This week’s career memes are an ode to computer repair technicians, those professionals who resuscitate our conked-out computers and restore them to working order.
As well as diagnosing and fixing problems with computers, monitors, processors and hard drives, a computer repair technician’s duties may also involve building or configuring new hardware, installing and updating software, creating and maintaining computer networks, and making recommendations for repair and replacement.
Computer repair technicians can work for individuals, companies and repair shops, in various settings and either the public or private sector.
Since the role requires a lot of contact with people, excellent communication skills are required, as well as solid IT, analytical and troubleshooting/problem-solving skills. Good dexterity is also desirable, since the technicians use their hands to work with objects within the computer.
In terms of an educational background, some computer repair technicians may earn an associate or technical degree in computer repair, while others may be trained on specific computer systems, depending on their employer.
In Ireland, a computer repair technician can expect to earn an average annual salary of €24,225, according to PayScale.com.
