Computer technicians will always be in high demand because computers are used everywhere now and since they are machines they will have problems and that is where a well qualified Technician will be needed.
As with anything technical, hands on experience is essential for becoming a good IT technician.
Are you the person friends and family call when they can’t figure out what’s wrong with their computer? Do you enjoy solving what others think of as insurmountable tasks and watching them breathe a sigh of relief as you rescue their lost document or rid their computer of a virus? Do you read the latest computer magazines and keep up with the best new hardware and software products?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, a career as a computer support specialist may be for you.
Does the idea of
- Problem solving
- Solving Hardware Crashes
- Troubleshoot computer problems
- Train users on new technology
Appeal to you?
Then you should train as a computer technician.
As computer hardware and software become more sophisticated and continue to change at a fast pace, support specialists will be needed to educate and update users. Graduates with strong computer and communications skills combined with practical work experience will do best in the job market.
Job Prospects: IT Technician, Helpdesk Support, IT Support Officer
Salary: Technical Assistants or Junior technicians without qualifications may earn well below average wages; but skilled, experienced and qualified technicians in developed countries may be in the top 10% of wage earners.
How to become one?
To get a start you need basic skills and experience. A course such as Computer Servicing I is an excellent starting point and may be all that is needed for you to secure some casual work in a computer shop. Over time, and with further study (eg. Proficiency Award in Computer Servicing), your skills can develop, and opportunities expand.
In due course it is useful to prepare for and sit for an A+ Certification exam conducted for COMPTIA
CompTIA A+® Certification
CompTIA A+ certification is an international industry credential that validates the knowledge of computer service technicians with the equivalent of 500 hours of hands-on experience. Major hardware and software vendors, distributors and resellers accept CompTIA A+ as the standard in foundation-level, vendor-neutral certification for service technicians. The exams cover a broad range of hardware and software technologies, but are not bound to any vendor-specific products. The skills and knowledge measured by the CompTIA A+ exams were derived from an industry-wide and worldwide job task analysis. To date, more than 500,000 individuals have obtained CompTIA A+ certification.
Earning CompTIA A+ certification proves that a candidate has a broad base of knowledge and competency in core hardware and operating system technologies including installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance and basic networking.
Industry Support for CompTIA A+®
The technology community identifies CompTIA A+ certification as the perfect entry into an IT career. Technology and certification companies including Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Novell and Certiport recognize CompTIA A+ certification as part of their certification tracks. Top technology companies including CompuCom, CompUSA and IBM have also made CompTIA A+ certification mandatory for their service technicians. Additionally, more than 100 companies now require CompTIA A+ certification as a prerequisite to qualify for their corporate and vendor-specific training programs.
Click here to enrol in Proficiency Award in Computer Servicing.