Advice: What am I worth?

[Duane_Dibbley]

Howdy,

 

I need a bit of advice. Basically, I am asking for a pay increase but as I am new to this line of work i'm unsure of what I should be expecting. I'll start from the beginning as it is not a straight forward situation:

 

In september I was offered this job as an IT technician working in a 2FE primary school. Due to budgeting and some other reasons i'm not clear on, I am employed as a teaching assistant, not an IT technician - I dont really do any assisting, although I help out in ICT lessons if i have time. I got the job through the mother of my best friend, who is a teacher here. The head had been thinking about getting some full time IT support, and my friends mum mentioned to the head that I was newly qualified and looking for experience. I went in for a chat and came away with a job.

 

While waiting for my CRB clearance, I decided to come into school 2 days a week to shadow their existing support (a technician from the CLC, who was and still is in 2 days a week), which I did for free. It had been decided that I would start on a temporary contract to see how it went. Once my CRB came through I started full time on the temporary contract, on an hourly rate worked out from a salary of ~£15000. The headteacher had planned to make me permanent at christmas, but the same headteacher was also retiring at christmas, and it did not happen then.

 

After christmas - new head. In ~February, after I talked to him about money issues (i.e. getting no money in the holidays) he decided that he would put me on a 1 yr fixed term contract. I was expecting to be on the same salary as my previous hourly rate had been worked out at, but when the contract was sorted, the salary was ~£13000...2k less. I did some sums, and worked out that I was still better off financially on this salary than the hourly rate, with the added benefit of being paid during holidays as well. And so I didn't mention the fact it was a lower pay band and just accepted it...I could still afford to live on that pay.

 

The contract started on the 12th April (after waiting for another CRB!) and my first pay check came through on 15th may...significantly lower than I expected. I assumed this was because I didn't start until the 12th and so it wasn't a full month. I had also done a significant amount of overtime during the holidays and so it was a little unclear exactly what had happened. I rang payroll and they confirmed that it was because I started on the 12th, which I accepted. But now my first full months paycheck has come around and again...significantly lower than expected. I rang payroll to ask what is going on, and she went through my pay structure and broke it down...F***ing PRO RATA!

 

It turns out now that I am worse off than when I was on a temporary contract. I spoke to the head about it, assuming that he had made a mistake and not realised, as when we first had our talk about it back in february, I made it clear that I couldn't afford to not get paid during the holidays, and he assured me that with this contract I would. But it became apparent from our conversation that he did know exactly what the situation is.

 

Now, I realise that this is somewhat my own fault, as I obviously didn't read the contract properly...I looked at the salary and trusted what he had told me about getting paid for holidays. The head has made it very clear that he wants me to stay, but is being awkward about what he can do about it. I know that there is no technical reason that he cant just bump me up a pay grade on the teaching assistants scale. But he is talking about giving me a proper job role as an assistant technician...which is exactly the same pay scale but not pro rata, so I would have to come in in holidays or make up the extra hours on my normal day. And to fill these hours he is talking about giving me extra responsibilities.

 

My questions to you all are these:

 

was it unrealistic of me to expect the salary of £15000 that I have no doubt the previous head was intending to offer me?

 

Should I be feeling insulted that after I have proved myself capable and of value to the school, I am given a contract that pays me less than I was before i had proved myself? (because i do)

 

If he does offer me a proper IT role, should I accept the 'assistant' title, being as I am the only full time technician in the school? Does anybody know where I can find a job description for an assistant technician? As its a primary school i'm guessing the roles don't transfer very well from high schools which I gather the descriptions are written for.

 

I'm finding it very difficult to work out where i stand. I have never been given a job description that actually applies to IT, and I dont have a list of responsibilites. I basically try and fix anything that goes wrong, help with teachers when they dont know how to do something. I have designed and set up a website for the school and a new logo, reorganised and properly implemented an email system. I find quotes and write recommendations for new equipment. I also look after AD with the set up and removal of users, and implementation of some but not all GPO's, installing software and rolling out updates etc. Under the direction of the technician from the CLC I have also aided with the installation and set up of 2 new servers on a new domain, ~50 desktop computers and ~80 laptops. I also do stupid little jobs for the head that he decides is an IT job..like creating labels for a new set of trays for a classroom.

 

Sorry about the long-winded explanation. Any and all thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated - feel free to put me in my place :S but I cant help but feel that 11K (~£13000 pro rata'd)for a university graduate, COMPTIA A+ certified (i know that doesn't really mean much) isn't a great deal of money. Just feeling a lil bit devalued by the whole situation...

 

edit:

I also realise that there are lots of TA's in the school on the same pay as me. They work every bit as hard if not harder than I do, but without devaluing the work they put in, I could do their jobs, but they could not do mine.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Duane_Dibbley

[Hightower]

The only advice I can give you is to start looking for jobs. I hated working in a primary, purely because the head expects you to do the 'little silly' jobs like making labels. I lasted 5 months before I'd had enough and found a suitable job in a secondary again.

[featured_spectre]

its difficult, as it is not the heads fault you never read your contract properly, and I would think that you get your pay through the holidays, but are not paid for it, which is what happens alot! I have seen people leave after realising 2 months in that they are pro rata'd rather than salaried.

[RabbieBurns]

What are your formal qualifications ?

[Duane_Dibbley]

This is my first job in IT. I have to say I really like being in primary school. The kids are great, and the majority of the staff are also great. Its basically the new head that has a different approach to the job. I dont necessarily disagree with all of his ideas, but sometimes the way he goes about implementing them. Some aspects are good, as he puts pressure on me to perform, but in general his expectations are unrealistic...everything has to be done now! Edited June 18, 2010 by Duane_Dibbley

[Hightower]

See, the problem in my primary was the head had aspirations to be an inspector so everything was for herself, and not for the welfare of the school, staff, or students. Maybe that was the problem.

[Duane_Dibbley]

its difficult, as it is not the heads fault you never read your contract properly, and I would think that you get your pay through the holidays, but are not paid for it, which is what happens alot! I have seen people leave after realising 2 months in that they are pro rata'd rather than salaried.

 

Its true its not his fault i didnt read it properly, but he offered me that contract knowing what my situation was...I get paid during the holidays but not FOR them...so overall I am no better off, and I am in fact worse off. Like I said...he knew this.

 

What are your formal qualifications ?

 

I have a degree in Biology from Leeds University. My only qualifications in IT are a GCSE (doesn't count i know) and COMPTIA A+, which I learnt on my own from the Mike Myers textbook and took the exams around march last year. I realise that I am unlikely to be qualified for anything better, its just that since starting I am getting paid LESS, which I have to say grates somewhat

[JPS]

There isnt a lot of money in Primary Schools, expecting a salary of £15000 as an IT technician (IMO) is pretty optimistic, considering I know of numerous technicians in secondary schools that barely earn that and they are responsible (tbh) for a whole lot more hardware, software, peripherals etc than I suspect you have to look after. I think you definitely need to seek work in a secondary school or even the private sector. Sorry.

[Hightower]

There isnt a lot of money in Primary Schools, expecting a salary of £15000 as an IT technician (IMO) is pretty optimistic, considering I know of numerous technicians in secondary schools that barely earn that and they are responsible (tbh) for a whole lot more hardware, software, peripherals etc than I suspect you have to look after. I think you definitely need to seek work in a secondary school or even the private sector. Sorry.

 

There may be no money in primaries, but it doesn't make it right. I was on a decent salary in my primary school (£17.5k) - was money available? No. They made it available because they saw IT as an important area and therefore invested in it.

[Duane_Dibbley]

There isnt a lot of money in Primary Schools, expecting a salary of £15000 as an IT technician (IMO) is pretty optimistic, considering I know of numerous technicians in secondary schools that barely earn that and they are responsible (tbh) for a whole lot more hardware, software, peripherals etc than I suspect you have to look after. I think you definitely need to seek work in a secondary school or even the private sector. Sorry.

 

Yar I thought this would be the case. I'm not expecting to actually get £15000, and secondary schools certainly do have more hardware to look after (although we have a surprising amount). But i worked out that on an hourly rate when i was temporary I was getting £8.20, i'm am now getting over a pound less per hour for doing the same job, after I have proved myself capable.

[JPS]

There may be no money in primaries, but it doesn't make it right. I was on a decent salary in my primary school (£17.5k) - was money available? No. They made it available because they saw IT as an important area and therefore invested in it.

 

You're completely right Hightower, it isnt right. I've been in a similar(ish) situation - old head valued me, new head not so much, he piled on the work promising more £s - i was the mug who believed him.

 

I'm now just over a month into a new (higher paid) job where my skills are valued.

[ButterflyMoon]

Welcome to the wacky world that is Education. Heads are like football managers they change the goalposts when they change jobs.

[Hightower]

Welcome to the wacky world that is Education. Heads are like football managers they change the goalposts when they change jobs.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you are a head right?

[ButterflyMoon]

No Hightower I am a techie bottom of the foodchain me.

[Hightower]

No Hightower I am a techie bottom of the foodchain me.

 

Really? Wow, sorry. I could have sworn I'd seen it somewhere that you were a HT. Maybe it's that to me you look like you could be a HT from your avatar

[ButterflyMoon]

Don't be fooled by the avatar that was me on a good day lol Mind there are times if I get cheesed off I can be as scary as a HT...............am happy being a techie it suits me fine.

[Hightower]

Don't be fooled by the avatar that was me on a good day lol Mind there are times if I get cheesed off I can be as scary as a HT...............am happy being a techie it suits me fine.

 

It was a compliment BTW - that you have that upper management look about you.

[Daleus]

they are responsible (tbh) for a whole lot more hardware, software, peripherals etc than I suspect you have to look after.

5 full time servers + 200+/- machines (desktops / mainly laptops) + 60 netbooks per year (4,5,6 - on a lease-to-own) for the kids so they keep them when they leave year 6. I also look after all software, peripherals and the network and any other equipment really (except photcopiers).

I'm on my own here, and I find it to be a good number. I created a fantastic method to keep the dirty layer (netbooks) in check, which eased my job so much as they were a pain to maintain!

 

However I am employed AS a techie, not a teaching assistant - so evidently it changes from school to school and from job to job. (MCA/DST, A+, N+ blah blah blah)

[JPS]

Yar I thought this would be the case. I'm not expecting to actually get £15000, and secondary schools certainly do have more hardware to look after (although we have a surprising amount). But i worked out that on an hourly rate when i was temporary I was getting £8.20, i'm am now getting over a pound less per hour for doing the same job, after I have proved myself capable.

 

That is an issue which I would say from experience, if the Head realised your worth (and was a stand-up guy) he would make the appropriate alterations to at least get you back on track. However there is pressure to save money (im not siding with the school but this should be recognised) and if the Head hasnt really got to do anything and has worked out a saving of £xxx then from a management point - its all good. Again, look for work elsewhere or have a conversation with the Head where you are not likely to come off better.

[JPS]

However I am employed AS a techie, not a teaching assistant - so evidently it changes from school to school and from job to job. (MCA/DST, A+, N+ blah blah blah)

 

Yeh, I think it happens quite a bit - IT guys employed as TAs. Not convinced thats quite right.

[Daleus]

Yeh, I think it happens quite a bit - IT guys employed as TAs. Not convinced thats quite right.

 

You're totally right that it is a bit wrong, I think I have been very lucky to fall into a position where I am appreciated, treated right and that I actually enjoy doing.

[penfold]

OK, what you have to do is take out all your personal feelings on this matter(easier said than done). The situation you have is this, you have been given a contract which you are carrying out now on a pay scale lower than what you thought, albeit because you didn't realise it was pro rata. Now unfortunately this is your fault as regardless of what you are told, you should always read the contract you are signing because things do change. I'm not pointing the blame here, but you need to know where you stand and what you can do. Dont feel insulted that you have been offered less money than what was agreed, some people dont see IT support as important which results in poor staff treatment(and in your case it sounds like the head treats all staff that way)

 

First of all, if you dont have the role of an IT tech but more of a support assistant, then they can continue to pay you on that scale and with your existing working conditions. What you need to do is get a new contract which outlines all your duties and responsibilities, take it away and read it at your leisure giving you time to re-read it at a later date before your happy and sign anything. This *should* identify your role and how you will fit into being an assistant to someone who is part-time. This may be done by the levels of responsibility being spilt between 2 people, for example you may have the day to day maintenance of desktops/printers etc where the other person(your boss) may be responsible for the server/network side of things. The only way you can complain about the assistant title is if you have the same contract as the other members on your team - in which case you should have the same title and pay scale.

 

Until you have a full job description it is impossible to tell if you are being over/underpaid and also leaves you taking on more work as it is easy for people to pass anything they dont understand to you. And very difficult for you to say no because you cant say it isn't in your remit. I would say you need to insist on a complete up to date job description now, and they must have a job description to give you if you are already employed.

[ICT_GUY]

If your teeth are good and you are not lame then I give you one camel and a goat.

[kylewilliamson]

Jonwoods123.. if that is your real name - I fully sympathise with your plight.. but :-

 

I would strongly advise you against described the head as a 'c**t' on a public forum. These pages are cached by Google, etc. A more logical place would have been in the forum 'Behind the Red Door' as this is not cached by Google. However, that forum can still be accessed by any registered user. You've given very specific details, such as when your contract started etc. If your head read it, at best it would be unprofessional.. at worst, grounds for being sacked.

 

I wish you luck in sorting this out though. Although, seriously speaking, if the head won't budge its time to move on.

Kyle

[LeMarchand]

It was a compliment BTW - that you have that upper management look about you.

 

Nice save!