Assistant Network Manager

[GrumbleDook]

LODGE PARK TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE

Shetland Way, Corby, Northants, NN17 2JH

 

ASSISTANT NETWORK MANAGER

FULL TIME

£13,854 - £15,825 per annum

 

Owing to an increase in ICT provision, we are looking to expand our busy Technical Support Team. Duties will include maintenance and support of desktops and laptops, assisting staff and students with existing College systems, assisting the Director of IT on the ‘Laptops for Students’ scheme and investigating new technologies for use in education.

 

Candidates should possess at least 2 years' experience of working in IT support or hold a relevant qualification (HND, degree or professional qualification).

 

To obtain an application form please log on to http://www.lodgeparktc.com and follow the Vacancies link. Completed forms, together with a covering letter, should be emailed to [email protected] by Friday, 12 May 2006.

[pshuttle]

Up to £15,825 for assistant NWM? They are having a larf!

 

Pete

[indiegirl]

No chance. Across the way here in Bucks, you rarely get techies for that salary bracket these days.

Anything that has "assistant" and "manager" in it immediately propels it into the bracket above 'technician', thus commanding at least £18k (probably more) in the South (outside of London).

[petectid]

I agree with the above I'm employed here as an IT Technician on 19K+. I'm currently doing a foundation degree hopeing that this will improve my earning potential, this post for an Asst Net Man would be a promotion for me but would I apply, there taking the p*ss.

[Chafftech]

That is pathetic money. That salary would be what my school would pay for a college leaver with some work experience and a couple of A levels for a Technicians role.

 

Either the money should go up, or the job title changed to IT Technician.

[pshuttle]

If you look at the very brief job spec then it does not look much like the duties of an assistant network manager but more like those of a technician....

 

What do you guys think?

 

Pete

[russdev]

but as always further you go down south more money is on offer...

 

but trust me this is perfect oppertunity for somone looking to go from being a tech to move up ladder abit and oppertunties jobs bring is great...

 

Lodge park are way head of the game when it comes to ict support.

 

russ

[kestrel1]

I must be doing something wrong here guys. I am a Network Manager & I am only getting just above that salary. I keep on that I should be on a hell of alot more dosh, but SMT just can't see it.

Ever felt under valued?

[pshuttle]

Ever felt under valued?

 

Yes I have. It is mainly why I left my last job - they just would not pay a reasonable salary. I changed location to a local FE college and basically for the same kind of duties my wage jumped by nearly £4000 and on the scale it goes up to nearly £8000 more. I was at the top of the scale at my last job.

 

Ok I now have a few years of relevant experience on top of a degree but there should not be that kind of disparity of wage.

 

Pete

[CyberNerd]

When the job is outsourced under BSF, the company should be under obligation to bring the wages in line with similar jobs within the company.- or sack them.

 

For example if Sun/Dell/MS/whoever take over the school then the employee only needs to find one other employee (of opposite sex) who does a broadly similar job (assistant manager) in one of these large comapnies to claim sexual discrimination. I'm sure these mulitnationals pay well for their network managers

[russdev]

If you look at the very brief job spec then it does not look much like the duties of an assistant network manager but more like those of a technician....

 

What do you guys think?

 

Pete

 

there you go i knew someone what cotten on..

 

when you got an lea that offers low wages to tech how do you get them a decent wage....

 

russ

[GrumbleDook]

Ok ... my turn to stick my oar in.

 

The above job is for someone level B on Becta's technical competencies scale, working towards level C. It is an "experience building" post to work along an existing team. The title Assistant Network Manager is because we have had to already assign that title to one member of staff due to the difficulty in getting County to agree the pay scale.

 

In some schools it would be regarded as "ICT Technician", in others the top end of the scale is the Network Manager. It varies from county to county. If I could pay more I would ... but I can't ...

 

We have a good training budget and can train people up, but we do need someone with some experience or aptitude.

 

In addition to the above there are 5 weeks holiday (up to 15 days in term time), a laptop and a share of whatever Chocolate Hob Nobs turn up.

 

It is not a job for someone straight out of school, or someone with little experience ... neither is it a job for someone with 15 years of experience who just wants to clean mice ... it is a chance for someone to try new things out and ideas will mean a lot.

 

If anyone is interested and wants more information please feel free to PM me.

[pshuttle]

Hey Grumbledook,

 

I just want to stress that my above comments were not meant to offend or attack you personally - in fact I did not realise that the job was at your institution. They are just my own personal view on the wage and duties.

 

Pete

[TechMonkey]

Well the chocloate Hob Nobs has me sold, shame I'm not closer though

[petectid]

I would not worry about your comments Pete your right. They are asking for someone who has "HND, degree or professional qualification", this is not a very good move for someone with experience and these qualifications, not on that income anyway. I left a post paying more to move to my present post, a 3.5K pay increase and I would say that Northants is a damn site closer to the south of England than we are up here in the North West.

[GrumbleDook]

Hey Grumbledook,

 

I just want to stress that my above comments were not meant to offend or attack you personally - in fact I did not realise that the job was at your institution. They are just my own personal view on the wage and duties.

 

Pete

 

Don't worry ... it wasn't taken personally ... I do think that there are serious issues with the wages for support and admin staff in schools ... but I am also aware of some of the major changes that would be needed to rectify this and some of them are just as unpleasant as the poor wages.

 

That is really for another thread though.

 

In the meantime all I can do is help those onto the ladder with the energy and will to learn.

[Ric_]

Sounds like the perfect job for someone coming out of Uni who has no experience but does have a technical aptitude. The wage will also not be capped at the same level as a technician (hence the network manager title).

[Guest frances]

I recently applied for a similar job in harpenden, hertfordshire which I didnt get. The gentleman who did get had MSCE as well as experience, he was a really nice lad as well. I was really surprised that he took such a lowly paid job. Somehow I think the school will be recruiting again in about 6 months time.

[GrumbleDook]

I know a number of well qualified, very experience SysAdmins who decided at some point in their career to go and work in education.

 

They accept that it is a lower wage, more demanding and less chance of users showing the elusive clue ... but they also prefer the better hours, the relaxing times during the school hols when they can get work done, the cameraderie [sp] ... and the chance to actually be helpful.

 

Yes, they usually do go back to higher paid jobs, but that tends to be because they want different challenges ... not because of the money.

 

In fact there is only one poor soul who has decided to stick at working in a school (well .. a college actually ... and he is an MVP on 2 counts ... and relishes the time to do those extra bits) ...

[GrumbleDook]

Thanks to those that expressed an interest. We interviewed on Friday and have now appointed. The lucky (?) winner will be along in a fortnight to say hello.

[bossman]

Well done GrumbleDook in filling the post. You seem to be a guy who does have feelins unlike SMT who only look at the post in terms of cost. If it was for a teachers position no matter what the qualifications they would still get more starting salary. I have more professional qualifications than most of the teachers here yet i am not regarded as a professional in my own right just another member of the support staff and don't i know it. Professional jealousy does not enter into it just teaching staff seem to be on higher status band (must be something they teach then at teacher training college, "thou must treat all subordinates with contempt")

anyway keep the faith

[pshuttle]

I have more professional qualifications than most of the teachers here yet i am not regarded as a professional in my own right just another member of the support staff and don't i know it.

 

That was definitely the case at my last post but here the same cannot be said - I think we are respected as a department as well as for a our knowledge and education.

 

Pete