A Career Guide to Becoming an IT Engineer

Information Technology (or IT for short) is very much a part of our daily lives and is something that we might take for granted at times. For example, when IT processes are functioning we don’t tend to give them a second thought, but if there comes a time where something stops working properly, all hell can break loose!

Should you be looking for a change of career and are good with computers, and have a troubleshooting mindset, have you ever thought about becoming an IT engineer? If you have, then here is what you need to know on the subject!

A day in the life of an IT technician

An IT technician typically works on-site or on a remote basis using email, the telephone or remote access software. They will usually be working on some or all of the following tasks, either for just one company or organisation, or for multiple customers:

• Troubleshooting - speaking with customers to determine specific details of any faults. This may involve asking them to perform some steps on their computer or peripheral equipment in order to diagnose the source of any problems;

• Logging faults - an IT technician will usually be required to keep a record of any faults occurring on company or customer equipment, so that progress of any repair work can be tracked by all key stakeholders;

• Repair work - this can include mending desktop and laptop computers, peripheral equipment such as printers and scanners, and network equipment like switches, routers and cabling;

• Installation of software and hardware - one task most IT technicians will be commonly asked to do is set up new computer systems and software for employees and customers. There may also be an element of training involved.

Working hours

If you get a job as an IT technician, you would usually be required to working between 37.5 and 40 hours a week, although many roles require you to be on-call and do shift work, which may also include working weekends and bank holidays.

People who are employed as IT technicians tend to work as part of a team of technicians, either based from an office or as field technicians working on-site. Depending on the requirements for your role, you may need to travel a lot as part of your job to customer sites or to different premises owned by your employer.

Money

New junior or graduate IT technicians can expect to earn a starting salary of between -£18,000 and -£22,000 a year, whilst those with more experience under their belt (and qualifications) can expect to earn up to -£30,000 a year. If you start work as an IT technician and eventually get promoted to a senior member of staff with management responsibilities, you could potentially earn more than -£30,000 a year.

Skills and qualifications required

Aside from having a good working knowledge of computers and associated technology, you would need to have a good level of secondary school education, such as in GCSEs and A-Levels, and some formal IT-related qualifications like the following:

• CompTIA A+ certification;

• CompTIA Network+ certification;

• Bachelor of Computer Science degree from university.

Some junior positions within the industry offer apprenticeship or training schemes to help you learn as you earn, albeit with a lower initial salary until you become qualified.

The good news is that that there is an abundance of IT engineer roles within the UK, and there is a plethora of recruitment agencies such as the Orion Group who are able to help you secure a new job in the industry.