Future of IT Support.

[flyinghaggis]

The fear I have for the future of educational IT support work isn't that we'll be out of a job. We can all see that there's an ever increasing dependence on IT systems in education (and all business sectors) so clearly that isn't an issue in the short term. The worry I have is what level of IT jobs will remain in educational IT.

 

With an ever diversifying portfolio of kit to look after the role of technical support is even more of a jack-of-all-trades one than it was previously in the days when it was purely a Windows Server/client, AV and networking job. The problem seems to be one where non-teaching staff increasingly have no input over the direction of technology in education. Given the lack of training, support and development in schools the only outcome I can see in future is the more skilled/specialist IT work being outsourced. I don't know whether it's down to politics or budget limitations but there seems to be no will to offer any career progression for non-teaching staff in schools.

 

It doesn't work this way in other public sector organisations so I'm not sure why education seems to be different?

Edited March 2, 2017 by flyinghaggis

[pcstru]

It doesn't work this way in other public sector organisations so I'm not sure why education seems to be different?

Pedant point, it's not education, it is just schools (and to be fair not even all of them).

[pcstru]

It doesn't work this way in other public sector organisations so I'm not sure why education seems to be different?

Pedant point, it's not education, it is just schools (and to be fair not even all of them).

[flyinghaggis]

Pedant point, it's not education, it is just schools (and to be fair not even all of them).

 

Fair point, but for myself and all of the people I've spoken to on here and elsewhere have commented the same thing in education so it's far from just my own personal experience. Contrast that to people I've discussed the same with in the NHS/Council/etc (or industry generally) and the responses regarding CPD/training were very different.

 

What level of CPD is offered at your place of work for example (if you're comfortable discussing it)? Or if anyone else wants to chime in what kind of CPD/Training is offered by their school/LEA/etc?

Edited March 2, 2017 by flyinghaggis

[flyinghaggis]

Pedant point, it's not education, it is just schools (and to be fair not even all of them).

 

Fair point, but for myself and all of the people I've spoken to on here and elsewhere have commented the same thing in education so it's far from just my own personal experience. Contrast that to people I've discussed the same with in the NHS/Council/etc (or industry generally) and the responses regarding CPD/training were very different.

 

What level of CPD is offered at your place of work for example (if you're comfortable discussing it)? Or if anyone else wants to chime in what kind of CPD/Training is offered by their school/LEA/etc?

Edited March 2, 2017 by flyinghaggis

[2ilent8cho]

The move to more mobile and cloud solutions is where the world is going, so if you only know Microsoft Windows you might be in for a shock in a few years if that trend continues. Look at this graph

 

Operating system market share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats

 

Windows has lost half its usage share to mobile devices in just 3 years.

 

Now in the school office i very much doubt the desktop class OS is going anywhere due to the nature of the job, but the end users i.e. the kids, mobile solutions like iPads are being used more, we support over 750 of them now, and 3 years ago we had 0. We also went from 5 IT suites to 2.

 

So what we are actually supporting in schools is undergoing a big change, just look at the amount of threads about OneDrive.....

[2ilent8cho]

The move to more mobile and cloud solutions is where the world is going, so if you only know Microsoft Windows you might be in for a shock in a few years if that trend continues. Look at this graph

 

Operating system market share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats

 

Windows has lost half its usage share to mobile devices in just 3 years.

 

Now in the school office i very much doubt the desktop class OS is going anywhere due to the nature of the job, but the end users i.e. the kids, mobile solutions like iPads are being used more, we support over 750 of them now, and 3 years ago we had 0. We also went from 5 IT suites to 2.

 

So what we are actually supporting in schools is undergoing a big change, just look at the amount of threads about OneDrive.....

[localzuk]

The move to more mobile and cloud solutions is where the world is going, so if you only know Microsoft Windows you might be in for a shock in a few years if that trend continues. Look at this graph

Operating system market share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats

Windows has lost half its usage share to mobile devices in just 3 years.

 

Market share is a misleading statistic really. The number of Windows PCs hasn't suddenly shrunk, they've just been augmented by other devices.

 

Now in the school office i very much doubt the desktop class OS is going anywhere due to the nature of the job,

 

I wouldn't be so sure. A heck of a lot of systems are moving to cloud based versions - MIS, finance systems, email, office suites, the list goes on. Admin machines are one of the things I see becoming less likely to be a Windows machine really.

 

but the end users i.e. the kids, mobile solutions like iPads are being used more, we support over 750 of them now, and 3 years ago we had 0. We also went from 5 IT suites to 2.

 

iPads are fine for consuming information and for creative things (music, for example), but they are not a suitable device for Computing/ICT. They're no use for typing up work still. However, the use of them is an increase in use of technology - they are augmenting existing IT provision. Schools still have suites (even if fewer of them), to cover the subjects that need them.

So what we are actually supporting in schools is undergoing a big change, just look at the amount of threads about OneDrive.....

 

I am still of the view that moving your core data out into the cloud is a Bad Idea. We won't be making that jump for a long while. OneDrive is a great additional service for sharing information between users, but it is not, in my view, a suitable replacement for a server in your school providing your storage needs. Especially as servers are relatively cheap.

[localzuk]

The move to more mobile and cloud solutions is where the world is going, so if you only know Microsoft Windows you might be in for a shock in a few years if that trend continues. Look at this graph

Operating system market share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats

Windows has lost half its usage share to mobile devices in just 3 years.

 

Market share is a misleading statistic really. The number of Windows PCs hasn't suddenly shrunk, they've just been augmented by other devices.

 

Now in the school office i very much doubt the desktop class OS is going anywhere due to the nature of the job,

 

I wouldn't be so sure. A heck of a lot of systems are moving to cloud based versions - MIS, finance systems, email, office suites, the list goes on. Admin machines are one of the things I see becoming less likely to be a Windows machine really.

 

but the end users i.e. the kids, mobile solutions like iPads are being used more, we support over 750 of them now, and 3 years ago we had 0. We also went from 5 IT suites to 2.

 

iPads are fine for consuming information and for creative things (music, for example), but they are not a suitable device for Computing/ICT. They're no use for typing up work still. However, the use of them is an increase in use of technology - they are augmenting existing IT provision. Schools still have suites (even if fewer of them), to cover the subjects that need them.

So what we are actually supporting in schools is undergoing a big change, just look at the amount of threads about OneDrive.....

 

I am still of the view that moving your core data out into the cloud is a Bad Idea. We won't be making that jump for a long while. OneDrive is a great additional service for sharing information between users, but it is not, in my view, a suitable replacement for a server in your school providing your storage needs. Especially as servers are relatively cheap.

[pcstru]

Fair point, but for myself and all of the people I've spoken to on here and elsewhere have commented the same thing in education so it's far from just my own personal experience. Contrast that to people I've discussed the same with in the NHS/Council/etc (or industry generally) and the responses regarding CPD/training were very different.

I agree with that but the situation in colleges and universities is different and some schools are better than others.

What level of CPD is offered at your place of work for example (if you're comfortable discussing it)? Or if anyone else wants to chime in what kind of CPD/Training is offered by their school/LEA/etc?

 

We offer a reasonable level of CPD - but that is not necessarily anything to do with a career path, just ensuring people have the support and development (mentoring and training) they need to perform to the capability the job requires. In terms of promotion, I am about to create a senior technician role and expect that our technician will apply and should stand a good chance of getting it. In the past we have promoted, but the opportunity to do so arose mostly due to restructuring.

 

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

[pcstru]

Fair point, but for myself and all of the people I've spoken to on here and elsewhere have commented the same thing in education so it's far from just my own personal experience. Contrast that to people I've discussed the same with in the NHS/Council/etc (or industry generally) and the responses regarding CPD/training were very different.

I agree with that but the situation in colleges and universities is different and some schools are better than others.

What level of CPD is offered at your place of work for example (if you're comfortable discussing it)? Or if anyone else wants to chime in what kind of CPD/Training is offered by their school/LEA/etc?

 

We offer a reasonable level of CPD - but that is not necessarily anything to do with a career path, just ensuring people have the support and development (mentoring and training) they need to perform to the capability the job requires. In terms of promotion, I am about to create a senior technician role and expect that our technician will apply and should stand a good chance of getting it. In the past we have promoted, but the opportunity to do so arose mostly due to restructuring.

 

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

[flyinghaggis]

Before we get derailed discussing specific technologies I think it's important to say I only mentioned Microsoft as a reference to how things used to be and not an endorsement of their platform! We're far from a Microsoft shop these days and have to support the full gamut of Google, Apple and MS platforms and technologies.

 

The issue to me isn't the changes in technology or the specific platforms we have to support. I'm perfectly happy learning new technologies but my concern is that within education there seems to exist this expectation that supporting any technology staff buy in or adopt is immediately our job and we shouldn't expect any incentive, support or time in school to do it.

 

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

 

You know, perhaps I've been in education too long and I'm wrong to expect training for systems I have to support or any input into the direction of IT within education! It certainly isn't happening anyway so maybe I should take that as a hint of things to come....!

Edited March 2, 2017 by flyinghaggis

[flyinghaggis]

Before we get derailed discussing specific technologies I think it's important to say I only mentioned Microsoft as a reference to how things used to be and not an endorsement of their platform! We're far from a Microsoft shop these days and have to support the full gamut of Google, Apple and MS platforms and technologies.

 

The issue to me isn't the changes in technology or the specific platforms we have to support. I'm perfectly happy learning new technologies but my concern is that within education there seems to exist this expectation that supporting any technology staff buy in or adopt is immediately our job and we shouldn't expect any incentive, support or time in school to do it.

 

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

 

You know, perhaps I've been in education too long and I'm wrong to expect training for systems I have to support or any input into the direction of IT within education! It certainly isn't happening anyway so maybe I should take that as a hint of things to come....!

Edited March 2, 2017 by flyinghaggis

[pcstru]

You know, perhaps I've been in education too long I'm wrong to expect training for systems I have to support. There's no sign of it changing anyway.....!

I think we (you or I or perhaps a bit of both) are conflating career progression with systems implementation activities (some of which should be appropriate training to allow use, administration and maintenance of the system). To be clear, I'm certainly not referring to the latter in the text of mine you quoted.

[pcstru]

You know, perhaps I've been in education too long I'm wrong to expect training for systems I have to support. There's no sign of it changing anyway.....!

I think we (you or I or perhaps a bit of both) are conflating career progression with systems implementation activities (some of which should be appropriate training to allow use, administration and maintenance of the system). To be clear, I'm certainly not referring to the latter in the text of mine you quoted.

[flyinghaggis]

I think we (you or I or perhaps a bit of both) are conflating career progression with systems implementation activities (some of which should be appropriate training to allow use, administration and maintenance of the system). To be clear, I'm certainly not referring to the latter in the text of mine you quoted.

 

A bit of both I guess. My health over the last year hasn't been great and I've been finding it difficult to devote the time I normally do to keeping up a technical training regime outside work. Also, lack of input and direction from my place of work has left me wondering what to even study?

 

This is largely why I'm so concerned about the issue of training/CPD and the expectations surrounding it.

[flyinghaggis]

I think we (you or I or perhaps a bit of both) are conflating career progression with systems implementation activities (some of which should be appropriate training to allow use, administration and maintenance of the system). To be clear, I'm certainly not referring to the latter in the text of mine you quoted.

 

A bit of both I guess. My health over the last year hasn't been great and I've been finding it difficult to devote the time I normally do to keeping up a technical training regime outside work. Also, lack of input and direction from my place of work has left me wondering what to even study?

 

This is largely why I'm so concerned about the issue of training/CPD and the expectations surrounding it.

[pcstru]

A bit of both I guess. My health over the last year hasn't been great and I've been finding it difficult to devote the time I normally do to keeping up a technical training regime outside work. Also, lack of input and direction from my place of work has left me wondering what to even study?

 

This is largely why I'm so concerned about the issue of training/CPD and the expectations surrounding it.

 

I'd say our school is much better on the issue of training; I do expect people to be able to learn new stuff from books or the web (as opposed to a formal, supervised training course) but I do not expect them to do it in their own time or if they need books/materials, we will buy them. Generally it is for us (management) to map out the journey and then the user/admin/support to tread that path. We generally do allocate time for people to develop their skills. Here it should be part of the implementation project but occasionally we have to play catchup, but we do not expect that to have to happen outside of working hours.

[pcstru]

A bit of both I guess. My health over the last year hasn't been great and I've been finding it difficult to devote the time I normally do to keeping up a technical training regime outside work. Also, lack of input and direction from my place of work has left me wondering what to even study?

 

This is largely why I'm so concerned about the issue of training/CPD and the expectations surrounding it.

 

I'd say our school is much better on the issue of training; I do expect people to be able to learn new stuff from books or the web (as opposed to a formal, supervised training course) but I do not expect them to do it in their own time or if they need books/materials, we will buy them. Generally it is for us (management) to map out the journey and then the user/admin/support to tread that path. We generally do allocate time for people to develop their skills. Here it should be part of the implementation project but occasionally we have to play catchup, but we do not expect that to have to happen outside of working hours.

[Ephelyon]

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

 

I agree it's a myth at the moment, although I do think a more regulated IT profession managed by the BCS and other international equivalents could be incredibly helpful. By this, I mean a structure perhaps similar to the medical (or legal) profession - example image attached. So your actual position and job title with your employer would of course continue to vary according to their requirements, but individual professionals would also hold some manner of "rank", such as Junior, Practitioner, Senior, Consultant etc. That would serve three purposes that can be sorely lacking at the moment:

 

1) Providing some semblance of career structure, progression and professional recognition for individuals, regardless of the sector they happen to work in (as IT is everywhere);

2) Providing employers with some idea of the quality of the people they're getting in (as was attempted for schools with the BECTA Skills Framework), to make IT less of a "dark art";

3) Providing rigour and discipline for IT professionals - who could face being struck off by their professional body for e.g. malpractice around stealing corporate secrets - as opposed to having to go through the courts every time (which is not to say you wouldn't do that also).

 

I know the BCS already offer RITTech and Chartered status, but what I'm talking about is a finer and more involved grading structure that is actually mandatory for IT professionals, all of whom must be licensed to practise in just the same way that doctors, lawyers and electricians are.

 

(Just tagging @GrumbleDook here as these are issues we've discussed in the past.)

Edited March 2, 2017 by Ephelyon

[Ephelyon]

IMO the existence of defined "career paths" in the public and private sector IT jobs is largely a myth. The way to progress any career is to move jobs and in doing that, you need to look beyond the confines of your existing employer. Well, ok, that is the way to progress your career if YOU want to be in control of it. In here I think people sometimes seem to want others to control their progression as if they are on some conveyor belt and all they need to do is wait and they will be taken to the right spot for promotion. That is just not realistic anywhere.

 

I agree it's a myth at the moment, although I do think a more regulated IT profession managed by the BCS and other international equivalents could be incredibly helpful. By this, I mean a structure perhaps similar to the medical (or legal) profession - example image attached. So your actual position and job title with your employer would of course continue to vary according to their requirements, but individual professionals would also hold some manner of "rank", such as Junior, Practitioner, Senior, Consultant etc. That would serve three purposes that can be sorely lacking at the moment:

 

1) Providing some semblance of career structure, progression and professional recognition for individuals, regardless of the sector they happen to work in (as IT is everywhere);

2) Providing employers with some idea of the quality of the people they're getting in (as was attempted for schools with the BECTA Skills Framework), to make IT less of a "dark art";

3) Providing rigour and discipline for IT professionals - who could face being struck off by their professional body for e.g. malpractice around stealing corporate secrets - as opposed to having to go through the courts every time (which is not to say you wouldn't do that also).

 

I know the BCS already offer RITTech and Chartered status, but what I'm talking about is a finer and more involved grading structure that is actually mandatory for IT professionals, all of whom must be licensed to practise in just the same way that doctors, lawyers and electricians are.

 

(Just tagging @GrumbleDook here as these are issues we've discussed in the past.)

Edited March 2, 2017 by Ephelyon

[localzuk]

I think maybe my post earlier was misconstrued a little - it wasn't meant to be about specific technologies, more it was supposed to be read within the context of IT Support. The idea that Windows support is diminishing, in the context I was meaning, is false. We still have plenty of Windows devices, and will for quite some time to come - I have seen very few schools reducing their Windows PC fleet. What I have seen, though, is plenty of schools augmenting it with more technology on top.

 

So, IT support is going to exist for a long time to come, it will simply expand and adapt. The CPD aspect of it all isn't new either, however it is something that MAT's are starting to pay attention to more - as a more business minded person is usually towards the top of the pile, and recognises that you need to train your IT staff if you want to use IT effectively. I've seen that across a bunch of MATs so far.

[localzuk]

I think maybe my post earlier was misconstrued a little - it wasn't meant to be about specific technologies, more it was supposed to be read within the context of IT Support. The idea that Windows support is diminishing, in the context I was meaning, is false. We still have plenty of Windows devices, and will for quite some time to come - I have seen very few schools reducing their Windows PC fleet. What I have seen, though, is plenty of schools augmenting it with more technology on top.

 

So, IT support is going to exist for a long time to come, it will simply expand and adapt. The CPD aspect of it all isn't new either, however it is something that MAT's are starting to pay attention to more - as a more business minded person is usually towards the top of the pile, and recognises that you need to train your IT staff if you want to use IT effectively. I've seen that across a bunch of MATs so far.

[GrumbleDook]

As MATs grow, the person running the operational areas (including Finance, HR, etc.) is more likely to have come from a non-teaching background, and is more switched on to the investment in CPD.

Larger Academy groups get this, and will run training (United Learning have trained most of there staff to FITS practitioner) but more needs to be done.

IT support will change in schools but it will still be needed.

Cloud, BYOD and other changes are technical changes that *have* to be matched by organisational / operational changes (data protection, contracts, etc.) and this is where it falls down.

Personally, I would love to see BCS get a grip of professionalisation of IT is schools, but I've pushed on that for the last 10 years and have gotten nowhere.

As the College of Teaching picks up, we have to push for the recognition of chartered status in other roles (as per CoT's agreement) and the only way that will happen is if more of us gain chartered status.

[GrumbleDook]

As MATs grow, the person running the operational areas (including Finance, HR, etc.) is more likely to have come from a non-teaching background, and is more switched on to the investment in CPD.

Larger Academy groups get this, and will run training (United Learning have trained most of there staff to FITS practitioner) but more needs to be done.

IT support will change in schools but it will still be needed.

Cloud, BYOD and other changes are technical changes that *have* to be matched by organisational / operational changes (data protection, contracts, etc.) and this is where it falls down.

Personally, I would love to see BCS get a grip of professionalisation of IT is schools, but I've pushed on that for the last 10 years and have gotten nowhere.

As the College of Teaching picks up, we have to push for the recognition of chartered status in other roles (as per CoT's agreement) and the only way that will happen is if more of us gain chartered status.