Help Desk Technician Apprenticeship

Help Desk Technicians are at the core of a business. What are their responsibilities?

Help desk technicians are indispensable in organizations of all industries and sizes that use computers and the software that runs them. 

A help desk technician is involved in all aspects of IT services, from deployment to maintenance, securing and upgrading hardware and software. Help desk technicians are excellent communicators and resourceful problem-solvers. They interact with users or clients throughout a company, from management down, but also outside of their organization, with hardware, software, and network providers. 

Starting out as a help desk technician is a great opportunity for switching to a career in technology, even if you don’t have any prior experience or deep knowledge of IT. As you gain career experience, you can advance to become a Systems Administrator, DevOps engineer or an IT support manager. 

The professional development possibilities are truly endless in the world of IT, all you need to do is start learning.

What Skills Will You Learn During Your Training?

We’ll guide you at the beginning of your help desk technician journey, helping you to set up a solid foundation for your training. You’ll discover the field of information technology by installing, maintaining and improving equipment and troubleshooting users' problems.

Over the course of this training program, we'll teach you a variety of skills, including how to:

• Set up, configure, and verify the working condition of equipment and software that meets user's needs.
• Install system and software updates, configure backups, and ensure security.
• Troubleshoot issues through computer diagnostics and reading relevant documentation.
• Provide efficient and timely user support, both remote and face to face.
• Interact with external providers (e.g. order hardware, software and services and inspect the orders before delivering to the users).
• Analyze requirements, conduct feasibility studies, and suggest improvements to existing systems.

In addition to these technical skills, you’ll learn transversal or "soft" skills, which will help you grow in your career.

How Do OpenClassrooms Apprenticeships Work?  

Apprenticeship programs combine paid on-the-job learning with online project-based instruction that equips employees for high-demand careers in data, technology, and business development.

Here’s how it works:

1. Onboarding (2-3 weeks prior to start of apprenticeship): Familiarizes both the apprentice and the employer with the training components and requirements. 
2. Pre-apprenticeship (3 months of training): Provides the apprentice with scenario-based project learning coupled with weekly mentorship and skills building courses in preparation for the formal apprenticeship program.
3. Apprenticeship (12 months on-the-job, with one day per week of instruction): Continues to build apprentice’s skills via on-the-job training, corresponding online instruction, and weekly one-to-one mentoring sessions. 
4. Get certified! Following completion of the apprenticeship program, apprentices earn an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Online But Never Alone! 

Before, during, and after the training program, you’ll be accompanied by humans:

• One-to-one weekly mentorship sessions with a professional in the field, in partnership with OpenClassrooms, who’ll provide you with support and guidance to complete your projects.
• OpenClassrooms staff who’ll help you succeed in your apprenticeship.
• Our global community of student peers with whom you’ll be in regular contact through our online platform. 

“Sometimes students are afraid that others will judge them, or simply afraid of failing. My role as a mentor is to remind them that they’re in training, and they’re here to try as many things as possible. The more they try, the more feedback they’ll get on their work. This approach feeds their curiosity and helps them to go faster!”

What Our Students Say About This Apprenticeship

“I think you can do an apprenticeship at any age. Contracts exist for older people, not just for young people or people earning a degree!” 

“I feel like my apprenticeship is going to make me a whole new person! It’s the best way to easily learn things, through practice, and by quickly immersing yourself in the reality of work in real companies.”

Are You Eligible for This Apprenticeship?

To be eligible for this apprenticeship, you must demonstrate proof of the following prerequisites:

• Be over 18 years of age and have the right to work in the U.S.
• Have a high school/secondary school degree, vocational certificate, or equivalent.

Technical prerequisites:

• Fundamentals of computer literacy (high-school degree level).
• Basic experience in IT, including: 
• setting up, configuring, and validating the functionality of computer hardware, desktop operating systems (such as Windows) and software
• setting up virtual machines (e.g. with VirtualBox) and understanding scripting (e.g.PowerShell)
• backing up and securing workstations (e.g. with Windows Defender) 

These skills can be validated by having successfully completed an OpenClassrooms pre-apprenticeship, an equivalent bootcamp, or the following courses:

1. Assemble a computer.
2. Set Up Your PC Using Windows 10. 
3. Set Up Virtual Machines Using VirtualBox and vSphere.
4. Set Up Backup Solutions.

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).

Equipment: access to a computer (PC or Mac), headphones, a webcam, and a stable internet connection.

• At least 8GB of RAM and 50GB of free storage space available on your computer (16GB of RAM and 100GB of free storage space are recommended).
• Administrator rights to your computer in order to install required programs.