Computer Service and Repair Technician

Hours

You would normally work 37 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Shiftwork may be necessary if your employer offers out-of-hours technical cover.
As a field technician your job would involve travel to visit clients on site. In an IT support department, you would be office-based but spend time with staff at their workstations.

Income

• Starting salaries are between £14,000 and £17,000 a year.
• Experienced staff earn between £18,000 and £25,000.
• Senior staff with management responsibility can earn up to £30,000 a year.

Opportunities

Typical employers include the civil service, the NHS, schools and colleges, contact centres and IT manufacturers. You may also find jobs with IT support contractors.
With experience, you could become a senior technician within a department. Alternatively you could set up your own company, supporting small to medium sized businesses, or working in the home PC repair market.
You could also use your IT skills to move into helpdesk support, network engineering, IT security, database administration, training or technical sales.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading.

Entry Requirements

You could start work without formal qualifications if you have a good enough working knowledge of computer systems and software. However, you may improve your chances of finding work by taking a computer maintenance qualification at college, for example:

• BTEC National Certificate and Diploma for IT Practitioners (Systems Support) Level 3
• City & Guilds IT Practitioners Diploma Level 2
• OCR Certificate and Diploma for IT Practitioners levels 1 and 2
• EAL Diploma in Advanced Personal Computer (PC) Maintenance Level 3
• CompTIA A+ Certification.

You may be able to get into this career through an apprenticeship scheme with an IT company or as part of a technical support team in a larger company. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit the Apprenticeships website.

The Work

As a computer service and repair technician you would install, maintain and repair computer systems and equipment.
You might work as a member of an IT support team in a large organisation, on commercial contracts for an IT servicing company, or as a field technician for a computer manufacturer. Alternatively, you might run your own PC repair and upgrade business.
Your day-to-day tasks would include:

• installing new IT systems
• upgrading existing hardware and software
• visiting home users to set up their PCs or fix faulty equipment
• testing systems to make sure they are working properly
• servicing printers, scanners and other office equipment (known as peripherals)
• preparing estimates for new installations
• carrying out routine administration like organising staff rotas.

Skills and Knowledge

• a thorough knowledge of operating systems, hardware and common software
• good communication and customer service skills
• excellent problem-solving skills
• a patient and methodical approach
• the ability to meet deadlines
• a willingness to keep up to date with IT developments
• an awareness of electrical safety issues.