Software update not able to pull available OS updates (Big Sur)

If it is a company laptop or a company managed system, then it may be restricted from upgrading to Ventura at this time. Either way, you should be contacting the company IT department for assistance. Also, a company laptop is important information to have mentioned in the first post as it changes things significantly.

Try a PRAM Reset (hold for two chimes if possible).

How long has the user been trying? I have found sometimes Apple's servers get overwhelmed.

I'm assuming there is no problem accessing the Internet?

It is the bit with the YEAR that is important to a resolution here. Look where I used callouts to indicate sub-model in the "About..." image and please tell us the YEAR.

Tried to step up to Catalina. No dice.

Generally, a Mac won't install an OS version older than the one that was on it when it left the factory.

Is it currently running Big Sur?

Post the EtreCheck. Whether this is a hardware problem, added security apps, or whatever else?

Download EtreCheck, run it, and share the results to the clipboard. Then open a new reply here, and press the Additional Text button that looks like a printed page to get a text input box big enough to paste the hardware and software configuration report here, and paste and post the report.

squarepeggygirl wrote:

I'm not comfortable using an unvetted software on a company machine. I see this Etrecheck pop up in a lot of these forums.

That's your decision, of course.

EtreCheck is one of the tools that makes offering free help somewhat more tenable, as it means not asking thousands of detailed configuration questions for each case—a Mac is an immensely complex configuration, and specific configurations can and often do vary widely. The IT version of twenty questions is an immense effort without tools such as EtreCheck.

Alternatively for this and for other cases, consider hiring on some IT help, and ask them to support your hardware and software.

Is the Macbook Pro's sub-model capable of running Ventura?

The sub-model is available from "About this Mac..."

One issues that can arise is the use or add-on first-few hops VPN client apps. Remove any of those.

Restart the Wi-Fi router, or restart the ISP router box if wired.