Is Networking Still Worth Learning in 2026?
Send us Fan Mail Is networking still worth learning in 2026? Short answer: yes but it's not the same job it was five years ago. AI isn't replacing network engineers. What it did was split the career into two paths: traditional shops where you're on the CLI every day, and modern shops where automation and AI handle a big chunk of the work. Most of the country is still traditional. Both paths need the same thing from you first. In this episode I break down wh...
Key Takeaways
- Learning networking in 2026 is still completely worth it, but the role itself has fundamentally evolved over the last five years.
- AI has not replaced network engineers; instead, it has split the career path into traditional shops using the CLI and modern shops utilizing automation.
- Despite the rise of modern tools, the vast majority of the country still operates in traditional networking environments.
- Both traditional and modern networking career paths require mastering the exact same core fundamentals first.
- You can successfully reverse engineer your own IT career path by carefully reading current job descriptions instead of just guessing what to learn.
Is networking still worth learning in 2026?
Short answer: yes but it's not the same job it was five years ago.
AI isn't replacing network engineers. What it did was split the career into two paths:
traditional shops where you're on the CLI every day, and modern shops where automation and AI handle a big chunk of the work.
Most of the country is still traditional.
Both paths need the same thing from you first.
In this episode I break down what AI actually took off our plates, what it didn't, why the fundamentals matter more now than they did before, and how to reverse engineer your own path by reading job descriptions instead of guessing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is networking still worth learning in 2026?
Yes, networking is definitely worth learning, though the job has changed. AI hasn't replaced network engineers, but it has split the career into traditional CLI-based shops and modern automated environments.
How has AI impacted network engineering jobs?
AI handles a significant chunk of the workload in modern shops, taking tasks off our plates and splitting the career into automated and traditional paths.
How should I figure out what skills to learn for an IT career?
You can reverse engineer your own path by analyzing current job descriptions to see what employers are actually asking for rather than guessing.