Why are you a school tech?

[crc-ict]

Secondary is OK, but at primary age the kids are so much less abrasive.. We get Lego Mindstorms though, so..it has compensations.

 

We just got Lego Mindstorms at one of my primaries and I spent a fun-filled couple of hours 'thoroughly testing' the new hardware

 

It's fantastic!

[alonebfg]

When i left the forces (due to ill health) I got a job in the company as a network administrator. What a right mess i.e due to the way its was run it goes through 3 stages befor i got it. then i would diagnose the problem. But them if it is a hardware issue i could not fix it only if it was a profile network issue any thing else and it goes to someone else. now i work in a school I diagnose fix repair change update ect ect and it felt a lot better i know now why people get so annoyed in bisness.

[sidewinder]

Many reasons for me

 

First and most important is that I ENJOY it. OK not to the extent where I would rather be there than in my warm bed on a winter morning, but generally once Im in work, its normally pretty good. Very rarely do I come home in a bad mood.

 

Also, for my age, and previous experiance, there is nowhere in industry that would give me control over such a large network and so many users, I love the freedom of being able to introduce new things and change whatever I want (within reason)

 

Lucky enough to be in a school with a lot of money too, so we can pretty much afford any new technology, which allows me to get experiance in a lot of new stuff, although sometimes its a downside because SMT occasionally demand things we really dont need, and cause us headaches.

 

I love being able to do different things, anything from swapping a mouse to setting up a server, and rather than just being an expert in one area, I can be competent in many, and always expand my range.

 

Its so much better than it would be in an office environment, with stressed workers and the realisation that a lost file or network downtime could lose the company thousands, and you your job.

Not to say security and reliability arnt important in a school, but its a much less stressful network to run.

 

Finally, I really like the users. The kids are mostly great and quite often give me a good laugh with the things they get up to. Certain staff members are a pain, but overall most of the teachers are really decent people, and I get on well with them. SMT also take a dim view of any staff being abusive or condescending to us, so we get treated with respect, and staff are generally very grateful for help, which is nice.

 

The only thing I dont like is the pay. Im OK at the minute as I still live at home but obviously I want to move out, and that will be difficult on £18k. Hopefully there is scope to increase pay but if not, I may have to leave the education sector in the next year or so.

I suppose I hope Im irreplaceable and they would offer me a huge pay rise to stay but I know thats not something that will happen

[SpuffMonkey]

Ummm - getting made redundant when over 40 in the IT workplace can be a real problem. I'd been around in industry for a long time, and hadn't had problems getting a job when I was younger - last time was a 'mare though and I went from being a "high up" ICT Manager to first line telephone support - miserable...

 

When the opportunity to do this came along - I took it - at least it was interesting - if badly paid. The hours are nice though, as are the holiday periods.

 

I still miss working in an environment where people are actually in charge though and when decisions are taken, they are kept to (...or else!) and where planning for any major changes consists of more than some spud having a bright idea. More or less resigned myself to being stuck though - as even interviews are becoming few and far between nowadays, despite experience and qualifications. *sigh*

[Pottsey]

Job security and a good pension are high on the list not worried about BSF. Great hours and holidays which for me is the same as teachers, not a chance I will be in school on the 6 weeks holidays. That added with a large range of technology and challenges what’s not to like about the job? They even let me go on trips with the children already been horse riding 6 times this year.

 

Wages might not be the best but I will take happy over high wages any day.

[pinemarten]

13 years working for a joinery firm as a labourer :?

 

2 years spent getting an HND in engineering (at 35!) wow....

but no jobs (1991 recession ) so took 'temporary' job in school as DT tech

Gradually took over as computer tech (overtime!) as school developed IT (at first with Acorns !!!) - first PC network in '97 (RM grrr)

13 years later made full time NM/IT tech

too old at 50 now to go into corporate IT, not bothered tho, I like it here

[wesleyw]

My wages aren't bad and unless I'd been doing C rogramming for the same amount of time I don't think I'd be on a much higher wage (I've been looking around ) well at least not high enough to think it would be worth it as the stress levels when I used to program were a nightmare some of the other programmers didn't leave til 10pm I thought I enjoy it I'm pretty good at it but is it for me?

 

Technical Support came along because of some very strange links leading me into it but to cut a long story short left uni looked for job found a temp IT Tech job to replace an NM who had badly damaged his back job was roughly for two weeks within days the Head calls me into her office and says would i like to stay on longer how long 5 months I said yes of course it went from there, left it about four and a half months in due to a holiday booked (which they knew about) went to a job interview for a programming job and a tech job (tech job at a college) the programming one was two months before this lol so while waiting for them to come back to me went to the college interview.

 

Didn't get it about a month later they phoned up and said would I like a tech job seeing as one of their existing techs had left I said yes now I hadn'theard from the programming one now for 3 months they phone up the next day to offer me the job choices choices I made the mistake of choosing the Tech one and I've been in education since moved on after about a year to an NM post then moved to this school as NM. I still think did I make the right decision though not sure if I did erm.. wonder if its still open..?

 

 

 

Wes

[Jake]

I worked in education, then after 4 years left and worked in industry. It simply wasnt for me, the wages were better, but the hours were longer, with less time off. There was little to no social interaction, and very little laughter and fun at the workplace...it was alot like being in that film Brazil.

 

I missed the days of the more relaxed environment of a school, having a laugh with workmates, drinks after work, decent socialisation, and yes..even having a laugh about games or football with some of the kids.

 

End result was that I returned to education. I am not an ambitious person, I have financial security so I dont seek more money, I have no interest at all in being promoted to network manager and am perfectly happy to remain just an IT technician and not have to deal with the political hassles and extra responsibility that Disease (on these forums) has to deal with. As such I have no intent of ever chasing his position.

 

The only thing I ask for in a job is to have fun, and in education I get that fun, whether its from joking around with colleagues or kids.

[witch]

Many years ago, when dinosaurs walked the earth, I was qualified as a Merchant Navy Radio Officer but working as a test engineer in Flight Simulation. Then I became a specialist recruitment headhunter for electronics and computing, which was great fun and very lucrative

Then marriage and children intervened and eventually I went back into being a test tech in education with slightly more modern kit!!

I love my jobs too, and I love being my own boss. Mostly people are grateful for my help and the children are lovely.

BUT the money is ridiculously low.

It's all very well to say that money is less important than job satisfaction -but in an area where the cheapest property is coming up for £200000 many techies can't afford to stay in the job they love, which is a shame.

[TekkyMatt]

If I was working in industry, I wouldn't be on here reading and typing.

I used to work in secondary but as "the man that telephones RM", went to uni, got a job in industry for 6 months writing pensions software (so boring) and I am now the new tech at a Primary. Jobs great, hours are better, pays not too bad but I couldnt live forever on it. As for cringingly IT iliterate staff, I can understand it, tolerate and accept it from the older staff (30+), but not from someone 25-30, thats just plain bad. I think were all here because we love it and its a nice comfortable job