Help Desk Technician - Skills Bootcamp

Whatever the size of the company or the sector of the economy, information technology is indispensable: computer workstations, servers, networks, and mobile technology. The role of an IT support technician is to manage these tools and support their users.

What Will I Do as an IT Technician?

If we had to pick one word to describe what it’s like to be an IT support technician, it would be “versatile.” An IT support technician is involved in all aspects of IT infrastructure, from deployment to maintenance and security to upgrading. They are also the main point of contact for solving their company’s or clients' daily problems.

As an IT support technician, you’ll install and deploy a range of computer equipment (PCs, tablets, printers, software) and connect them to a wired or wireless network. You’ll maintain this equipment in working order, keep it secure, and provide regular updates. You’ll communicate with users or clients throughout a company, from management down and hardware, software, and network suppliers.

Beyond these technical skills, a successful IT support technician must show their people skills. One of the most important tasks of an IT team is user support. To provide top-notch support, you’ll learn how to understand users’ needs and manage their stress. In addition, you must communicate quickly, clearly, and politely with people of all positions inside and outside your company, including teaching colleagues how to use technology that they are unfamiliar with or intimidated by. Finally, to excel as an IT support technician, you’ll need to have an inquiring mind and be resourceful!

What Will I Learn in This Training?

You'll wear many hats in your job as an IT support technician. For that, we'll teach you a variety of skills, including how to:

• Set up a workstation that meets the user's needs.
• Install and update operating system and software.
• Maintain a user workstation in operational condition.
• Backup important data in a consistent way

In addition to these technical skills, you will learn transversal or “soft” skills, which will help you grow as an IT support technician and allow you to progress in your career.

Who Is Eligible to Enroll?

To get started on this training, you need to have the following prerequisites:

• Be over 18 years of age and have the right to work in the U.S.
• Language: a good level of English (for non-native speakers, a CEFR level of B2, an IELTS band score of 6.5, or a TOEFL score of 80 is recommended).
• Have a high school/secondary school degree, vocational certificate, or equivalent.
• Have taken the OpenClassrooms course: Understanding the Web.
• Have access to a computer (PC or Mac), headphones, a webcam, and a stable internet connection.
• At least 8 GB of RAM (16GB is more comfortable) and 100 GB of storage space available on your computer.
• Administrator rights to your computer in order to install required programs.

How Will I Learn at OpenClassrooms?

Our learning method is unique and revolves around two elements: professional projects and dedicated mentoring sessions.

Projects

At OpenClassrooms, learning is project-driven because that’s the fastest way to become proficient. Projects offer hands-on experience so you can hit the ground running when you start your new job.  

This path has three projects that you’ll need to complete, one at a time. You’ll receive a detailed brief with the context, customer requirements, and additional details. Then it’s up to you to go and make it real! To do this, you’ll have to be creative, coming up with innovative solutions to the questions at hand.

Want to see an example of a project? Read our blog post here.

Mentorship

During your path, you will be assigned a mentor who will offer one-to-one support via weekly video conference sessions. This mentor will offer guidance on your projects, help define objectives, and coach you until you reach them. Our mentors are dedicated professionals who are experts in their field and have experience in sharing their know-how with our students.