Computer Support Specialists

High School

Any technical courses you can take, such as computer science, schematic drawing, or electronics, can help you develop the logical and analytical thinking skills necessary to be successful in this field. Courses in math and science are also valuable for this reason. Since computer support specialists have to deal with both computer programmers and software designers on the one hand, and computer users who may not know anything about computers and/or the Internet on the other, you should take English and speech classes to improve your verbal and written communications skills. Taking a foreign language, such as Spanish, will be useful since you may need to assist people who do not speak English as their first language.

Postsecondary Education

Computer support is a field as old as computer technology itself, so it might seem odd that postsecondary programs in this field are not more common or standardized. The reason behind this situation is relatively simple: formal education curricula cannot keep up with the changes, nor can they provide specific training on individual products. (With that said, a small, but growing, number of colleges and universities are beginning to offer degrees in computer support.) Some large corporations might consider educational background, both as a way to weed out applicants and to ensure a certain level of proficiency. Most major computer companies, however, look for energetic individuals who demonstrate a willingness and ability to learn new things quickly and who have general computer knowledge. These employers count on training new support specialists themselves.

Individuals interested in pursuing a job in this field should first determine what area of computer support appeals to them the most and then honestly assess their level of experience and knowledge. Large corporations often prefer to hire people with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or information systems, and who have some experience. They may also be impressed with commercial certification in a computer field, such as networking. However, if they are hiring from within the company, they will probably weigh experience more heavily than education when making a final decision.

Employed individuals looking for a career change may want to commit themselves to a program of self-study in order to be qualified for computer support positions. Many computer professionals learn a lot of what they know by playing around on computers, reading trade magazines, and talking with colleagues. Self-taught individuals should learn how to effectively demonstrate their knowledge and proficiency on the job or during an interview. Besides self-training, employed individuals should investigate tuition reimbursement programs offered by their company.

High school students with no experience should seriously consider earning an associate’s degree in a computer-related technology. The degree shows the prospective employer that the applicant has attained a certain level of proficiency with computers and has the intellectual ability to learn technical processes, a promising sign for success on the job.

There are many computer technology programs that lead to an associate’s degree. A specialization in personal computer support and administration is certainly applicable to work in computer support. Most computer professionals eventually need to go back to school to earn a bachelor’s degree in order to keep themselves competitive in the job market and prepare themselves for promotion to other computer fields.

Once hired, computer support specialists also receive on-the-job training that can last from one week to one year. Most training lasts an average of three months.

Certification

A growing number of colleges and universities offer certificate programs in computer support, general computer science, and specialty areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Certificate programs are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats, and typically last six months to a year. One such opportunity is provided by Santa Ana College (in Santa Ana, California), which offers a information technology support specialist certificate. Students must complete the following classes to earn the certificate: The Computer and Society; IT Help Desk Fundamentals; Windows Operating System; A+ Essentials Hardware; A+ Essentials Software; and Cooperative Work Experience. Students also have the chance to earn industry certifications. Visit https://sac.edu/AcademicProgs/Business/ComputerScience/Pages/help-desk-cert.aspx for more information.

Other Education or Training

The Association for Computing Machinery (http://www.acm.org) offers online training courses and other career-development resources. Student and professional members of the ACM can access online computing and business courses via the association’s Learning Center. Visit http://learning.acm.org for more information. The IEEE Computer Society offers career planning webinars and continuing education courses to its members. Visit https://www.computer.org/education for more information. The Association of Support Specialists (http://asponline.com) also offers workshops and seminars.