and knowledge.
  • Work under pressure showing resilience.
  • Work collaboratively with external stakeholders and others across the organisation.
Apprenticeship category (sector)
Digital
Qualification level
4
Equal to higher national certificate (HNC)
Course duration
24 months
Funding
£19,000
Maximum government funding for
apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
Job titles include
  • Dynamic network engineer
  • Field engineer
  • Field service engineer
  • Infrastructure engineer
  • Installation engineer
  • Network administrator
  • Network and cloud engineer
  • Network architect
  • Network engineer
  • Systems engineer

View more information about Network engineer (level 4) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.