User support technicians

User support technicians

NOC
22221

provide technical support to users experiencing difficulties with computer hardware, computer applications and communications software.

Quick facts

3-Year Outlook

Moderate
Moderate

3-Year Job Openings

88
 

Median Hourly Wage

$25.24
$15.00
Low
$38.40
High

Average Salary

$56,500
 

Typically Required

College or apprenticeship

Employed

1,726
 
Job details

Full NOC Description

User support technicians provide first-line technical support to computer users experiencing difficulties with computer hardware and with computer applications and communications software. They are employed by computer hardware manufacturers and retailers, software developers, in call centres and in information technology units throughout the public and private sectors. They are also employed by independent technical support companies or they may be self-employed.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
 

  • Communicate electronically and in person with computer users experiencing difficulties to determine and document problems experienced
  • Consult user guides, technical manuals and other documents to research and implement solutions
  • Reproduce, diagnose and resolve technical problems encountered by users
  • Provide advice and training to users in response to identified difficulties
  • Provide business systems, network and Internet support to users in response to identified difficulties
  • Collect, organize and maintain a problems and solutions log for use by other technical support analysts
  • Participate in the redesign of applications and other software
  • May supervise other technical support workers in this group.

Also Known As

  • call centre agent - technical support
  • client support representative - systems
  • computer help desk representative - systems
  • computer help desk supervisor
  • hardware installation technician
  • hardware technical support analyst
  • help desk technician
  • software installation technician
  • software technical support analyst
  • systems support representative
  • technical support analyst
  • technical support supervisor
  • user support technician
Requirements

Employment Requirements

  • Completion of a college program in computer science, computer programming or network administration is usually required.
  • College or other courses in computer programming or network administration are usually required.
  • Certification or training provided by software vendors may be required by some employers.

Provincial Regulation

Not Provincially Regulated

Employment by Sex

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

25.2%
Female
74.8%
Male
Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

7.9%
15-24
29.7%
25-34
28.3%
35-44
24.5%
45-54
7.9%
55-64
1.7%
65+
Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

2.3%
No Certificate, Diploma or Degree
22.3%
High School, Diploma or Equivalent
1.8%
Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma
47.9%
College or University Below Bachelor Level
25.8%
University - Bachelor Level or Above
Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

24.3%
Information and cultural industries
20.5%
Professional, scientific and technical services
15.2%
Public administration
39.9%
All Other Industries
Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

5.20%
Northeast
37.60%
Southeast
28.60%
Southwest
21.90%
Central
6.70%
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

$58,000
Northeast
$56,400
Southeast
$56,800
Southwest
$56,800
Central
$54,000
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Northeast

$25.24
$15.00
Low
$38.40
High

Southeast

$27.00
$18.46
Low
$32.67
High

Southwest

$25.24
$15.00
Low
$38.40
High

Central

$25.00
$13.75
Low
$36.41
High

Northwest

$25.24
$15.00
Low
$38.40
High
Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

New Brunswick

$56,500

Newfoundland

$70,500

Prince Edward Island

$51,600

Nova Scotia

$59,500

Canada

$69,300
Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Three Year Outlook

Total Openings: 3-Year

88
 

New Jobs: 3-Year

10
 

Retirements/Deaths: 3-Year

78
 

Ten Year Outlook

Total Openings: 10-Year

389
 

New Jobs: 10-Year

69
 

Retirements/Deaths: 10-Year

319