Salaries for technical support roles among fastest growing

Glassdoor’s local pay reports for December highlighted ten roles which saw the greatest salary increase in 2017. Among this top ten, which includes varied roles such as Truck Drivers and Engineers, is Technical Support. The average salary for a Technical Support professional grew by 3.5% across 2017 in the US.

The main reasons for this will include the STEM skills shortage, which means supply of candidates isn’t meeting demand and also the increasing skill level required.

Technical Support is a much misunderstood role, often undervalued due to its association with customer service. However, the technical acumen required and advanced, unscripted nature of the customer service delivered means this is actually a highly-skilled role. It can also open the door to other opportunities in tech such as product management.

The UK STEM skills shortage is oft-reported and particularly in light of Brexit, which has reduced immigration from EU countries. However, the recent Tech City UK report observed that more tech talent actually comes in from non-EU countries and the vast majority of UK tech workers are British.

We’d argue that given the vast number of STEM graduates leaving UK universities each year, the focus ought to be on offering tech opportunities at graduate level. Going forward, this would ensure the supply of candidates for these roles regardless of the political climate.

For someone who has technical knowledge but prefers a high level of engagement and interaction in their work, technical support, technical sales, application support and similar technical customer-facing roles can offer a great opportunity. According to Glassdoor, the salary is healthy too.

If you’re interested in a career in technical support, technical sales or similar roles, why not check out our tech vacancies or drop us your CV?