AI, automation spur efforts to upskill network pros

SASE, ZTNA shape security skills

As networking and security technologies converge, advanced security skills are critical to address cybersecurity challenges within network infrastructures and organizations are requiring networking professionals to have a deeper understanding of security concepts and be able to take on security-focused roles.

“There are organizations that are encouraging people to get more understanding and more experience within security, but they are also upskilling their staff to help them get more experience because there is such a shortage in security professionals, especially at the security engineer level,” Robert Half’s Vick says.

Networking and security technologies are converging in areas such as SASE, and it is no longer possible to keep the two IT domains separate in terms of skills. Zero trust network architecture (ZTNA) can be credited with bringing networking and security together, according to CompTIA’s Stanger, because it eliminates the concept of a trusted network perimeter and, instead, requires continuous verification of every user, device, and application attempting to access resources regardless of their location on the network—which integrates network access controls with security measures. Skills in implementing zero-trust architectures and collaborating with security teams are in high demand.

“One way of understanding what zero trust means is seeing that networking, that the very active transport, is not independent of cybersecurity,” Stanger says. Under zero trust principles, networking and security are integrated domains in which networking professionals need to understand the security implications of their work and vice versa for security professionals.

The job market for networking professionals remains very tight with low unemployment rates, and organizations are taking multi-pronged approaches to address skills gaps, including finding external resources, developing internal talent, and investing in upskilling.

For networking pros, the key is to develop a well-rounded set of skills that span AI, automation, cloud computing, network architecture, and security to be successful in the evolving networking landscape. By focusing on these areas, networking professionals can position themselves to meet the evolving demands of the industry in 2025 and beyond.