Desktop support course

cautionmarkcautionmark
edited October 2007 in Science & Tech
:confused:I've just enrolled for the Microsoft Desktop Support course at my local Uni.
Just wondering if anyone has done the course, and if has been of any use to them. I hope to use this as a stepping stone to a new career.:bigggrin:

Comments

  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited September 2007
    Desktop Support? I work Desktop Support, I hate my job... not as much as the last place I worked at, but the pay ain't great and the stress is high. I miss being the one and only computer tech at a small business... those were good times indeed.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited September 2007
    I've taken a few desktop support courses... one sucked, the other was great. The great one was offered by Learning Tree. I recommend them... as for you College... don't know.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2007
    If it's a good course, it'll do two things. It'll give you a good base level of understanding on the types of issues that crop up during desktop support. But I've found the more important part is that it teaches you how to deal with the idiots who call you up in the first place.

    For example, they tell you not to call them idiots.

    I didn't do well in the course.
  • cautionmarkcautionmark
    edited September 2007
    Thanks for the replys peeps, though not too encouraging, lol.
    But hey, I will do it any way.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2007
    There is nothing really wrong with the course. Depending on your current knowledge it'll be a good start, or a potentially tedious refresher. Desktop support jobs though are a mixed bag. If you are on an internal support desk it's usually, less nose bleed inducing then the general public. It also depends what you are supporting.

    For example being a support person for external customers of an ISP, quite possible the worst job ever. Being external support for a high tech low volume product, not bad at all.

    Don't let our jaded opinions kill your career ambitions.
  • cautionmarkcautionmark
    edited September 2007
    Thnx m8, the thing is I am in a dead end job at the min. owned a pc for around 2 years now and have a real desire to find out more on all aspects of the operating system (XP), and computers in general, Im one of these people who likes to find and correct problems on my own, rather than hand my pc to someone else (along with 50 quid), lol.
    Sites like this one have proved a great source of information, you guys do a real good job on here.

    Keep up the good work
  • stoopidstoopid Albany, NY New
    edited October 2007
    kryyst wrote:
    Desktop support jobs though are a mixed bag. If you are on an internal support desk it's usually, less nose bleed inducing then the general public. It also depends what you are supporting.

    For example being a support person for external customers of an ISP, quite possible the worst job ever. Being external support for a high tech low volume product, not bad at all.

    Well said. I worked in an internal helpdesk for almost 5 years. I prefer my current field tech position, which is mixed desktop, server, and network support whereas the help desk job was mostly software support and very limited due to lack of tools and permissions/ability to fix things remotely.

    Phone support in general sucks because people get muscles they don't normally have when you're there in person. Technologically clueless user + deadline + technical issue preventing them from meeting deadline = frustration at anyone who's within earshot. Since their voice is in your ear...
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited October 2007
    cautionmark wrote:
    Thanks for the replys peeps, though not too encouraging, lol.
    But hey, I will do it any way.

    I do desktop support for university faculty that use Macs, it's not that bad really. It's not necessarily a career though, more of a stepping stone.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited October 2007
    Im one of these people who likes to find and correct problems on my own, rather than hand my pc to someone else (along with 50 quid), lol.
    Then you definitely should Icrontic your online home. There are too many of us here to count who consider one of life's greatest joys building computers. Troubleshooting and repair is a joy too...when it works. :rolleyes:
    I do desktop support for university faculty that use Macs, it's not that bad really. It's not necessarily a career though, more of a stepping stone.
    But how can this be true? Macs need no support! They do everything for you with n'er a breakdown, am I not correct?


    On a serious note, what exactly do you in Mac support, Nomad. Software support? Networking? Training? I find it interesting.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited October 2007
    Leonardo wrote:
    On a serious note, what exactly do you in Mac support, Nomad. Software support? Networking? Training? I find it interesting.

    I field basic questions about OS X from the faculty which are fairly simply (Importing/exporting address book, basic software support, etc.). I also help with the network administration using MacAdmin and do desktop/printer installation across the network.
    Leonardo wrote:
    But how can this be true? Macs need no support! They do everything for you with n'er a breakdown, am I not correct?

    To be honest, very few of the questions or problems we get are hardware or platform related. Most are "how-to" queries, end-user problems, or network permission settings. So far, the only actual technical support we've had to do was replace a stick of ram in someone's G4 and remove a keyboard from an iMac where the A key wasn't functioning.
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