IT Career Guide

IT Support Technician

What an IT Support Technician actually does in the UK, typical salary, required skills, and how career changers realistically get into the role.

IT Support Technicians (also called 1st Line Support, Helpdesk, or Service Desk Analysts) are the first point of contact when something goes wrong with technology at work. This is the most common, most accessible entry point into a UK IT career.

Typical UK salary
£23,000 to £30,000 to start, rising to £32,000+ with 2-3 years experience.

Who is it suitable for?

Anyone comfortable with computers day to day, good at explaining things clearly, and patient with people who are frustrated. No technical background required to start.

Can career changers enter?

Yes, this is the single most common entry role for career changers into IT. Most employers value communication skills and reliability as much as technical knowledge at this level.

Skills required

Windows troubleshooting
Active Directory basics
Networking fundamentals
Ticketing systems (ServiceNow, Jira)
Customer service and communication

Recommended certifications

CompTIA A+ (the standard entry-level certification)ITIL Foundation (useful but not essential to start)

Career progression

IT Support → Microsoft 365 Administrator or Systems Administrator → Cloud Engineer (Azure) → Senior/Lead roles.

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