ICT Technician
Key facts
ICT technicians install, maintain, repair and operate information systems and any ICT related equipment (laptops, desktops, servers, tablets, smart phones, communications equipment, printers and any piece of computer related peripheral networks), and any type of software (drivers, operating systems, applications).
ICT technicians are vital for maintaining the technology that powers modern workplaces and homes. Your days will involve a diverse range of tasks, from setting up new equipment and troubleshooting technical issues to ensuring software and networks are secure and efficient. You’ll work with a wide array of devices, including laptops, desktops, servers, smartphones, printers, and network infrastructure, providing essential support to users.
- • Installing and configuring computer hardware, software, and peripherals.
- • Diagnosing and resolving hardware and software malfunctions.
- • Maintaining and updating network infrastructure and security systems.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Information and communications technicians — 22 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands and 2 more.
Longest-running shortage: Netherlands, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $61,860 2025-05 | −3.7% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2022 * | — | +44.4% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £34,314 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for ICT technician
The outlook for ICT technician reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could ICT technician change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
Most tasks here are AI-assistable rather than purely human-led.
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- use ICT hardware
- maintain ICT server
- maintain ICT system
Tasks most exposed to automation
- manage email hosting service
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Digital Technology
A typical day as an ICT technician
09 09:00 · Morning implement ICT recovery system
10 10:30 · Mid-morning administer ICT system
12 12:00 · Midday define firewall rules
14 14:00 · Afternoon implement a virtual private network
15 15:30 · Late afternoon keep up to date on product knowledge
17 17:00 · Wrap-up implement anti-virus software
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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define firewall rules
Specify rules to govern a set of components aiming to limit access between groups of networks or a particular network and the internet.
-
implement a virtual private network
Create an encrypted connection between private networks, such as different local networks of a company, over the internet to ensure that only authorized users can access it and that the data cannot be intercepted.
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implement anti-virus software
Download, install and update software to prevent, detect and remove malicious software, such as computer viruses.
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perform backups
Implement backup procedures to backup data and systems to ensure permanent and reliable system operation. Execute data backups in order to secure information by copying and archiving to ensure integrity during system integration and after data loss occurrence.
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use ICT hardware
Ability to use equipment such as monitor, mouse, keyboard, storage devices, printers, scanners etc to perform operations such as plugging in, starting up, shutting down, rebooting, saving files and other operations.
-
maintain ICT server
Diagnose and eliminate hardware faults via repair or replacement. Take preventive measures, review performance, update software, review accessibility.
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maintain ICT system
Select and apply system and network monitoring techniques. Identify and fix operational problems. Ensure that system's capabilities and efficiency match company specifications.
-
perform ICT troubleshooting
Identify problems with servers, desktops, printers, networks, and remote access, and perform actions which solve the problems.
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implement ICT recovery system
Create, manage and implement ICT system recovery plan in case of crisis in order to retrieve information and reacquire use of the system.
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keep up to date on product knowledge
Gather the latest information on developments related to the existing or supported products, methods or techniques.
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administer ICT system
Handle components of ICT system by maintaining configuration, managing users, monitoring resource use, performing backups and installing hardware or software to comply with the set requirements.
-
use repair manuals
Apply the information, such as periodic maintenance charts, step by step repair instructions, troubleshooting information and overhaul procedures to perform routine maintenance and repairs.
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operate private branch exchange
Handle Private Branch Exchange (PBX), a telecommunication system within an organisation that switches calls between users on local lines. At the same time the system allows all users to share external phone lines.
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use precision tools
Use electronic, mechanical, electric, or optical precision tools, such as drilling machines, grinders, gear cutters and milling machines to boost accuracy while machining products.
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repair ICT devices
Maintain and repair ICT related equipment such as laptops, desktops, tablets, mobile devices, communications equipment, printers and any piece of computer related peripheral. Detect faults, malfunctions and replace parts if necessary.
-
manage email hosting service
Oversee the day-to-day running of a private email platform by maintaining and refining provided services, such as spam and virus protection, blocking advertisement, website redesigns and search engine optimisation.
attack vectors
Paths or methods that threat actors use to exploit vulnerabilities in information networks or systems from a concrete organisation and impact its availability, integrity and confidentiality. Attack vectors may include social engineering tactics such as phishing mails or pretexting, technical exploits as SQL injection as well as buffer overflow attacks.
distributed directory information services
The directory services that automate the network management of security, user data and distributed resources and enable access to information in a computer system's directory.
ICT network cable limitations
The limitations, such as distance limitations and resistance of types of cables, such as fibre cable, coax cable and ethernet cable which are used for realising networks.
ICT network routing
The processes and techniques for choosing the best paths within an ICT network through which a packet can travel.
procurement of ICT network equipment
The products available from network equipment providers and methods for selecting and procuring the equipment.
ABAP
The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in ABAP.
AJAX
The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in AJAX.
APL
The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in APL.
ASP.NET
The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in ASP.NET.
- digital systems
- ICT networking hardware
Path to become an ICT technician
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Short-cycle tertiary education
2,865 programmes in 31 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 333 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Valkeakosken ammattiopisto · Finland
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
Pearl River Community College · the United States
Advanced Certificate in Computer Programming
Fast Track into Information Technology · Ireland
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology · New Zealand
These are 6 of 3,198.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov), CC BY. Data as at 10/06/2026. Adapted by NexPath.
- 3. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 4. Source: Study with New Zealand (studywithnewzealand.govt.nz), Education New Zealand. Copyright in the material is owned by Education New Zealand (All content (c) Education New Zealand). Listings are provided by the education providers, are for information and promotional purposes only, and are not endorsed by Education New Zealand; each provider is responsible for its own content.
- 5. Source: Malta Qualifications Registry, Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (qualifications.mfhea.gov.mt).
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does ICT technician fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of qualifications do I need to become an ICT technician?
Is this a good career for someone who enjoys working independently?
What are the typical work environments for an ICT technician?
How much does ICT Technician pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data