What Being a Field Tech Taught Me About Real-World Networking

I started working in IT at 15, but it wasn’t until I turned 16 that I really came to understand what “networking” meant beyond diagrams and certification books. Working for a local tech business that handles everything from managed IT services and cybersecurity to structured cabling and network infrastructure, I got thrown into situations where the network isn’t theoretical; it’s the backbone of a school, a clinic, a government office, or a small business trying to stay afloat. Nothing accelerat