IT support technician
IT support technicians give technical help to computer users by identifying and fixing hardware, software and network problems.
Also known as: Help desk technician, IT service engineer, service desk analyst
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£36,000 a year
- Typical hours35 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As an IT support technician, you could:
- respond to customers' requests for IT help
- record details of issues on a tracking system
- find and fix faults, or assign tasks to the correct team
- install new IT systems and upgrade existing ones
- update online knowledge bases for staff to refer to
- maintain and service printers, projectors and cabling
- set up and manage user accounts and security
- show people how to use new software, both face-to-face and online
Working environment
You could work in an office, at a client's business or in a contact centre.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
- analytical thinking skills
- customer service skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a iT support technician
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- computer science
- network engineering
- network security
- software engineering
- business information systems
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could take a college course that may help you to get a trainee technician job with an organisation.
Useful subjects include:
- computing
- IT support
- ICT systems and principles
- T level in Digital Support and Security
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a place on a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:
- IT Solutions Technician
- Digital Support Technician
- Information Communications Technician
- Cyber Security Technician
Work
You could start as a trainee technician with an organisation and study for IT support qualifications while you work. You'll usually need some IT skills and knowledge to get a trainee job. Customer service skills are also important.
Foundation apprenticeship
You may be able to start in a junior or assistant role by doing a Hardware, Network and Infrastructure Level 2, or Software and Data Level 2, Foundation Apprenticeship.
You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.
If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:
- have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- are in care or have been in care
- are in prison or have been in prison
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior IT support technician, IT project manager or departmental manager.
With further training, you could work in other technical roles, such as:
- network engineer
- database administrator
- systems analyst
- IT security co-ordinator
You could also work as a freelance IT contractor or consultant.
Career tips
You may find it helpful to get some industry standard training for IT support and administrator roles. This can be done through organisations like:
- CompTia A+
- Microsoft Learn
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleNetwork engineer
- Job roleIT security co-ordinator
- Job roleDatabase administrator
- Job roleIT project manager
- Job roleTest lead
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0