Employer description:
QA are working closely with Staffordshire based IT specialists - Hobb Computer Services Ltd. The business have been established for over 25 years. They're customer focused and supply a range of IT solutions including end user computing, networking infrastructure, AV and security systems, cloud computing and systems management to our midlands-based clients.
What’s in it for you:
With the business seeing business growth within covid it has carved a fantastic opportunity to join a friendly team. This is a diverse, exciting and challenging role with access to work on multiple and varied desktop and server platforms, infrastructures and applications.
You will gain experience of supporting clients who are experiencing any procedural or operating difficulty with IT applications, products or services.
We’re looking for you to develop the role so that, in time, you become the first point of contact for all incoming issues to the Help Desk – freeing up the First and Second Line technicians to concentrate on the resolution of issues to meet our agreed SLA's.
Key responsibilities:
- Efficiently, politely and accurately logging client telephone support requests
- Assisting with installing and configuring computer hardware operating systems and applications
- Assisting with troubleshooting system problems, diagnosing and solving hardware/software faults
- Assisting with providing IT support, as directed by Line Manager
- Assisting with setting up new users' accounts and profiles and dealing with password issues
- Responding within agreed time limits to allocated support calls
- Working continuously on a task until completion (or referral to third parties, if appropriate)
- Rapidly establishing a good working relationship with team members and clients
- Any other duties as directed by line manager
- Monitoring and maintaining systems and networks
- Communicating clearly to clients in non-technical jargon
- Managing servers (in physical and virtual environments), implementing GPO and synchronising with cloud technologies (Office 365)
- Monitor and manage cloud tenants and endpoints for security breaches
Other tasks will over time develop and increase.
What we are looking for / You will have the following skills and experience’s:
- A keen interest in IT and technology
- A positive, friendly and professional approach
- A basic working knowledge of the latest Windows operating systems (highly essential)
- A basic working knowledge of the latest MAC operating systems (desirable)
- A basic working knowledge of the latest MS Office applications (essential)
- Self-motivated with ability to work as part of a team
- Problem solving skills
- Organisational skills
Entry requirements:
The entry requirements for this Cloud Network Support Specialist programme are as follows:
- 3 GCSE’s (or equivalent) at grades 4+ (A-C) in any subject
- GCSE Maths and English (or equivalents) at grades 3+ (D or above)
- Prospective apprentices must not hold an existing qualification at the same or higher level as this apprenticeship is in a similar subject
You may also have a combination of qualifications and experience which demonstrate the minimum foundation needed for the programme. In this instance you could still be considered for the programme.
If you hold international equivalents of the above qualifications, at the time of your application you must be able to provide an official document that states how your international qualifications compare to the UK qualifications.
Find out more here: https://www.enic.org.uk/Qualifications/UKQRS/Default.aspx
During your apprenticeship, you will gain the following skills:
- Windows Server
- Windows Operating Systems
- Windows Desktop Applications
- Cloud Services/Technologies i.e., Microsoft 365, Azure
- Active Directory administration
- Configuration of hardware and software
- General networking support (LAN, WAN, VPN)
Working week:
Our customers are supported from 8:30am – 6:00pm, Monday to Friday [excluding Bank Holidays].
You will work a 37½ hour week around these hours.
You may be asked your availability to work the occasional weekend to support customer migrations; this will be supervised and time given back in lieu.
Leave:
Initial fully paid leave of 20 days per annum plus public holidays rising by 1 day per year up to maximum of 25 days per annum.
Future prospects:
92% of QA Apprentices secure permanent employment after finishing their apprenticeship. Additionally, there may be opportunities to undertake further apprenticeship training as many of our programs offer on-going development tracks.
Important Information:
QA’s apprenticeships are funded by the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), an executive agency of the Department for Education.
To be eligible for a Government funded apprenticeship you must have lived in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) for the last 3 consecutive years.