IT Support Officer
IT support officers troubleshoot the everyday technical problems that stop people using their computers, networks and software.
- Median salary
- $87,700
3.5%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 46,200
1.1%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +17.4%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 40/wk
matches all-jobs average
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
IT support officers sit at the first point of contact in an organisation's IT team, working a help desk, over a remote session or at the user's desk. They take calls and support requests, fix what they can, from a locked account to a failing laptop, and escalate faults that turn out to be server or network problems. The difference from a systems administrator matters: the administrator looks after the servers and infrastructure, while the support officer deals with the people using them.
How much do it support officers earn?
The median full-time salary for an it support officer is $87,700 per annum, before tax, up $18,700 since 2018.
Pay here moves with the level you work at more than with the job title, because a first-line service desk role sits well below second or third-line support with specialist or on-call duties. Government departments and large employers usually pay against a classification scale or enterprise agreement, while managed service providers vary more and often add shift or on-call allowances. Vendor certifications in Microsoft 365, networking or security are one of the more reliable ways to move up a band.
What does an it support officer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Working through a queue of support requests where everything arrives marked urgent and sorting out which fault is actually holding someone up
- Talking a user through a fix over the phone while they describe their screen in a different order to the one you asked for
- Resetting passwords, clearing print queues and reinstalling software, which is routine to you and rarely routine to the person asking
- Chasing a fault the standard steps don't explain, then escalating it once it is clearly beyond a desktop or account fix
- Writing up what happened and how it was solved so the next person to pick up the request starts with the answer
What skills do it support officers need?
Employers look for technical support and troubleshooting, networks and systems administration, cyber security, backed by Active Directory fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Technical support and troubleshooting
- Networks and systems administration
- Cyber security
Software and tools
- Active Directory
- Ticketing systems (Jira, ServiceNow)
- Remote access software (TeamViewer, AnyDesk)
- Diagnostic tools (Wireshark, SysInternals)
General skills
- Problem solving
- Customer service
- Written communication
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 46,200 people work as it support officers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 17.4% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become an it support officer?
Here's the path most it support officers take, step by step.
- 1Get a Certificate IV or Diploma of Information Technology
TAFE and other registered training organisations offer both, covering the troubleshooting, networking and operating system material the job runs on. The certificate usually takes six months to a year of full-time study, the diploma longer, and either can be started straight out of school. A bachelor's degree is the other main route into larger employers, and it is the highest qualification held by 32% of people working as IT support officers.
- 2Add vendor certifications for the systems you will support
CompTIA A+ covers hardware and general support, Microsoft certifications cover Windows, Entra ID and Microsoft 365 administration, and ITIL Foundation covers service management practice. Employers commonly list these beside the qualification, and they are a quick way to show your knowledge is current.
- 3Apply for first-line or service desk roles
Managed service providers, government departments, schools and universities hire at this level regularly, and it is where the training actually sticks because you see the same faults across many users. Don't wait for a perfect match on every listed skill, since the role is built for people still learning it.
- 4Choose a specialism in your first year or two
Windows and identity, networking, security operations and cloud support all draw on the support requests you are already handling. Pick one and work through its certification path, because that choice is what turns service desk experience into the next role rather than more of the same.
Ready to apply as an it support officer?
Whether you're working toward becoming an it support officer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an it support officer move to?
Moving into DevOps Engineer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $44,200 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer Scripting and system support skills carry into automating deployments and infrastructure, but substantial retraining in devops practices is required.Known move | +$44,200 | 25% | reskill |
| Systems Administrator An it support officer's user account and troubleshooting experience provides a base for administering servers and systems, with further study.Known move | +$40,300 | 32% | reskill |
| Cyber Security Analyst Handling access issues and security incidents gives a foundation for monitoring threats, with further study in security operations.Known move | +$40,300 | 26% | reskill |
| Network Engineer Support work with networks and connectivity leads naturally into designing and maintaining network infrastructure, though additional training is needed.Known move | +$32,400 | 32% | reskill |
| Web Administrator Maintaining websites and content management systems uses the same troubleshooting and user support skills, with a short course in web technologies. | −$7,100 | 50% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as an it support officer?
The typical it support officer is 38 years old; 79% are men, 83% work full-time, and full-timers average 40 hours a week.
- 38
- Median age
- 21%
- Female share
- 83%
- Full-time
- +0h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an it support officer?
The rhythm is set by whoever is stuck that morning: quiet stretches broken by a burst of support requests after a software rollout or a network outage. The pressure is rarely physical and often social, because the person waiting is mid-task, frustrated and not especially interested in the technical reason for the delay. It suits someone who likes solving puzzles in short bursts and can explain the same thing patiently to a different person each time.
What people like
- Fixing in minutes something that had someone stuck all morning. A lost document or a laptop that won't connect is a small disaster for the person it happens to, and clearing it is immediate, visible help.
- You end up knowing how the whole organisation runs. Support work touches every team and the systems they use, which builds a broad picture of the business faster than most specialist roles allow.
- It is a real entry point into IT. The accounts, networks and security incidents you handle at the desk are the same material the specialist roles are built on, and many people start here.
- Support requests close. Most of the day's work has a clear finish, and the queue at the end of a shift shows exactly what you got through.
What people find hard
- People call you when they are already frustrated. By the time a request reaches you, someone has usually lost work or is staring down a deadline, and that mood travels down the phone.
- The same fixes keep coming back. Password resets and printer problems never leave the queue for good, however many times you solve them.
- Some faults sit outside your reach. When a fix depends on a vendor, a replacement part or another team, you are the one explaining the delay to a user who wants an answer now.
- Coverage can run past business hours. Organisations that keep services running around the clock roster help desk shifts or on-call cover, which suits some people and wears others down.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ it support officers?
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services employs the largest share of it support officers, followed by Education and Training.
Top employing industries
- 1Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- 2Education and Training
- 3Public Administration and Safety
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 31.6% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 20.1% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 16.6% | |
| Postgraduate | 13.8% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 13.6% |
Will AI replace it support officers?
IT support sits in the middle: a real share of the routine work is already handled without an officer, while the parts that depend on reading a person's problem stay with them. Self-service portals, automated password resets and chat assistants now close plenty of first-line requests before a technician sees them, and remote management tools let one officer do what once took a site visit. What is left is diagnosis, judgement about what a fault means for the wider network, and the human side of a user who is stuck.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Diagnosing hardware and network faults at the deskA machine that won't boot or a dock that keeps dropping its connection needs someone swapping parts, reading logs and testing at the desk, which no chatbot can do.30%low
- Password resets and account unlocksSelf-service portals and identity tools already handle many of these without an officer, though exceptions and locked administrator accounts still land on the desk.25%high
- Triaging the queue and keeping users updatedTicketing software suggests priority and routes work automatically, but deciding which fault is genuinely urgent, and telling someone honestly when their fix is coming, is still done by a person.25%moderate
- Setting up and configuring devices and softwareImaging tools and device management platforms build and configure most machines automatically, with the officer handling the exceptions and the user's data.20%moderate
Common questions about becoming an it support officer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an IT support officer earn?
Full-time IT support officers earn a median of $87,700 per year before tax, and the spread around that figure is wide. First-line roles sit below it, second and third-line support above, and shift or on-call allowances add to the total in organisations that run extended hours.
How do you become an IT support officer?
Most people start with a Certificate IV or Diploma of Information Technology and then apply for a first-line or service desk role, where most of the practical skill is learned on the job. Vendor certifications such as CompTIA A+ or a Microsoft support credential appear in many job ads and can carry as much weight as formal study with some employers. A bachelor's degree is another route and is the highest qualification for 32% of people working in the role.
Are IT support officers in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 17.4% over the decade to 2035, and IT support officers are currently not in shortage. That points to a market where openings are a mix of new positions and replacement for people moving into specialist roles, rather than one where employers are competing hard for candidates.
Will AI replace IT support officers?
Some of the job is already being automated, and the routine end of it most of all. Automated password resets, self-service portals and chat assistants now close a share of the simple requests that used to fill a first-line queue, but working out what a user actually changed, or whether a fault is a one-off or the start of something wider, still takes a person sitting with the problem. The work is shifting toward fewer resets and more diagnosis, escalation and supporting the tools doing the automating.
What can an IT support officer move into?
Systems administrator, network engineer and cyber security analyst are the common next steps, and each builds on the account, connectivity and incident work you already do. Systems administrators earn $40,300 more, network engineers $32,400 more and cyber security analysts $40,300 more, but all three need further study in servers, network design or security operations rather than time served alone. DevOps engineering is a bigger jump again, into scripting and automated deployment.
What hours do IT support officers work?
Full-time IT support officers work about 40 hours a week, and 83% of people in the role work full time. Help desks in schools and office environments generally keep business hours, while organisations running their own services after hours roster shifts or on-call cover, usually with an allowance attached.
Related roles
- Systems Administrator
- Network Engineer
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Web Administrator
- DevOps Engineer
- Computer Hardware Technician
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