Student looking to be an IT Technician

[reecec]

I am a student in Norwich and currently in Year 11. I am looking to see about courses / qualifications that I would need to be an IT Technician. I do know quite a bit about computers and help to fix family and friends pc's and also some of the teachers at my school. I have been looking at some of the courses at City College Norwich which offer, but not sure exactly what I need.

Any help appreciated

Thanks

Reece

 

***EDIT***

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum

[mb2k01]

If you want to become an IT Technician in education, and want to ensure you do training at the same time, I would recommend getting in touch with your local college and asking about Modern Apprenticeships. There's nothing wrong with starting at the bottom and working up - you'd start on an NVQ level 2 or 3 (depending on GCSE results and your own knowledge) and probably be able to work towards other courses like A+ or MSCDT on your college release days.

 

If you are in no rush to become one and want to study full time at college etc, I'd check with ones in your area to find out what courses are available.

[reecec]

My local college has got some open days at the end of next week, so I am going to have a look there as well.

Thanks

[mb2k01]

No worries! Do you have a preference over work-based training or full time college at the minute?

 

On thing I will say - I opted for full time college (quite a few years ago now!) and chose completely the wrong course. I ended up leaving a few weeks in to year 2 of college and starting a Modern Apprenticeship. So make sure you choose something you think you'll enjoy as well as something that will benefit your future career.

 

I'm kind of 50/50 when I look back - part of me is happy that I eventually opted for a Modern Apprenticsehip and progressed in to full time work earlier than I would of via the academic route. The other half of me is sad that I didn't stick with it and go to Uni. It's an experience that I'll probably never be able to get now and I think would have benefitted me.

 

Whatever route you choose stick with it and choose the things that make you happy.

[kmount]

You seem like a nice guy too, there's plenty of us on here who'll like mb2k01 will share information with you no problem at all.

 

Take mb2k01's advice, it's very good.

[deanc]

It may be worth looking at doing a BTEC or similar as some of the optional units are Comptia or Microsoft units, not sure what the offer at city college nowadays though. level 3 is equivalent to up to three A-levels and focuses on the more hands on aspects, some of which double up with stuff that I did on the first year of my degree, they wont tell you how to do everything but should give you a good grounding in all the basics.

 

When I did a teaching practice in an FE college near here the ran some of the CCNA units and taught a lot about the theory of wireless networks and the students also go to play with several racks of switches, routers and access points.

 

infinitely more interesting than applied A-level ICT. Must admit I am enjoying the OCR national level 3 particularly the optional units.

 

Dean

[Sylv3r]

Try and do some voluntary work / work experience in your school or another nearby school to see if its for you.

 

Putting the hours in behind the scenes will give you a good idea on what the day-to-day tasks will be and where the gaps in your knowledge are so you have a better idea what course / qualification to look into.

 

Reminder - qualifications aren't everything.

[OllieC]

It's worth sticking your nose around at school, offer to help where you can even just for the experience, one of our techs started straight after year 11 and since has completed his A+ and Microsoft server/desktop certification alongside work, think he's doing network+ atm. I've been helping around IT for a good 4 years now and after year 11 they started paying me to work alongside sixth form and in holidays.

[eean]

Try and do some voluntary work / work experience in your school or another nearby school to see if its for you.

 

Putting the hours in behind the scenes will give you a good idea on what the day-to-day tasks will be and where the gaps in your knowledge are so you have a better idea what course / qualification to look into.

 

Reminder - qualifications aren't everything.

 

I'd second that. Primary schools are generally screaming out for people to help. You might start with mundane tasks (fixing printers...argh!) but if you're good then they'll see that you're useful. You might also like to offer to help in the classroom i.e. during IT lessons. This way you'll learn the sorts of problems the teachers are having and one day you'll impress them by customising Word to take away all the difficult options, or something.

When I was in year 11, I was already getting paid to fix computers and had a job at my own school helping with lessons for the primary children. The next year I was working during my holidays as an IT technician at the school - but I had to 'be in the right place at the right time' doing lots of work for free before I got there!

I'm not a technician now, a teacher, but the experience I gained is something you can’t learn on any course - interviewers notice it and comment upon it.

[featured_spectre]

Having done a BTEC National Diploma in Computer Studies, I'd highly recommend it (Networking route IMO, as software is coding etc, and general is using media apps) and do the networking route if you want some relevant networking apps. Generally they offer A+, Network+ and possibly come Cisco and MS thrown in (I got Cisco CCNA and MCSE on my college course!)

[Ric_]

I'd second the apprenticeship route. If you know what sector you want to work in, write to as many as possible to ask them to consider you as an apprentice - many may not have considered this before.

 

I'm pretty sure that all colleges can cater for apprenticeships... the difficult bit is finding somewhere that you would like to work. Don't chase the money either! If you get basic apprentice wage which is a pitence at £98(?) per week it's still £60-odd more than you could hope to get on EMA - plus if you work hard you will finish your apprenticeship in less than two years and can be on a proper wage.

[neon]

I left school at 17, started on NVQ's have finished levels 2 and 3 now I have started on home learning with a company called skillstrain, currently working towards A+ but have also taken up the N+ and CCNA courses to take when I finish. It is good to get your foot in the door with schools as they will pay for alot of training, whilst I have been here I have done First aid, ILM level 2, FA coaching corses... been on residentials... trying to get on positive handling courses etc...

 

now 22 I enjoy working and every day seems to be different, I have learnt alot from college courses and think that working with a day release would be the best thing to do.

 

Hope this helps.

[Jiser]

Do an appren if you can. At 22 or w/e when you finish you can do a degree if you want or w/e with over like 6 years potential experiance and industry standard quals. Edited November 2, 2009 by Jiser