How to Become an IT Support Technician

Want to become an IT support technician in Ireland? We’ll walk you through the steps you need to take to start a career in this area.

If you think you might have what it takes, you’ve come to the right place. In the following guide, we will cover what an IT support technician does, the average salary point you can expect to take home, and how you can kickstart your career in this sector. Here’s what you need to know.

An IT support technician can work in a whole variety of businesses — both private and commercial. As the name suggests, you will be providing support to people when it comes to the technology they use. Most often, this means helping them use computers, although you may also need to offer advice on smartphones, tablets, and other technology. 

Most of the time, you will find yourself at a help desk, answering questions as they come in. On any given workday, you may find yourself dealing with the following tasks:

The modern world relies heavily on technology. For that reason, there are many IT support technician roles available. Be sure to be picky when it comes to finding the right position for you. You can work in a variety of businesses, depending on your skill set. 

Now that you know what an IT support technician does, let’s talk about how much you can expect to make. The average IT support technician salary in Ireland is €29,865, according to Payscale. That amount is based on full-time hours. If you choose to work part-time or as a contractor, you can expect to take home a different amount each month. 

You should also keep in mind that the amount you make will depend on a few factors. These include where in Ireland you work and live, the type of business for which you work, your education level, and the amount of experience you have. IT professionals can demand a higher pay grade as they move through their careers. Put simply, the longer you have been working in this fast-paced field, the more money you can expect to take home.

Ready to get started and become an IT support technician? If so, you may be wondering what qualifications you will need. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a bachelor’s degree to make it in this career. No, there are plenty of different routes here. 

For example, you may decide to undertake an apprenticeship or a college course to give you the qualifications you need. If you want to study part-time, you can also look at online courses. Taking a course in IT, programming, cyber security, and coding can give you the skills needed to find work in this industry. No matter where you are starting from, you can be sure that there’s a route into this role that is well-suited to your needs. 

To give you an idea of the qualifications you need, take a look at some of the job postings for entry-level IT professionals in your area. That way, you will understand what local companies are looking for when it comes to the role of IT support technician. 

Think that you have what it takes to become an IT support technician? To make it in this job role, you will need a firm set of technological and interpersonal skills. Having a mix of these means that you can not only understand the computer systems but also relay that information to your colleagues. With that in mind, you will need these skills under your belt:

Often enough, you will find the above skill set listed in the job description. In some cases, you may find that there are additional skills that are applicable directly to the company at hand. For example, if you plan to be working for a hospital, you may need to have a working knowledge of general healthcare. Be sure to read each listing thoroughly before you apply. 

If you want to become a fully-fledged IT support technician, you will need some work experience. You can get started by applying for entry-level roles in this field. Understanding how technicians work will put you in a prime position. If you decide to go down the apprenticeship route, you may choose to do an internship at a local company. This option allows you to strengthen your technical skills and gain some experience. 

When you have landed a job as an IT support technician, you may be asking yourself what’s next. If you work your way up in this career, you may find that you can become a team leader or even a department manager. Your progression opportunities will depend on the business itself. However, the more experience you have here, the better your chances.