Security vs Networking

So I'm fresh out of school, going back in the summer to pursue bachelor's and I'm just really stuck on which route to go with my IT career. Everything truly interest me but I think being a jack of all trades wouldn't help me. I've done networking classes and I liked them, only thing that annoyed me was in my CISCO class my professor had us subnet by hand 24/7, I understand subnets I really do, but I'm pretty sure in the real world professionals aren't submitting on paper, but anyways, It seems security is the hot thing right now.
Some people have told me networking isn't the way to go because everything is becoming more automated and it's pretty much a pilot job until something breaks.
Any advice on which direction to go?

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

636-555-3226

Advanced networking skills (think enterprise network admin/engineer in a large global environment) are just as hot as security jobs in my region. very hard to find a GOOD networking person and pay for a GOOD person is 100k+ ('burbs an hour away from a major metropolitan area)

jcundiff

either way is a great career choice. Right now the federal government has scholarships available for information security that in addition to tuition, pay you 22,500 a year while in school. I think its a year for year employment commitment upon graduation.

https://www.sfs.opm.gov/

Here is the list of participating schools

https://www.sfs.opm.gov/ContactsPI.aspx

kohr-ah

Networking is changing but is a huge foundation in many careers.

A person who has an advanced understanding of networking is in high demand here near Chicago as well. The catch to this is my work I am transitioning to a network security engineer where I am hybrid role and I am learning having an advanced understanding of networking is helping a huge amount for this role as well.

Not just because I am doing R/S work still but the security side of things I have an understanding of protocols. How they work. Etc.

Can't go wrong down either path.

jdancer

edean850 wrote: »

... real world professionals aren't submitting on paper ...

Hopefully they are subnetting in their head.

My Cisco Network Academy students are always asking me why there is subnetting problems every week. I told they can thank me later.