How to Become an Information Technology/Support Technician

Yes, Information Systems (IT) Technicians make good money. This is considered one of the top highest-paying entry-level jobs in the technology industry.

The tech industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today, at an 11% growth rate. This means that not only does becoming an IT Tech pay well; it also offers a certain level of job security.

While IT technicians are not nearly the highest-paid position in the tech industry, it does offer a great entry-level move into the industry. This can allow a person to gain connections and develop the experience that will allow them to move up to higher-paying positions.

If a person wants to get into a career that pays well from the beginning, has good job security, and has a lot of room for growth, it is beneficial to pursue becoming an IT Technician.

To become an IT support technician, you can start by getting an associate's or bachelor's degree in computer science or an associated field. For some entry-level positions, it is possible to get a position with a high school diploma alone, while other companies may require a set number of years of experience.

An IT support technician needs a balance of customer service skills and knowledge of the latest in technology. Are you good at setting up computers or helping older generations install new software? Are you keeping your finger on the pulse of what new business software is being used in the industry?

The more passion you have for staying up to date with the technological trends in business, the more of an asset you are as an IT support technician. This work favors the ability to translate technical information to a mixed audience of users, from beginners to other experts.

The more comfortable and vast your understanding is, the more you can earn in this field. Having fluency in computer programming additionally helps with troubleshooting technical issues.

It takes between two to four years to become an IT support specialist. This depends on whether you earn a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree.

You can get an associate degree in information technology, computer science, or another IT-related focus, which would take about two years. However, a bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, computer engineering, or information technology management is recommended. This will take four years to complete.

Another possible path towards becoming an IT specialist is to skip college and gain an entry-level position as a technical customer support specialist or a customer experience agent. Once in an entry-level position, it's recommended to start earning as many certifications as possible. After two to four years of work experience and proper certification, you can begin applying for jobs as an IT support specialist.

The Most Popular Certifications For An IT Support Specialist:

• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

An IT support technician assists others with hardware or software challenges. This role may be an onsite internal staff position within a company, or it may be contracted or through a call center. IT support technicians use their understanding of computer systems to assist employees with any technical issues that may arise.

With technology constantly improving, systems are regularly upgraded, and IT support technicians are especially busy during the transition periods. This can mean either installing and programming new equipment or assisting employees on how to use new technology. Patience, problem-solving and good communication are critical in this role.

Typically duties for IT support technicians are:

• Monitoring usability of companies software and websites

• Assisting with password and accessibility issues

• Increasing and enforcing network security, scanning for viruses

• Train staff to use new programs or hardware

• Screen sharing to walk through a variety of technical difficulties

• Assisting with hardware or software challenges

• Guiding updates or new installations

Typically an Information Technology (IT) Technician is required to have an associate's or bachelor's degree. These degrees are typically within the field of Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or a related field.

These programs offer comprehensive coursework in programming languages and computer engineering, providing students theoretical and practical knowledge of a variety of topics and processes they are likely to encounter on the job.

IT Technicians should seek to gain initial job training while pursuing a degree, including how to use programming languages to communicate with computer systems and troubleshooting techniques.

But if not, they will receive on-the-job training for a few weeks to learn the specific software and hardware systems used within a company.

Finally, while certification for IT technicians is voluntary, there are many certificates that increase employability and expand their knowledge base. These include:

• CompTIA A+ Certification is an industry standard for technical support professionals.

• CompTIA Network+ Certification is ideal for IT professionals who configure, troubleshoot, and manage networks.

• CompTIA Linux+ Certification validates knowledge of security, hardware and system configuration, system operation, maintenance, automation, scripting, Linux troubleshooting, and diagnostics.

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) validates knowledge of core technical concepts.

• Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) assesses candidates' ability to install, operate and troubleshoot a small network system with basic security.