Career Objectives for a Computer Technician

Computers have become an integral part of people's everyday lives, whether at home, work or school. When a problem occurs, we turn to a computer technician, or computer support specialist, to solve it.

Technical Support Specialist

A technical support specialist responds to issues from organizations' computer users. They may solve problems with automatic diagnostic programs. They may also install, clean, modify and repair software and hardware.

Help-Desk Technician

Help-desk technicians are front-line customer support and deal directly with company issues. They provide a source of feedback on products.

Qualifications

A bachelor's degree is often required to become a computer technician; however, certification and experience may be sufficient.

Advancement

Job promotion typically depends on work performance, as well as a continuation of formal education.

Salary

According to the 2008 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer technicians earn an annual median wage of $43,450. Some computer technicians may reach the high range of $70,750.

References

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer Specialists
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Computer Support Specialists and System Administrators

Resources

• Information Technology Association of America
• National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies