What can I expect as a new ICT technician?

[itylea]

Hello there.

 

I am hoping to start as an ICT technician in the new year as a first job in IT. I have had some good tips from dos_box on another forum, who also suggested I ask here.

 

I'm basically trying to get an idea of what to expect from a starting role. I'm happy to put the work in learning, but want to know I can realistically do the job.

 

I run a PC for audio, and also have an Ubuntu boot for net and office. I've picked up a fair bit of knowledge and problem solving skills, but I don't have any in depth knowledge in IT or training in the field. I don't know much about networks or security.

 

If you have any thoughts they would be appreciated.

 

I'm also looking to do some work experience while I'm looking for jobs. Would anyone in London like a free extra pair of hands for a while?

 

edit:ICT technician seems to be the job title

[Alex]

you're going to be asked to do an awful lot of different things. If it's electrical / mechanical and has more than one switch it's your problem!

 

Problems with office application & printers would probably consume a reasonable proportion of your time. Fetching & carrying stuff / moving PCs.

 

The only thing you really need is an apptitude for computer stuff, you'll pick up more complicated stuff as you need to.

 

Oh and Teachers love people who hold their hand through everything, so sitting with someone whilst they do something inanely simple will make you appear wonderful to them.

 

If your interested I could probably put you in touch with the guy who runs if not the, one of the Largest Schools in Europe (North London), but you would need the background check thingy (I forget what it's called). I setup and ran the place for a couple of years before having had enough of schools.

[webman]

From my experience, you'll get asked anything. General duties for a technician can generally include:

 

• Printing out maps off a website when asked by teachers
  
• Assist with desktop applications to staff and pupils
  
• Supervising the kids (ask for training first - they can be clever sh*** when they want to be (and the kids ))
  
• Carrying and shifting
  
• Anything electrical as pointed out by Alex
  
• Setting up portable projectors when required
  
• Cleaning equipment
  
• Maintaining of the school website
  
• "And any other duties" as requested by network manager/headteacher/anybody
  

 

You're in for a rollercoaster ride

[Dos_Box]

I forgot 'Checking train times off the Railtrack website because "It's just to comlicated for me" for any member of staff who needs to make a journey, then being asked to chjeck multiple routes and times'.

 

It's happened to me more than once.

[Alex]

I forgot 'Checking train times off the Railtrack website because "It's just to comlicated for me" for any member of staff who needs to make a journey, then being asked to chjeck multiple routes and times'.

 

It's happened to me more than once.

 

ok, that's my new favourite!

[indiegirl]

Not to forget the resetting of students' passwords - at least once, if not twenty thousand times a day!!!

[itylea]

Thanks. What is the support like? If you're working alone in a school can you normally get help with problems from the ICT service or whatever or is it fend for yourself?

[Ric_]

Thanks. What is the support like? If you're working alone in a school can you normally get help with problems from the ICT service or whatever or is it fend for yourself?

Fend for yourself and ask questions on places like EduGeek.

 

It's also useful to get to know people in the same job as you at neighbouring schools - then you can ring them and shout "HELP!" when all goes wrong

[Dos_Box]

As Ric said. The minute you are employed by a school you are assumed to be the ultimate authority in everything ICT and electronic related, even if your knowlege is lacking in certain areas. Try and get a budget for books and manuals, you'll need them, but most school assume you know everything to begin with, even products which are not to be released for two years yet.

[MkII]

If you dont know something, see if you can factor in training on it. When buying new stuff, include training for yourself on it's use into the price you present to the budget holder.

[itylea]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet really and see what happens. Hopefully the pimps will match me up to a good situation.

[beeswax]

a job description for one IT post I was looking at a couple of years ago insisted that among the duties of whoever was appointed was that the school mini bus was kept in running order, oil topped up etc. Luckily it wasn't even in the small print.

beeswax

[Sirbendy]

ROFL! Really? I could do that....

 

I was a resource tech before an IT Tech, so videos/tvs/DVD units/electrical and electromechanical stuff holds no fear for me. 3 VCRs this week I've had dropped on my desk.

 

Basically, practise patience. Users=muppets. Don't get frustrated, just stay calm, and smile a lot. Even if you mutter "read the f***ing manual, moron" as you walk away.

 

If you're unsure about something, look about. Google it, Edugeek it..just say "I'll look into it", and get back to them when you know.

 

I personally always smile at staff if I'm talking to them, along with using "Sir" or "Miss" as a title when addressing them. It seems to put them off balance a bit.. Just relax, be yourself.

 

As to the kids..yes, inventive little sods. Just remember what you were like at that age, and be eternally cynical. Our kids are perfectly friendly/helpful/courteous to the IT staff, but they usually have an ulterior motive.

 

Just don't let them fluster you. I had one who refused to stay in his lesson yesterday and decided to bug me. I went to move some shelving, and he followed me until I suggested he might want to go elsewhere before I accidentally kneecapped him and limited his movements.

 

As a rule, I get doors held open for me, help if I need it, and frequent hugs from several students..in mitigation though, I am related to 2 of them.

[TechMonkey]

Seems a good time to show myself with some advice.

First hello all

 

Secondly, depending on the school as a new 'unknown' you may be given some grace by the kids, basically start as you mean to go on, so be nice but don't let them get the upper hand. I managed about 2 months of them believing I was some outside person come in to help so they weren't sure what I was and wasn't allowed to, seemed to keep them off and gave them time to work out the boundaries.

 

Boundaries is a good word, work them out quickly, teachers and kids to you. If you don't want to be stuck doing a really stupid job forever dont do it the first time, or let them know you are doing it as a one off.

 

Say hi and morning to peopl ein the corridors, puts them off balance, especially the kids, and they get the idea you're terminally happy so you get a wide bearth

 

Know you're limits! worst thing possible is for it to appear you know everything and then a kid test you on something and be, supposedly in their eyes, caught out. Also when to just say no is another hard but good one to know. Have had a staff border on the stamp their foot and have a strop in our office but taught her we weren't here just for her. Was an impressive strop though!

 

The advice about saying you'll "look into it" is great. Say it to everything you are given in the middle of the corridor or out of the blue and you get time to go away and either think about it or prioritise it to later!

 

Remain calm but don't be afraid to really let rip at a kid if they are out of line. If you are normally calm and patient doing this has a great effect and sets an example. Only had to do this once in my first term & it seemed to set the line. Comes back to boundaries.

 

& if you're not on your own, and if it's you're cup of tea, get in with the teachers that do trips. Can get to some fantastic places, you get to know the staff better so don't get left and out as 'just support staff', and get to know the kids sometimes which does make it feel worthwhile (but dont get to know them too well, that gets you in trouble.... or embaressed!)

 

Most importantly never refrain from walking into you office/server room/the loo/far end of the field and having a loud YELL. Always helps

 

Hope it helps and hope you enjoy it

 

Wow, that turned into an almost epic first post!

[ajbritton]

I would say that before you take on tasks like those that Dos_Box mentions, you should remind yourself that if you do it once, you'll be expected to do it again, and for everyone else to!

 

In general, IT people go out of there way to help those less able, and I've seen this become a problem several times. It's OK when you've got plenty of time, but you have to be prepared to tell people NO when there are other priorities.

 

Good luck!

[ken_kaniff]

holding a sheet of paper (anything will do) and looking agitated whilst periodically appearing to read from your sheet of paper is a good technique for getting from A to B without being ambushed by $randomStudent or $randomTeacher with poinlessQuery(). Headshaking and overenthusiastic tutting are optional extras but work well in conjucntion with the above.

[GrumbleDook]

Hold a mobile to your ear and talk loudly into it ...

 

"What do you mean, the server is on fire? Well ... push it out the window then ... stop being a wuss, it will only give you third degree burns ... that's the mark of a *proper* techie ... bleedin' youth of today ... don't know when you've got it easy ... Now what? You are on fire?!? ... take your clothes off then ..."

 

I am sure it will make people leave you alone and let you get where you are going.

 

You may have to give another techie a few small burns so that the staff / students believe you, but that is a minor price to pay.

[Sirbendy]

if all else fails, you could always stop them in the middle of their forced conversation, cock your head to the side and look like you're concentrating, then mutter "they're in pain..I hear them..the servers are screaming...OH MY GOD!!" and run off in totally the opposite direction...

 

I'm blessed with sensitive hearing, and it's not unknown for me to walk into a room, stop, tip my head to the side, listen and then say "bugger..your PC needs a service" because I can hear the fan pitch isn't in the "normal range".

 

It's always staggered me that you walk into a suite of 35 PCs, and you can always hear when there's a discordant whine amongst all of them.

[pete]

Ensure everyone is clear where responsibilites lie and enforce them, this will save you grief in the long run.

 

for example:

 

1) Here, no-one but IT staff (technical) are allowed to change / install / decide on anything network or computer related.

2) Curriculum software has to be approved (for compatability / playing nicely with other systems) by technical staff, who have final say.

3) Some staff can install software on their laptop provided we have a valid license / it's OS / free for educational use but we will not support software we haven't installed / approved.

 

Establish boundaries - if you want to set aside undisturbed time (Friday afternoon or whatever) to get work done, make this clear from the start.

 

If you're the only IT guy there, try and get a someone in the SMT as your line manager (or hope the senior IT guy has them as line manager).

 

Additionally:

 

During interview stages, try to walk round the site with an IT guy / talk to him out of earshot of teachers / SMT. Work out what's really going on. If you can, when they offer you the job, ask for a final lookaround with him before you decide whether to take it.

 

Of course, while this worked for me, YMMV.

[Sirbendy]

Us? Ordered to do something stupid? Doesn't happen..

 

My line manager is the network manager, his line manager is the deputy head..we have weekly consult meetings of the IT Team and deputy head, and it has been commented on that we are the most "tight knit" department in the school.

 

Oooh yes, if during interview you're taken round by a student or teacher on a tour, file the spiel they feed you under "suspicious, uncorroborated tosh", and don't take it as gospel. The kids told me this place was great, sang it's praises etc...didn't tell me about all the staff in-fighting, the (then) low morale, and the fact that not all kids were like the appointed "guide". IE, they were little sods.

 

It's improved a lot though..new management, new staff..I've been here 6 years, which makes me an "old man", as I'm the only member of IT thats been here since before the NGFL network went in, and can remember what this school was like, which is why when the new staff say "they're horrible!", I just grin and say "nah.".

[intrigue]

My only advice is dont be scared to say "im not sure but ill find out and get back to you"

 

The internet has the answer for everything and you can teach yourself everything IT from there so if you cant or dont know how to do something then go and find out.

 

I have been on four or five courses which didnt teach me much (other then the XML and ASP.net course) and have had no other formal training other then teaching myself and i can quite competantly deal with most problems.

 

Also if its not working dont treat the machine like a puppy thats broke its leg, get in there get the job done and dont be scared to make the odd mistake just try to make sure you have some way of rectifying the mistake.

Thanks

.matt

[Sirbendy]

another point-mug up on MP3 players and operational methods.. I've just been handed my 3rd MP3 player to "make it work"..heh. It's called RTfrickingM..

[pshuttle]

What can you expect?

 

Well crap pay for one!

 

Lots of presents and things at Christmas but lots of pressure during the year...

 

Pete

[Sirbendy]

ROFL...too true. They're a bit stuck with me..I don't drink..

[rupturedtoad]

You'll get asked to sort out problems with teacher's home machines. Some will even consider it part of your job to keep their home box going. (we had a teacher bring his home system in without asking first - it sat there untouched for a week before he got the hint)

 

Although doing the odd upgrade for staff can be rewarding, you can get sucked in to being their personal technician bitch for life.