• The jobs available to a computer technician can seem as tricky to decipher as a line of binary code--titles like "network administrator" and "computer forensics specialist" are difficult to understand for those not well-versed in techno-speak. The skills required of a computer technician, then, may seem shrouded in mystery, but the reality is simply that computer technicians are good problem solvers who happen to solve problems with computers.
  
  

Fast Learners

• Two skills necessary for all computer technicians are the ability to learn quickly and to effectively find answers to complex problems. Technology, particularly computer technology, is ever-changing, and at a rapid rate. A computer technician, then, must be prepared to constantly educate himself on breakthroughs and changes in technology. He must be able to quickly comb through manuals and user guides in search of direction and instruction.
  
  

Hardware Skills

• Computer technicians don't simply sit at desks pounding on keyboards--they need to be skilled in a variety of physical tasks, especially using hardware and tools. They must be able to use screwdrivers, pliers, and other tools for building and taking apart systems large and small. They must be confident wiring and rewiring circuits, soldering wires, and drilling. In short, they need not only manipulate computer systems, they must also be able to manipulate the hardware itself.
  
  

Coding and Connectivity

• Perhaps the most predictable skill a computer technician must possess is the ability to configure operating systems. A computer technician must be well-versed in coding--essentially speaking the language of a computer. This enables the technician to perform tasks as simple as installing patches to fix computer bugs or as complex as reformatting an entire network of computer systems. Since many technicians are employed by companies or organizations that rely on vast networks of connected units, computer technicians must be able to effectively link together a system of computers. Should something go wrong with one computer that affects all the others on a network, computer technicians must be able to identify the source of the problem and determine how to fix the wide range of affected computers. These skills are generally learned both in academic settings and in experiential training like apprenticeships.