Careers in Educational IT Support

[crc-ict]

Dear All,

I will be finishing my degree later on this year and the time is coming to look towards leaving my part-time primary school tech job and heading off into the big world of real work.

All along I have been intending to continue with the educational tech route, but tutors at Uni seem to be very keen to discourage me from this, citing higher salaries and better prospects in commercial sectors. My heart is really still in educational IT though.

I was hoping some of you good people might be able to offer some suggestions about the best way into get into educational IT, and some ideas about the potential for career development. I'm guessing there would be more, and better, openings in secondary or further education, and that there would presumably be potential to progress from school-based posts towards more supervisory roles with the LEA/LA as experience grows?

Any advice, suggestions or tips anyone could provide would be very much appreciated, either here, by PM or e-mail via my profile.

Thanks to all

[Ric_]

I like working in a school - even though you have to put up with the kids (no I DON'T get that warm fuzzy feeling seeing them learn).

You get to be your own boss most of the time and you are able to work in a wide variety of areas, rather than being The Exchange Guy or The Desktop Support Guy, etc.

It's true that the pay can seriously suck but there are some better paid jobs about (particularly in private schools and those that have more money than sense).

Schools also tend to require less experience than jobs in the commercial sector and are less qualification-oriented which means that they can also be a good stepping stone.

[john]

It's true that the pay can seriously suck but there are some better paid jobs about (particularly in private schools and those that have more money than sense).

Computer says no.......... Pay is defo not always better in the private sector