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Outlook: Employment of computer support specialists is expected to grow 13 percent from 2006 to 2016. The adoption of new technologies will continue to create a need for these workers to familiarize and educate computer users.
Pay: The 8,550 computer support specialists in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area earned a median wage of $47,720 in 2007.
The job: Computer support specialists provide technical assistance, support and advice to customers and other users. This occupational group includes technical support specialists and help-desk technicians. These troubleshooters interpret problems and provide technical support for hardware, software and systems. They answer telephone calls, analyze problems by using automated diagnostic programs, and resolve recurring difficulties. Support specialists work either within a company that uses computer systems or directly for a computer hardware or software vendor.
Training, licensing: Due to the wide range of skills required, there are many paths of entry to a job as a computer support specialist. Training requirements for computer support specialist positions vary, but many employers prefer to hire applicants with some formal college education. A bachelor’s degree in computer science or information systems is a prerequisite for some jobs; other jobs, however, may require only a computer-related associate degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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