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Job outlook for technical support associates in the United States
Technical support associate job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected technical support associate job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for technical support associates are projected over the next decade.
Technical support associate salaries have increased 9% for technical support associates in the last 5 years.
There are over 376,140 technical support associates currently employed in the United States.
There are 150,869 active technical support associate job openings in the US.
The average technical support associate salary is $43,651.
Are technical support associate jobs in demand?
Technical support associate job and salary trends over time
Technical support associate jobs over time
Technical support associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 376,140 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 455,396 | 0.14% |
| 2019 | 413,793 | 0.12% |
| 2018 | 254,611 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 245,831 | 0.07% |
Average technical support associate salary over time
Technical support associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $43,651 | $20.99 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $42,212 | $20.29 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $41,257 | $19.83 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $40,634 | $19.54 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $39,970 | $19.22 | +1.6% |
Technical support associate jobs by state
Most common states for technical support associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 480 | 69% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 295 | 34% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 231 | 31% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 226 | 30% |
| 5 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 825 | 28% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 256 | 27% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 553 | 26% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,447 | 24% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 455 | 24% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,294 | 23% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,286 | 23% |
| 12 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 672 | 22% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,069 | 21% |
| 14 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 618 | 21% |
| 15 | Vermont | 623,657 | 131 | 21% |
| 16 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 2,010 | 20% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,584 | 19% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 583 | 19% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 257 | 19% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 253 | 19% |
Most common cities for technical support associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodridge | 2 | 6% | $44,717 |
| 2 | Andover | 1 | 3% | $53,474 |
| 3 | Foster City | 1 | 3% | $51,752 |
| 4 | Rosemead | 1 | 2% | $51,374 |
| 5 | Tempe | 2 | 1% | $35,196 |
| 6 | Bloomington | 1 | 1% | $31,518 |
| 7 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $55,265 |
| 8 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $62,982 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | 1 | 0% | $31,514 |
| 10 | Sacramento | 1 | 0% | $48,639 |
| 11 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $38,504 |
Technical Support Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of technical support associate experts
Western Illinois University
Texas A&M University San Antonio
University of West Florida
University of Washington
Arizona State University
American University
SUNY Oswego
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
University of Oregon
Mount Saint Mary College
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Cleveland State University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
High Point University
Utah Valley University
George Washington University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Rowan University
Arizona State University
SUNY at Binghamton
Siena College
Hoyet Hemphill Ph.D.
IDT Program Coordinator and Graduate Advisor, Instructional Design and TechnologyWestern Illinois University
School of Engineering and Technology
What skills stand out on Technical Support Associate resumes?
Hoyet Hemphill Ph.D.: The next K12 job mostly advertised is Technology specialist, and the majority of the skills include knowledge of data visualization tools like google data studio, strong spreadsheet skills. (Google Sheets is preferred.), ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy, excellent communication and analytical skills, knowledge of data analytics, ability to troubleshoot data questions, excellent organizational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills, excellent client-facing and internal communication skills. Duties most seen include interpreting, summarizing, and communicating data analyses to clients, ability to create forms and strategies to help schools efficiently and effectively collect data, download, review, and interpret school-related data from assessment providers, school spreadsheets, and other systems.
The skills required majorly for the curriculum designer position include understanding by design principles for curriculum design, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, excellent writing skills, ability to create effective and fair assessment methods. The duties include collaborating effectively and extensively with internal and external partners, including content and specialty teams to ensure the curriculum is developed in accordance with all articulated quality standards, overseeing the review/feedback process for all subject curriculum, including coordination of teacher review teams, consensus building, conflict resolution, planning, and decision-making, etc.
Robert Vinaja Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Computer Information SystemsTexas A&M University San Antonio
Computer Information Systems Department
What soft skills should all Technical Support Associates possess?
Robert Vinaja Ph.D.: -Ability to work as part of a team.
-Attention to detail.
-Problem-solving and analytical skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Technical Support Associates?
Robert Vinaja Ph.D.: -Programming.
-Understand algorithms and data structures.
What skills will help Technical Support Associates earn the most?
Robert Vinaja Ph.D.: My personal view is that instead of following the skills that command higher salaries, one should focus on a field that you like and feel at ease with. Instead of following the money, one should follow your heart, and money will eventually follow.
Dr. Thomas Gilbar Ph.D.
Chair and LecturerUniversity of West Florida
Electrical and Computer Engineering
What soft skills should all Technical Support Associates possess?
Dr. Thomas Gilbar Ph.D.: Communication skills, as I mentioned before, are absolutely vital. Note this means not only written but also verbal skills. I have had some excellent students struggle to find a job because their interview and communication skills are lacking. If you are given an opportunity to do a mock interview with the career services department at your University, take it.
Besides that, the soft skills mentioned most often by employers are time and project management. Plan to enthusiastically discuss any projects you worked on from start to finish. If you have no experience, those capstone projects required in just about every engineering program become absolutely vital. Don't skimp just to get it done. Choose a project that you can be proud of and that showcases your abilities. Emphasize any leadership roles you have had and your experience with working on a team.
Don't forget to show that you are willing and able to learn. Computer Engineers work in a very large variety of companies. The chances of your BSCE program covering everything you need are slim to none. Be ready to discuss things that you picked up on your own and emphasize your openness and excitement to learn more.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Technical Support Associates?
Dr. Thomas Gilbar Ph.D.: There are quite a few hard/technical skills that are important for Computer Engineers. We've found a lot of managers are looking for comfort in a variety of programming languages, including C++, C#, Java, Python, etc. Also, try to have a background in a variety of operating systems (certainly windows and mac, but also having experience on Apple iOS, Android, and even Linux will give you a leg up on the competition). Having at least some experience in data/cyber security is also important these days. On the hardware side, programming and applying microcontrollers and VHDL/Verilog programming are extremely important. VLSI design is also a nice addition to skill sets, though in most cases, not a deal-breaker. Circuit and electronic design are also very important skills to supplement your microcontroller skills.
What skills will help Technical Support Associates earn the most?
Dr. Thomas Gilbar Ph.D.: Selling yourself is absolutely vital. Technical skills are certainly critical to success as a computer engineer, but the employers we work with are also looking for students who are a good "fit" with their organization. Fit differs by organization, so do your research, so you know what they do and what they're looking for before submitting that resume/cover letter and going into an interview. Show that you don't just want any job, but you want this job and what you can bring to their organization and its goals. Most often, your fit will be determined by showcasing soft skills like communication, leadership, critical thinking, professionalism, teamwork, and other related skills. UWF's Office of Career Development & Community Engagement has developed the Argo2Pro Career Readiness Program, which is designed to provide students with vital career readiness skills and assist them in providing evidence to employers that they are both academically prepared and career-ready. Take advantage of these types of programs. They, like most other Universities, also offer mock interviews, resume reviews and even help students review job offers.
Rania Hussein Ph.D.
Associate Teaching ProfessorUniversity of Washington
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
What soft skills should all Technical Support Associates possess?
Rania Hussein Ph.D.: Being coachable, know how to learn and figure things out, effective communication skills, continuous self-development.
Robert Rucker
LecturerArizona State University
School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering
What skills stand out on Technical Support Associate resumes?
Robert Rucker: Being articulate/communicative is a real positive - being able to write up a coherent report is a big plus.
What soft skills should all Technical Support Associates possess?
Robert Rucker: Being able to learn a new technology very quickly is critical since that is what my students encounter.
Anthony Baron
Teaching Assistant, Associate Software EngineerAmerican University
What hard/technical skills are most important for Technical Support Associates?
Anthony Baron: The main technical/ hard skills, I would say, are mainly the same as in part 1. Another hard skill that will come through with experience in programming is learning how to Google, more specifically knowing exactly what to search to solve an issue in the code.
What skills will help Technical Support Associates earn the most?
Anthony Baron: By earning, do you mean financially, career-wise, or most growth? Career-wise, it really depends on what the final goal is. For web developers, learning the programming languages and frameworks for web development would be the way to go. In general, any experience with programming and knowing a little about a lot will be helpful. Having top-level theory knowledge (some but not in-depth) is also very helpful. It will help you better understand what is happening under the hood and determine which methods are more efficient than others. Financially, it really depends on what skills are most in-demand today. Also, getting a Masters opens doors to more job opportunities, and in some companies, allows for a pay increase. However, this is not the case everywhere.
What type of skills will young Technical Support Associates need?
Mario Bkassiny Ph.D.: In addition to their academic skills, young graduates should be able to effectively communicate across multiple platforms and be able to adapt to changing work environments. Given the various means of communications and collaborations that are available nowadays, young graduates should be able to clearly express their ideas either in a video conference or through the traditional email communications. Effective communication will be essential to succeed as a member of any engineering team.
What general advice would you give to a Technical Support Associate?
Mario Bkassiny Ph.D.: Young graduates should continuously seek every learning opportunity to enhance their professional skills. With the fast growth of engineering technology, it is important for engineers to remain up to date with the most recent innovations in their fields. The learning process does not stop at graduation, but instead, it extends beyond college to the workplace where engineers can gain expert knowledge in their fields.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Associates?
Derek Nazareth Ph.D.: The pandemic will have a lingering effect in several ways. The current holding pattern on hiring that characterizes many organizations will subside as organizations move towards normalcy. However, a number of practices that moved online will remain that way, due to convenience and cost, including recruitment and on-the-job training. Graduates will need to be more savvy in terms of working independently, as well as communicating and collaborating with others in remote fashion. Other practices that organizations were experimenting with pre-pandemic have become more prevalent in some cases. This includes reliance on consultants and external workers as embodied in the gig economy. That would mean more competition for graduates from outside the geographical area. On the flip side, it also offers graduates the opportunity to compete in remote markets.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Technical Support Associates?
Derek Nazareth Ph.D.: General certifications are likely to be of little value in enhancing employability. Niche certifications, on the other hand, can be quite valuable, though they need to be well established and recognized. The TS-410 for example is will get you ahead if you are looking to work with SAP (a form of ERP software). There are a number of certifications popping up in the business analytics area, though none are well established, and it is unclear what impact they will have. One area that will experience sustained demand which has recognized certifications is information security. The (ISC)2 certifications are likely more valuable than others, but they are more advanced. CompTIA Security+ would represent an entry-level certification. In terms of coursework, business analytics is very much in demand, and provides the opportunity to work in a variety of industries.
What will help Technical Support Associates increase their earning potential?
Derek Nazareth Ph.D.: Adaptability. We live in a world with constantly changing technology and evolving business practices. The traditional jobs of yore are no more. Being able to quickly acquire new skills, learn new technologies, and apply them to different contexts, will ensure sustained employability and the ability to move ahead.
Hayden Harker
Senior Instructor, Head Undergraduate AdvisorUniversity of Oregon
Department of Mathematics
What soft skills should all Technical Support Associates possess?
Hayden Harker: For math majors, there are many jobs that specifically use mathematical techniques learned in a specific course and you don't prove theorems in jobs. However, these students need to be flexible and willing to solve many different problems even if they don't necessarily feel like a math calculation. Solid problem solving skills and logical thought process are some of the greatest assets for math majors.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Associate job market given the pandemic?
Robin Rosenberg: Biggest Trends: Tele-health is here to stay. More mental health services have been provided electronically than ever before and that trend is likely to continue even after the return of in-person counseling. Many clients may find it far more convenient to obtain counseling from the comfort of their own home, or to eliminate the travel time. More providers are now comfortable with the technology. While tele-health is not likely to completely replace in person counseling sessions, just as in medical treatment it will create another option.
Sathish Kumar Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceCleveland State University
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
What will help Technical Support Associates increase their earning potential?
Sathish Kumar Ph.D.: While hard technical skills are needed to carry out basic job functions, soft skills such as verbal and written communication, critical thinking, and openness to other culture) are important to increase the professional's earning potential. Also, the professional should think how their work contributes to the bottom line of the organization and be able to communicate that value of their work to their employer.
Dr. Patrick Madsen
Executive DirectorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
University Career Center
What's a good job out of college for Technical Support Associates?
Dr. Patrick Madsen: A "good job" is defined in many different ways and is somewhat subjective. Most people begin that conversation with "does it pay enough", but we have really seen students start to drift from salary being at the top of their list to more things like: does it connect to my strengths, does the company value what I value, do I see a "future" with the company or opportunity for growth, and the importance of work/life balance. In our line of work, we call this "Purposeful Work".
What will help Technical Support Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Oudshoorn: Earning potential is attached to 2 things: technical expertise and life skills. The technical skills are essential in order to do the job, but to be truly successful and move up the corporate ladder you need to demonstrate skills such as clear and concise communication, honest and ethical behavior, interpersonal skills, and leadership. Being a good team member and contributing in interdisciplinary teams are skills that cannot be underestimated.
What's a good job out of college for Technical Support Associates?
Dr. Sayeed Sajal: I believe any decent job is a good job if one's passion and skills converge.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Associate job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Matthew Shirrell Ph.D.: The market for educational leaders will remain strong, overall, but the skills that are valued by the job market may shift to some extent. I think that, given the pandemic and other events of the past year, there will be several areas in which job seekers in the field of educational leadership will be in particular demand. First, the past year has seen deep disruptions to schooling, and educational leaders have had to adapt and improvise to meet changing demands. One area in which this has taken place has been in educational leaders' work to ensure equitable and efficient access to online learning for all students and families. I believe that educational leaders with strong backgrounds, training, and understanding of educational technology will be particularly valued in the job market in coming years. Given the events of the past year, there will also continue to be a particular focus on diversity in the field. This will involve recruiting and retaining more diverse leaders, but also an increased attention to leaders' training around issues of diversity. I believe that job seekers who have strong training that has prepared them to work with and support an increasingly diverse student population will have an advantage in the job market. Finally, the trauma that the pandemic has inflicted on many children and families will make the job of educational leaders particularly important in the coming years. I believe that prospective leaders who understand socio-emotional development, and how schools can support the socio-emotional health of students and families, will also be well-positioned in the job market in the years to come.
How have salaries changed over time for Technical Support Associates?
Dr. Matthew Shirrell Ph.D.: Salaries have remained relatively constant, in general, compared to other lines of work. Educational leaders can expect to be well-paid, but they should also not go into educational leadership expecting to get rich. Educational leaders often work long hours, and are often expected to be on call at all hours of the day, including weekends. Relative to the amount of work that educational leaders engage in, and the challenges that educational leaders face, the compensation is not extraordinary. But educational leaders are rewarded in other ways, particularly by the influence their work can have on children and families.
What technical skills for a Technical Support Associate stand out to employers?
Dr. Matthew Shirrell Ph.D.: I believe that technical skills are less important to employers in the field of educational leadership than are dispositions, experiences, and orientations to the work. School districts and others in the field of education are not necessarily looking for leaders with a set of particular technical skills, in my experience, beyond the obvious understanding of the nuts and bolts of school administration and some experience with instructional leadership. If the last year has shown anything, it is that the entire circumstances of schooling can change very quickly and unexpectedly. Potential leaders who have shown the ability and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, whatever they may be, will be particularly valued, I think, by the job market in years to come. In addition, leaders' backgrounds, training, and understanding of the areas I previously described- technology; cultural, racial, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity; and children's socio-emotional development - will all be valued by employers in the field.
What technical skills for a Technical Support Associate stand out to employers?
John Talburt Ph.D.: While employers like to see technical skills like Python and machine learning, they also value experience in more people-oriented and team skills like courses in change management, project management, data governance, and data quality management. These are areas where the technology problems are easier to solve than the cultural change issues.
How have salaries changed over time for Technical Support Associates?
John Talburt Ph.D.: I see salaries continuing to rise for data skills, especially data science roles. Data science salaries are now on par with and sometimes more than salaires for programming and software development roles. Companies are beginning to value people who can build end-to-end solutions from customer requirements rather than those graduates highly trained in just one particular technology.
These are the major trends I see from the perspective of our programs.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Associate job market given the pandemic?
John Talburt Ph.D.: I see demand for data skills rising significantly. Due to their training, most of our graduates are being hired for data roles including data governance, data quality, data analytics, master data management, and data science. From the supply side, the pandemic has significantly reduced the number of international students coming into our program. However, this has been more than compensated by the increase in domestic working professionals enrolling in our online graduate programs. It appears that data professionals working online from home see this as an opportunity to also enroll in online graduate programs to upgrade their degree credentials.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Associates?
Patricia Coughlan: Human communication has experienced a paradigm shift due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Overly reliant "face to face" communication has shifted to embrace, even reluctantly, tech mediated communication. Yes, before the pandemic some of society was comfortable with emails and mobile phone use, while youthful society was more active on smartphones and social media, but now most everyone is experimenting and getting better at virtual communication. When the Oxford English Dictionary announced that it was not choosing one "Word of the Year" in 2020 but instead listed a series of words that reflect major societal change, it was not surprising to find many words related to workplace communication.
Words including unmute, remote, remotely, were up from previous years' usage by 300% or more (Collins, 2020). Plus, new words were coined and quickly became common place; Have you Zoomed? Were you Zoombombed? Clearly the popularity of workplace communication in our everyday speech shows that attitudes towards tech mediated communication has changed. The hesitance of both employers and jobseekers towards tech-mediated communication is no more. The barriers to using online professional resources or hosting/attending virtual events has diminished and is altering our notion of workspace and carbon footprints. Employers and jobseekers are seeing the potential benefits for maintaining brand relevance, posting timely information, and career networking. A new willingness to use tech is improving site navigation and personal online savviness. Competition in the workplace is now driven by deliberate acts of communication. Jobseekers are more conscious in the information they post.
Employers vet their job postings for accuracy and expectations to entice the most competitive of candidates. The ability at all hours of the day to seek jobs and hire employees from diverse global locations and times zones creates a cosmopolitan workforce. At the minimum, a best of all worlds approach that integrates tech-mediated platforms with "in person" components may exist after COVID-19 distancing restrictions are lifted. Future job opportunities will be better served through tech mediated communication platforms.
Collins, Barry. (2020). Zoom zings into the oxford dictionary words of the year. Forbes. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from forbes.com/sites/barrycollins/2020/11/23/zoom-zings-into-the-oxford-dictionary-words-of-the-year/?sh=5e8b0d78a465
What's a good job out of college for Technical Support Associates?
Patricia Coughlan: Communication majors are posed for success in the current job market. The nature of the discipline focuses on understanding and executing effective messaging to diverse audiences, in varied contexts, and communication modes (traditional such as writing and new tech platforms such as social media). The ability to understand verbal, non-verbal and written communication positions a Communication major as ready to impact the needs of employers and their clientele in a variety of fields. Because of the broad nature of a Communication Studies degree, graduates have greater flexibility for their career paths and ultimately their earning potential. Typically, Communication majors have the ability to complete courses in strategic, interpersonal, organizational, political, business, health, leadership, small group, family, and intercultural communication. Having a large swath of these courses broadens a student's portfolio.
Moreover, Communication majors are trained to consider ethical issues, rhetorical arguments, diversity, the power of persuasion, social influence, and to conduct research. In today's climate their strengths in mass media and digital communities are in demand. Communication graduates are easily employed as assistants and leaders in Public Relations, Human Resources, Advertising, Politics, Marketing, Event Planning, Social Media, Healthcare, Jurisprudence, plus more. It is impossible to think of a field that does not have the need for effective communication. My advice to my students on how to increase their earning potential begins early when they are freshman - recognize that every company and person has a need to effectively tell their story and your major suits you to help them do just that!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Associate job market given the pandemic?
Patricia Coughlan: Without doubt the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting both professional and personal communication. For nearly a year, we have been sitting behind screens. And despite tense shoulders, eye fatigue, and tech-neck (that is a real thing), the challenging screen time has taught us how valuable it is to possess good communication skills and the need to improve our communicative actions. Now more than ever, my students are realizing that the underlying assumptions of interpersonal communication that you cannot not communicate - "Hey, what's that going on in your background" and that communication is an interdependent process - "Why haven't you answered my email" are true!
Good communication relies on creating structure to our messages and to ensuring open channels to initiate and maintain relationships. Good communication requires time and acts of deliberation.
As I teach a course specifically designed for graduating college seniors who are transitioning to the workplace, I stress these assumptions. The impact of the pandemic is measurable. No longer can soon-to-be graduates attend "face to face" career fairs or interviews. A new dependence on online "mediated" platforms has emerged. Beyond what people think, creating a strong, effective, professional, yet personal, online persona takes lots of time, requires clear structure, real effort, and frequent upkeep. In the past students would focus on creating a strong resume based upon current professional resume trends, signing up to attend a career fair, and deciding what to wear on the day of the event to ensure professional appearance. Now students still need the polished, structured resume and professional look, but they also need to search for online events to attend, and spend numerous hours creating a grammatically correct, visually appealing, and professional online presence. They need to professionally dress for a remote interview, make sure that their background is professional looking, test their technology, and log on in advance. Finding the right platform is a challenge too. Do they use Zippia, LinkedIn, Indeed, another career site, or numerous sites? So, this spring while filling out forms to graduate and completing their studies, all students - regardless of major - have to be actively engaged in "online self-branding."
Hemanth Kumar Demakethepalli Venkateswara Ph.D.
Assistant Research ProfessorArizona State University
School of Computing Informatics
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Associates?
Hemanth Kumar Demakethepalli Venkateswara Ph.D.: The current batch of students graduating this year have all been equally affected by the pandemic. Newly graduated students are all facing the same challenge - the downturn in the economy which will affect the entire job market. As always, if the graduate is able to stand out from the crowd, they will have a better chance at landing a good job. The converse is also true - a poor job market will make it difficult for more graduates to find good jobs. The trick as always is to be better prepared. However, this situation will not last forever. The end of the pandemic will revive the chances of landing a good job. So, graduates should not despair if they do not get a good job in these times. They must be prepared to invest more effort towards improving their chances by taking up more courses and earning new certifications.
There is no doubt the pandemic is a defining moment in this century. It has set the marker for a 'Before Covid' and 'After Covid' timeline. However, with successful vaccination, we will soon see the end of the pandemic and get back to living how we did before the pandemic. Nonetheless, the pandemic has demonstrated the possibilities and opportunities in online learning. In the post-pandemic era, educational institutions and online learning platforms will take advantage of the promise in online learning. There will be an increase in demand for online learning leading to more affordable college education. We will reach a new equilibrium in the percentage of online to in-person curriculum. Students will benefit by having the opportunity to attend classes remotely. The benefits of online learning will outweigh the challenges. With improvements in technology and standardization of online pedagogy, online learning will be of great benefit to the institutions, faculty and the students. In this way the pandemic will have an enduring impact on the lives of graduates.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Technical Support Associates?
Hemanth Kumar Demakethepalli Venkateswara Ph.D.: There has been increasing interest in data science with the rise of AI related technology. This has led to most students opting for data science and AI-related specializations. This trend will continue for the foreseeable future. It is therefore a great time to invest in AI-related courses and certifications. However, students need to have expertise in one or more core computer science specializations like programming, databases, distributed systems, systems software, networks, full-stack development, etc. This will enable them to take advantage of the boom in AI. An AI-related certification on top of core computer science specialization is a great recipe for good job prospects.
What will help Technical Support Associates increase their earning potential?
Hemanth Kumar Demakethepalli Venkateswara Ph.D.: Technology is always rapidly changing. A tried and tested approach to improve professionally is by updating oneself through a process of life-long learning. For example, in the AI field, a researcher updates themselves by attending top-tier AI conferences, reading the latest publications from top-tier conferences, re-implementing the results published in a paper, testing out new libraries that are published, and attempting to generate new ideas. A similar approach can be applied to other areas as well.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Associates?
Alexey Kolmogorov Ph.D.: I can say that we have received about 25% more PhD applications this year. It could be because there are fewer non-academic jobs available at the moment or because our department continues to grow. Unfortunately, several admitted international students could not enter the country and have had to defer the start of their graduate study.
What's a day at work look like for a Technical Support Associate?
Alexey Kolmogorov Ph.D.: I have been in touch with a few BU graduates who joined strong PhD programs last summer. Their experience is consistent with what we see in our department: experimental groups have been indeed affected by lab access regulations but theoretical/computational groups have adapted to the remote work quite naturally.
What will help Technical Support Associates increase their earning potential?
Alexey Kolmogorov Ph.D.: I think the biggest impact on the academic research has been the lack of in-person conferences. Online conferences are useful but they are missing a traditionally important element for the development of young researchers, which is students' informal interaction and networking outside of presentation rooms.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Associate job market given the pandemic?
Jami Cotler Ph.D.: In the past I've known of tech shops offering work hour flexibility often with required face-to-face team meetings. I think the pandemic has shown across many industries that work can be distributed while maintaining a high level of efficiency and effectiveness. I think we will see more employees in the tech industry having more work from home options post pandemic.
I think the need for tech has also been both recognized and has increased as we have had to rely on it to track and report pandemic data. I think there has also been a great awareness of tech tools such as web conferencing tools such as zoom that have now become commonplace tools for everyone to use. Online delivery services have also experienced greater demand, which increases the demand for tech professionals to work in these areas as well. As I tell my students, it is a really good time to be in this industry.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Technical Support Associates?
Jami Cotler Ph.D.: At Siena we have started to encourage students to get AWS certified. We had a long break and many students took advantage of it to get their certification. We are strongly considering making it a requirement for future cohorts. Having an understanding of cloud computing is important and demonstrating this knowledge in the form of a recognized certification has offered a really nice impact and competitive advantage for our students. Another area of certification is in security. Many of our students earned security certifications over the break as well.
How have salaries changed over time for Technical Support Associates?
Jami Cotler Ph.D.: Overtime, I have seen that the competition to hire our students has increased and with this the salaries have also increased. When I first started teaching, some students had a difficult time finding a job after graduating. Now I'm finding that close to 94% of our graduates either have jobs or are enrolled in graduate school when they graduate. Another trend I'm seeing is more students pursuing their PhD directly from undergraduate school rather than going for their master's degree first. The salaries are very competitive for our graduates and companies are offering additional incentives such as free food, longer time off, etc. to find and keep talented students.