Network Technology

Learn Network Technology to transform your career!​

Calbright’s Network Technology (Network+) program will help you learn specific networking skills, how to support networks on any platform, and design and implement functional networks to develop your IT career. Our program prepares you to earn the industry-recognized CompTIA Network+ Certification, and Calbright will cover your exam fee.

What is CompTIA Network+? 

CompTIA Network+ certification is an IT certification exam that verifies you have the essential knowledge and skills in networking to develop a career in IT infrastructure.

What can Calbright’s Network Technology program do for you?

  • Learn specific networking skills to support networks on any platform
  • Learn the necessary technical skills to pursue a career as a network technician or other technical IT roles.
  • Become familiar with enterprise network components and communications systems.

Network Technology Program Prerequisite: 

Entry into this program requires one of the following:

  • Completion of Calbright’s Information Technology (IT) Support program
  • CompTIA A+ (or higher-level certification)
  • One year of related job experience in any of the following areas, verified and approved by the faculty review panel:
    • Helpdesk
    • Desktop Technician
    • IT/Software Engineering
    • DevOps
    • Site Reliability Engineer
    • Networking
    • Telecom Networks
    • Outside Field Technician

Other qualifications may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For those who don’t meet these prerequisites, we recommend our Information Technology (IT) Support program.

Start Your Journey in a Growing Job Market​

Get started with Calbright’s Network Technology Program

Key Outcomes

100% Free​
No tuition, no fees, no financial aid forms – we’re free to Californians!​
Online
Designed for virtual learning from the start. Access courses anywhere.​
Flexibly Paced
Take classes on your schedule. We fit into your life.​
Certificate in 1 Year
Study a few hours each week, earn your Calbright certificate in under a year.​

Overview

Jumpstart Your Network Technology Career

In-demand skills for a growing field

Calbright’s Network Technology program will help you learn network infrastructure, troubleshooting, configuring, and managing common network devices. You’ll participate in hands-on, lab-based learning activities to become familiar with enterprise network components and communications systems. By gaining these foundational technical skills, you’ll be able to pursue career paths like network technician or information security analyst.

According to Lightcast, the demand for network technologists is rising at a rate of 19.3% in California, resulting in over 3,500 job openings, most with a median starting salary of $66,800.

Like all Calbright programs, Network Technology courses are flexibly paced to fit into your busy schedule. The program is designed to reflect labor market insights and the needs of fast-growing sectors, and includes wraparound support for students. Our faculty and our success team, which includes tutors and career services, are with you every step of the way.

This program is currently free to California residents.

Skills you'll gain
Enterprise Network Fundamentals

A broad understanding of enterprise network components and communications systems through hands-on, lab-based learning activities

Network Infrastructure Management

How to manage network infrastructure, including troubleshooting, configuring, and managing common network devices

Building and Managing Network Systems

How to build out network infrastructure and troubleshoot, configure, and manage common network devices.

Courses in this Program

4-6 weeks

Introduction to Networks​

This course introduces the networking architectures, models, protocols, and hardware elements that connect users, devices, applications and data through the Internet and across modern computer networks. Students will learn to build out network infrastructure and troubleshoot, configure, and manage common network devices. This course will help prepare students for an industry-recognized networking certification. Introduction to Networks serves as an entry point to necessary technical skills for students who want to move into careers as network technicians or those who want to work in other technical roles in IT.

8-10 weeks

Introduction to Networks - Virtual Lab

This course provides an introduction to the technical skills necessary for students who want to pursue careers as network technicians or other technical IT roles. Students learn these skills through interactive exposure to networking architectures, models, protocols, and hardware elements that connect users, devices, applications and data through the Internet and across modern computer networks. Students who complete this course will be able to build out network infrastructure and troubleshoot, configure, and manage common network devices. Students participate in hands-on, lab-based learning activities to become familiar with enterprise network components and communications systems.

Topics Covered

Calbright programs are designed to reflect labor market needs, and are built in collaboration with employers. You’ll build knowledge and skills in the key Network Technology areas that businesses need. The program covers these topics and more:

Note: While Calbright programs are flexibly paced, enrollment agreements are limited in duration. Students are enrolled in successive 6-month terms for a maximum program length of three years.

  • Network Administration
  • Threats & Vulnerabilities
  • Network Systems
  • Communications Protocols
  • Security Best Practices
  • Addressing Schemes
  • Network Monitoring
  • Traffic Routing

Your Success Team

Our most important job is your success. Our Student Success team connects you with academic counseling and support, tutoring, career services, accessibility services, and more.

Connect with us:

Call Us
Text Us
Email Us

FAQs

Who can be a student at Calbright?

Calbright is open to all California residents aged 18 years or older who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

All Californians — regardless of immigration status — are welcome to enroll.

First, our training programs prepare you to earn industry-recognized certifications (via exams offered by third-party providers like CompTIA and Salesforce), proof to employers that you’re ready to succeed in a new career on day one of employment.

Second, every student that completes a program also gets a dedicated team of professional experts that will coach you to be the best version of yourself during your job search.

Third, all of our courses are flexibly-paced and 100% online — designed around your own unique life circumstances so school never gets in the way of other priorities.

Plus, Calbright comes at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Even the cost of the exams to receive industry-recognized certifications (such as the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Salesforce Certified Administrator exams) in your program of choice are covered. 

We also offer resources that include (but are not limited to) technology support through our Chromebook and WiFi hotspot lending library; career counseling; and mental health services. All this and more make Calbright a great choice if you’re looking to level up your skillset.

Yes! All of our programs are currently free thanks to public funding from the State of California. That includes program tuition, testing costs, and technology resources like laptops and WiFi devices from our lending library.

Because our programs are free, we don’t need to offer financial aid. 

Yes! Calbright was granted accreditation by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission in July 2023, more than a year ahead of the deadline provided in the College’s founding legislation. Accreditation is an important consumer protection that validates the integrity and quality of the College’s academic programs and operations.

Starting an application is easy! If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, click here. If you still have questions or would like to get in contact another way, you’ve got plenty of options.

You can always reach out to success@calbright.org and someone from our team will get back with you via email ASAP.

You can also use the webchat function on our homepage, call us at 1-833-956-0225, or text us at (510) 330-1817.

Calbright’s model is built around the needs of its adult learners. This means students can make progress when it works in their own schedule, whether that’s after your kids have gone to bed, over the weekend, or between shifts at work. Our student support team will work with you when you begin the program to create a realistic timeline to guide you. Timelines are three months, six months, ten months, or 14 months, providing flexibility as well as structure and gentle accountability to help stay on track.

We currently have seven online, flexibly-paced training programs: IT Support, Cybersecurity, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platform Administration, Data Analysis, Project Management, Network Technology*, and Medical Coding**. 

These programs are the first of many, with each fitting into wraparound services designed to prepare you for success in the job market.

*Please note that Network Technology is a pilot program and currently closed to new enrollees.

**Please note that we are currently not accepting new applications into the Medical Coding program.