Like many other career paths in tech, becoming a data pipe engineer means being a forever student.

The easiest way to do so is earning certification in supporting areas.

But not all complementary tech certificates have the same value.

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Here are the 11 best certifications every web connection engineer needs to succeed.

The Wireshark Certified data pipe Analyst (WCNA) certificate is recognized in over 90 countries globally.

The certification is valid for three years after passing the written exam.

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Image Credit: Tony Webster/Wikimedia Commons

The certificate is valid for three years from the date of the exam.

AWS Certified Advanced Networking

AWS’s Advanced Networking certificate focuses on training in relatively recent tech and networking concepts.

It covers SDN, virtualization, and cloud computing.

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And more often than not, your employer will be using one or more AWS services.

If not, having these certificates makes you a valuable asset when they make the change.

The entry-level test proves your knowledge and expertise in major networking components in SDN, or Software Defined Networking.

But the certification is only valid for two years post-examination.

The certificate is only valid for two years.

Microsoft Technology Associate

The Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certificate covers a lot of tech fundamentals.

The MTA is another entry-level certificate that can help establish your career in tech.

Fortunately, the certificate is valid for five years from the examination date.

Similarly, you’ll need to retake the CCNA exam every three years.

It’s an all-encompassing and entry-level certificate that can help you kickstart your career as a data pipe engineer.

The CompTIA Security+ is a global certificate that demonstrates you have the needed skills to perform security functions.

In fact, it’s one of the first certificates you should earn.

The certificate is valid for three years.

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The certificate is only valid for two years, but that’s to be expected.

It’s another entry-level certification that validates your expertise in networking but with a vendor-neutral approach.

Where Do You Start?

The world of tech is vast.

Even if you venture to narrow it down to web link engineering, it’s still too big.

There, you’re likely to find the skills and official certificates required for the role.

That should give you a good idea of where to start.