Network Administration

Hello there, i have a question for any Network Administrators out there, or those simply educated in Networking. I have some knowledge, i am currently going to school for Computer and Information Science and i am studying for the Net+ and CCNA certifications. My problem is actually applying the knowledge i am learning. I have a home network that i can mess around with a little bit, but i know that doesn’t any where near prepare me for deploying a small to medium size network for say, a business. I was wondering how you all learned, how you were able to apply your knowledge leading up to making it a career. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you all.

-alias