User support technicians
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
User support technicians provide technical support to computer users who are experiencing difficulties with computer hardware, computer applications or communications software.
People in this career:
- Work for computer hardware manufacturers and retailers, software developers, call centres, independent technical support companies and information technology units throughout the private and public sectors
- May work for independent technical support companies or be self-employed
- Have knowledge of a wide range of computer hardware and software systems
- Have excellent communication skills and are able to explain technical details clearly
- Are patient and have strong problem-solving abilities
Duties
User support technicians perform some or all of the following duties:
- Communicate electronically and in person with computer users experiencing difficulties to determine and document problems
- Refer to user guides, technical manuals and other documents to find solutions
- Reproduce technical problems encountered by users
- Offer advice and training to users in response to identified difficulties
- Provide business systems, network and internet support to users in response to identified difficulties
- Collect, organize and maintain a problems and solutions log for use by other technical support analysts
- Participate in the redesign of applications and other software
- Supervise other technical support workers
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
6,715% Employed Full Time
76%User support technicians may provide services 24 hours a day or over an extended work day that includes working shifts.
User support technicians normally work in an office or call centre where they field calls and emails from staff or clients.
The use of well-designed work stations and safe work procedures can minimize the risks of eye, back and hand and wrist strain or injury.
Career Pathways
With experience and training, user support technicians can progress to supervisory positions or move into other fields such as computer programming, interactive media development, web development or systems analysis.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Job Titles
Education, Training and Skills
Completion of a diploma or certificate program in computer science, computer programming or network administration is generally required. Other requirements may include:
- A certificate of training for some types of software or hardware
- Completion of a post-secondary program and at least two years of industry work experience leading to certification as a technologist or technician with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC)
Certification is not mandatory, but it may increase work opportunities. For more information, see the ASTTBC website at www.asttbc.org.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Computer Information Systems/Science
- Computing Science/Systems Related
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations and the environment will affect outcomes.
Teaching others how to do something.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
6,715Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 85 | 1.3% |
| Kootenay | 90 | 1.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 4,755 | 70.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 65 | 1.0% |
| Northeast | 25 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 505 | 7.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,185 | 17.7% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)
4,060Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 0.5% |
| Kootenay | 40 | 1.4% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,990 | 2.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 50 | 4.2% |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 300 | 2.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 650 | 2.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2023-2033) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific And Technical Services | 2,700 |
| Information, Culture And Recreation | 260 |
| Public Administration | 200 |
| Educational Services | 200 |
| Retail Trade | 120 |
Resources
-
Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)www.asttbc.org
-
Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) of British Columbiabc.cips.ca
-
Information and Communications Technology Councilwww.ictc-ctic.ca
Career Videos
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a user support technician.
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a user support technician.
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