bipoc female wearing a headset and smiling while sitting at a computer desk next to other colleagues

User support technicians

(NOC 22221)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$62,568
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
4,040

Career Overview

User support technicians provide technical support to computer users who are experiencing difficulties with computer hardware, applications or communications software.

People in this career:

  • Work for computer hardware manufacturers and retailers, software developers, call centres and information technology units throughout the private and public sectors
  • Have knowledge of a wide range of computer hardware and software systems
  • Have excellent communication skills and are able to explain technical details clearly
  • Are patient and have strong problem-solving abilities
  • May work for independent technical support companies or be self-employed

Job Titles

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

Duties

In general, user support technicians:

  • Provide business systems, network and internet support to users experiencing difficulties
  • Diagnose, reproduce and solve technical problems
  • Refer to user guides, technical manuals and other documents to find solutions to technical problems
  • Offer advice and training to users
  • Collect, organize and maintain a problems/solutions log for use by other user support technicians
  • Assist with the repair, maintenance and upgrading of computer-related hardware and software
  • Communicate electronically or in person
  • May provide input on the redesign of applications and other software

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$62,568

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$43.00/hr
Median$30.00/hr
Low$20.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

6,715

% Employed Full Time

76%
Source: 2021 Census

User support technicians may provide services 24 hours a day or over an extended work day that includes shift work. They normally work in an office or call centre where they field calls and emails from staff or clients.

Well-designed work stations and safe work practices can minimize the risks of eye, back, hand and wrist strain or injury from extended computer use.

Career Pathways

With experience and training, user support technicians can progress to supervisory positions or move into other fields such as computer programming, interactive media development, web development or systems analysis.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic
Conventional
Conventional
Investigative
Investigative

Education, Training and Skills

A diploma or certificate program in computer science, cybersecurity and network support, cybersecurity and network technology, computer programming or network administration is generally required.

Other requirements may include:

Certification is not mandatory, but it may increase work opportunities. 

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Computer Information Systems/Science
  • Computing Science/Systems Related
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

75%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

75%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

75%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

6,715
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 85 1.3%
Kootenay 90 1.3%
Mainland/Southwest 4,755 70.9%
North Coast and Nechako 65 1.0%
Northeast 25 0.4%
Thompson-Okanagan 505 7.5%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,185 17.7%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)

4,040
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 10 -0.2%
Kootenay 40 1.4%
Mainland/Southwest 2,980 2.5%
North Coast and Nechako 110 5.0%
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 300 2.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast 580 1.6%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services2,480
Information, Culture and Recreation290
Educational Services230
Public Administration210
Retail Trade160
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Demand is strong for individuals who can efficiently troubleshoot computer hardware, software and networking-related issues, as all businesses rely heavily on these systems.

Demand is especially high for people who have knowledge and experience in cybersecurity principles and threats.

Resources