Information communications technician - Support Technician

Details of the occupational standard

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Occupation summary

The Information Communications Technician (ICT) occupation exists across all sectors; public, private, and voluntary, and within organisations of every size. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into business operations, ICTs play a vital role in ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of digital infrastructure and communication systems.

ICTs support both day-to-day operations and strategic digital initiatives, enabling organisations to maintain productivity, respond to technical issues, and implement secure and scalable solutions.

The core purpose of the ICT occupation is to deliver effective installation, configuration, monitoring, and support of IT systems and telecommunications services. ICTs ensure the smooth operation of digital platforms, whether hosted on-premises or in the cloud, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of an organisation’s technical capabilities.

They are responsible for:

• Maintaining physical and virtual infrastructure (hardware, software, networks, communications, and data systems)

• Diagnosing and resolving faults affecting performance, security, or access

• Supporting change control and system upgrades

• Applying cybersecurity practices and regulatory standards

• Engaging with users to ensure effective service delivery

As digital infrastructure evolves, Information Communications Technicians must operate with an awareness of both sustainability and the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI). ICTs are increasingly expected to support environmentally responsible practices such as: optimising power usage, maintaining energy-efficient systems, implementing remote solutions to reduce travel, and contributing to device lifecycle management and e-waste reduction. Simultaneously, AI is transforming how IT systems are monitored, maintained, and secured. Technicians may be working alongside AI-driven tools for automated diagnostics, predictive maintenance, cybersecurity monitoring, and service desk triage. Understanding and leveraging these technologies responsibly ensures ICTs remain at the forefront of delivering sustainable and intelligent digital infrastructure.

Due to the varied nature of the role and variety of organisations which employ ICTs for training and assessment purposes, interpretation can be applied. Tooling, testing, diagnostics, fault finding and applications could be either AI, automated and/or traditional methods. Flexibility is designed to aid longevity, enabling the standard to evolve with technologies and adoption.

The ICT occupation encompasses three distinct but interrelated specialisms, each responding to the evolving digital landscape: 

Support Technician:

The IT Support Technician role is essential across all sectors, supporting the smooth operation of an organisation's digital systems. This occupation exists in businesses of all sizes, including public, private, and voluntary sectors, reflecting the increasing reliance on IT infrastructure, cloud services, and secure communications for daily operations and decision-making.

An IT Support Technician provides hands-on support to internal or external users, resolving technical issues across hardware, software, operating systems, networks, and cloud-based services. They are responsible for troubleshooting problems such as connectivity failures, software errors, and user access issues. Support may be delivered face-to-face, over the phone, or via remote desktop tools.

Technicians install and configure systems, manage user permissions using tools like Microsoft 365 Admin Center or Google Workspace, and support a wide range of workplace technologies. They may manage mobile devices, deploy updates using platforms such as Intune, and monitor system health using tools like Datadog, PRTG, or SolarWinds.

In their role, they prioritise support tasks in line with service level agreements (SLAs) and organisational policies, escalating issues when required. Tasks often involve automated diagnostics, script-based resolutions using PowerShell or Bash, and ensuring endpoint protection through antivirus and security policy enforcement.

The Support Technician role is typically desk-based in a helpdesk or service desk environment but may also include supporting hybrid or remote users. For example, when a retail platform experiences downtime, the technician would quickly investigate and resolve access or connectivity issues to minimise revenue loss and protect customer experience.

As organisations move toward cloud-first and secure-by-design IT environments, IT Support Technicians play a key role in maintaining productivity, safeguarding data, and supporting digital transformation initiatives.

Network Technician:

The Network Technician plays a vital role in ensuring connectivity, performance, and security across digital infrastructures. They support the design, installation, configuration, and monitoring of network systems; from local cabling and switches to cloud-managed networks and wireless deployments, across organisations in education, finance, retail, healthcare, and beyond.

While many responsibilities are carried out in an office or network operations centre, Network Technicians may also visit client sites or other organisational locations to install, upgrade, or troubleshoot network equipment. For instance, they may deploy wireless access points in a school, lay structured cabling for a new office wing, or configure firewalls, VPNs, or managed switches in a retail store.

Modern Network Technicians support both on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure. This includes provisioning virtual networks via platforms such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, and maintaining hybrid environments using SD-WAN, site-to-site VPNs, and zero trust principles.

They use network performance monitoring and diagnostics tools like Cisco DNA Center, Wireshark, Zabbix, or PRTG to proactively address issues such as latency, packet loss, or bandwidth congestion, particularly important in environments like contact centres or VoIP-heavy operations.

In regulated industries such as the finance sector, they also perform compliance-focused tasks like encrypted backups, failover testing, and routine audits, using automated backup systems such as Veeam, Acronis, or Azure Backup. Data protection, uptime, and network resilience are core responsibilities.

Network Technicians also contribute to the automation of configuration and updates using tools like Ansible, PowerShell, or Python scripting, and may assist with documentation, asset management, and disaster recovery planning.

As networks become more complex and interwoven with cloud services, cybersecurity, and remote working infrastructure, Network Technicians ensure reliable, secure, and scalable connectivity for business continuity and growth.

Digital Communications Technician:

The Digital Communications Technician supports the installation, testing, maintenance, and fault resolution of secure and reliable communication systems across a range of sectors, including defence, telecommunications, and enterprise environments. This role may be desk-based or involve field-based activities, depending on the organisation and service area.

Technicians work with both traditional and emerging communications technologies, including 5G, fibre-optic networks, cloud-based communication systems, mobile radio access networks, and Voice over IP (VoIP) platforms. They contribute to the design, build, integration, and operational support of end-to-end communication solutions, ensuring performance, security, and continuity of service for internal users and external customers.

In a defence or national security context, a Digital Communications Technician plays a vital role in enabling the secure exchange of mission-critical information. They are responsible for administering and maintaining encrypted communication systems, secure satellite links, and cryptographic devices, in compliance with standards such as Cyber Essentials Plus, MOD secure networks (e.g., MODNet), and NCSC guidance.

In large telecommunications organisations, they may support the deployment of customer-facing connectivity solutions, including broadband provisioning, mobile network expansion, and IoT device integration. This may include tasks such as:

• Building and maintaining mobile base stations and radio access networks

• Testing network performance using tools such as Wireshark, NetScout, or spectrum analysers

• Configuring and supporting Unified Communications platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom Phone, or RingCentral

Digital Communications Technicians may also analyse network load and performance, implement change requests, and escalate faults in accordance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs). They apply cybersecurity principles to ensure secure data transmission, support disaster recovery procedures, and contribute to the resilience of communication infrastructure.

The role involves regular interaction with technical teams, project managers, and end users, both internally and externally. It requires strong communication skills, an understanding of secure communication protocols, and a focus on quality and compliance. As organisations increasingly adopt cloud-based telephony, software-defined networking (SDN), and edge computing, the Digital Communications Technician is key to delivering seamless, scalable, and secure connectivity.

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