Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.
| Job Prospects | Good, employment growth for this occupation is expected to be strong to 2010. |
|---|---|
| Salary Range | $25,000 to $46,000 |
| Brief | You've just forgotten your computer password and are unable to gain access to your student records. The help desk support officer is the person equipped to deal with such problems. There are approximately 2,000 people working as help desk support staff in South Australia. Employment is mostly full-time with the majority working in the Property and Business Services industry. Most persons in this occupation are males with the main age group between 25-34 years. |
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TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: ICT Help Desk Support Officer
Introduction
Information technology figures strongly in our lives, but not all of us are computer literate. To overcome this problem, many large companies and educational institutions employ help desk support personnel to answer their user community's wide range of questions.
Most help desk support personnel need to have a broad knowledge of the information technology systems that are used in the organisation where they provide help. They must also be knowledgeable about the different software packages and databases that are available. Helping people access group servers or lost files are part and parcel of this job. Help Desk Coordinator John, says his day typically involves answering a barrage of phone calls from people who have forgotten their passwords or whose computers won't work. He also deals with over the counter problems from students and staff. ''Most problems can be dealt with immediately, but if this is not possible, the call or query is logged and the problem is passed on to a technician.'' Help desk support personnel who work for hardware and software companies may assist customers by telephone to install and use specific products.
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Education Requirements
There are 24% of IT Help desk Support workers who have Bachelor Degrees, 15% have Certificate III or Certificate IV, 10% have Advanced Diplomas or Diplomas, 6% have Certificate I or Certificate II. There are 37% who have no post-school qualifications however it is recommended that you gain the available qualifications to get the best possible chance of employment.
TAFE SA offer the following courses to help you find employment in this occupation; Certificate I and II in Information Technology, Certificate IV Information Technology (General), Certificate III in Computer Systems Equipment and the Diploma of Computer Systems Engineering. Still Unsure! Then enrol in a short course also offered through TAFE SA such as Introduction to Computers. For further information about these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au.
Career Path
Help desk staff are most needed when there is a new or updated system being installed. Users will have questions and need help until they become familiar with the new software or hardware's operation. Internet Service Providers and many Internet sites now have Help Desks to assist users. The demand for such help is predicted to continue to grow as more and more new users come to the site or service. "The help desk role will not go out of fashion. As the IT technologies grow and change, companies will always need people to facilitate the gaps in the knowledge," says a Recruitment spokesperson. According to another industry source, one of the areas of growth for help desk support staff will be a web-based knowledge management location where help desk staff will document each new enquiry and post it as a web page. Callers to the help desk will first be asked to do a search on the database before the call is answered.
Industry
Property and Business Services
Interview
To be updated.
Nature of the Job
The working environment for help desk support officers can be quite stressful. When people have deadlines to meet and their inadequate computer knowledge hinders their progress, tension can arise. Hence it pays to have excellent communication skills and be able to solve problems quickly and effectively. Patience and diplomacy come into play when dealing with a vast range of people from clerks, to students, to CEO's, all with different levels of IT knowledge. Be prepared to answer the same question fifty times a day!
On some occasions, when a computer technician is unavailable, the help desk support person is required to provide basic technical support. According to John, it is a great way for someone to develop their computer skills. "It is an excellent place to learn a lot of varied, computer support skills," he says. Help desk support staff are employed mainly in IT companies but many medium to large sized companies and organisations also need a help desk team.
Typical Physical Working Environment
Help desk support staff should have a strong client focus and genuine desire to assist. It is essential that they have good analytical skills, good communication skills and persistence. They should also have a methodical and disciplined approach to problem solving. They must also be able to work as part of a team and be patient and tolerant. It is important that they have a technical aptitude with regards to computers.
Typical Occupational Example
According to an IT recruitment specialist, there are three levels for help desk support staff, and as officers gain more experience and their skills increase, they can move from level 1 to level 3. Problems which can't be solved by the Level 1 Help Desk support staff are 'escalated' up to a Level 2 or 3 officer. Alternatively, you can move from help desk into help desk management or to a 'hands on' role where you actually visit the user or client site to fix problems.
For further information, contact:
Australian Computer Society
Level 3, 160 Clarence St Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9299 3666
Fax: (02) 9299 3997
Email: info@acs.org.au
Internet Address: http://www.acs.org.au
ElectroComms and EnergyUtilities Industry Skills Council Ltd
Ground Floor 68 Campbell St Surry Hills NSW 2010
Ph: (02) 9280 2566
Fax: (02) 9280 1600
Email: ee-oz@ee-oz.com.au
Internet Address: http://www.ee-oz.com.au
Earning Potential
The starting salary is about $25,000 per year and may go as high as $46,000 for those with more specialised skills.
Further Information
For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or email tafeinfo@saugov.sa.gov.au
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This Career Profile information was last modified: 5/05/2010 1:40:10 PM
The information was accurate at the time of publication. TAFE SA and their agents reserve the right to make any changes necessary
