Apprenti Occupation
IT Infrastructure & Data Center Operations Apprenticeship
Help power the systems that keep the digital world running.
As an Operations Support Specialist – Network apprentice, you’ll help build, operate, and maintain the infrastructure behind large-scale technology platforms and data centers. You’ll monitor systems, troubleshoot network and infrastructure issues, support automation, and help ensure reliable and secure system performance.
This apprenticeship combines hands-on experience with technical instruction to prepare you for careers supporting production infrastructure, distributed systems, and enterprise network environments.
Program Overview
- Duration: 12 Months
- Total Hours: 2,560
- On-the-Job Training (OJT): 2,000 hours
- Related Technical Instruction (RTI): 560 hours
- Occupation Code: 15-1241 – Computer Network Architect
- Industry: IT Infrastructure, Cloud, and Data Center Operations
This role supports critical technology operations and may include shift work or on-call responsibilities to help maintain continuous system reliability.
What You’ll Do
Operations Support Specialists help ensure systems remain secure, available, and performing efficiently.
During the apprenticeship, you will:
Infrastructure Operations & Systems Administration
- Support Linux and Windows systems in production environments
- Assist with software-defined infrastructure and virtualized systems
- Perform network administration tasks including DNS, routing, firewalls, and load balancing
- Support cloud and hybrid infrastructure environments
- Monitor system performance and assist with capacity planning
Monitoring, Reliability & Incident Management
- Maintain monitoring and alerting tools used to detect system issues
- Participate in incident response and escalation processes
- Investigate outages and perform root cause analysis
- Maintain incident response documentation and runbooks
- Support reliability improvements that increase uptime and resiliency
Automation & Infrastructure Development
- Support automation scripts using Python and other scripting languages
- Assist with CI/CD pipelines and deployment workflows
- Contribute to Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices
- Automate operational tasks related to configuration and release management
Security & Production Readiness
- Apply secure configuration and access control practices
- Support vulnerability remediation and risk mitigation efforts
- Participate in change management and production readiness reviews
- Assist with disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Cross-Functional Systems Collaboration
- Work with development, QA, product, and security teams
- Participate in architecture discussions and technical planning
- Help improve operational processes and system documentation
- Contribute to knowledge sharing within technical teams
What You’ll Learn (560 Hours of Technical Instruction)
Your classroom instruction supports your on-the-job learning and builds the technical foundation required for infrastructure operations.
Core Systems & Networking Fundamentals
- IT and operating system foundations (Linux and Windows)
- Networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, DNS, routing, and switching
- Virtualization and cloud infrastructure concepts
- Distributed systems fundamentals
Reliability & Operations
- Monitoring and observability practices
- Incident response and escalation processes
- Service level agreements (SLAs), service level objectives (SLOs), and operational targets
- High availability, resiliency, and fault tolerance
- IT service management fundamentals
Programming & Infrastructure Automation
- Python programming for infrastructure automation
- Introduction to Java and JavaScript for systems tooling
- SQL fundamentals for operational data
- CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation
- Infrastructure as Code practices
- Foundations of AI tools used in technology operations
Security & Professional Skills
- Security awareness and compliance basics
- Technical documentation standards
- Operational reporting and technical communication
- Collaboration in production technology environments
Optional Certifications
Apprentices may have the opportunity to prepare for industry-recognized certifications such as:
- CompTIA A+
- ITIL Foundations
- ITIL 4 Specialist Certifications
- Cloud, Linux, or automation-focused certifications depending on employer needs
Career Outcomes
After completing the apprenticeship, graduates may pursue roles such as:
- Network Operations Center (NOC) Analyst
- Infrastructure Operations Engineer
- Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) – Junior Level
- Systems Administrator
- Cloud Operations Engineer
These roles support the infrastructure that powers enterprise platforms, cloud services, and large-scale digital systems.
Why Choose an Infrastructure Operations Apprenticeship?
Modern organizations depend on highly reliable technology infrastructure. Skilled professionals who can monitor, automate, and maintain complex systems are in high demand across industries.
This apprenticeship provides a structured pathway into infrastructure and operations careers — combining real-world experience, technical training, and mentorship to help you build a long-term career in technology operations.
Are you ready to start your new career path?
Our unique apprenticeship program puts you on a straightforward, step-by-step fast track to your dream job
Are you an employer looking to build your team? Click here to learn more.
