Information technology

How to become an information technology helpdesk and support technician

Official title: Information technology helpdesk and support technician

Also called: Desktop support technician, Information systems technician, Computer systems technician, IT customer support officer, Network support technician, IT helpdesk technician

Information technology helpdesk and support technicians give technical support to computer users. They may set up computer equipment and resolve technology problems.

Main tasks

Fix computer and software problems
Help people with computer issues
Set up computers and other devices
Check internet and network connections
Update and install new software
Reset passwords and unlock accounts
Explain how to use software programs
Test systems to find faults

How to become one

You usually need experience to become an information technology helpdesk and support technician and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: experience in similar work; a relevant tertiary qualification in computer science, information systems or similar area; knowledge of computer software and hardware.

See the full Tahatū profile

Ways in

Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in information systems and technology. TEC links this job to study in information systems. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Information Technology, NZ Dip in Information Technology Technical Support, NZ Dip in Information Systems. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $49,000 a year one year after study and $63,000 five years after; 42% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in software engineering and computer science. TEC links this job to study in computer science. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Applied Software Development, NZ Dip in Software Development, Dip in Cloud Engineering. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $51,000 a year one year after study and $65,000 five years after; 50% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).

Pay · Past change · AI and this job

Most common pay: $61,000 to $97,000 a year (median $75,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
Upper: $131,000 a year
TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
People employed in the group ICT Support Technicians: 6,003 at the 2018 Census and 7,539 at the 2023 Census (+25.6%). Past change, not a forecast.
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Who does this work

About 6,300 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
In the group ICT Support Technicians, 41% of workers are female (sex at birth, 2023 Census).
Where people in the group ICT Support Technicians work (2023 Census): Auckland 37.4%, Wellington 15.6%, and Canterbury 13.8%.

Questions people ask

How do I become an information technology helpdesk and support technician?

How much does an information technology helpdesk and support technician earn in New Zealand?

The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $75,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $61,000 to $97,000 a year.

Has the number of people working as an information technology helpdesk and support technician grown in New Zealand?

It has grown: TEC records an increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.

Will AI change the work of an information technology helpdesk and support technician?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Stats NZ (via Figure.NZ): Census 2023: employed by regional council, occupation (ANZSCO V1.3 unit group) and sex at birth (2023 Census), CC BY 4.0 (Stats NZ), CC BY 3.0 NZ (Figure.NZ), retrieved 4 October 2026
Stats NZ (via Figure.NZ): Census totals by topic for individuals 2013, 2018, 2023 (CEN23_TBT_004): employed by occupation, ANZSCO V1.3, summed to unit group (2023 Census (CEN23_TBT_004)), CC BY 4.0 (Stats NZ), CC BY 3.0 NZ (Figure.NZ), retrieved 4 October 2026
Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.

Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.

This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.

These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Updated 4 October 2026