A future job in PC Hardware

I never really gotten sick of Computers.. I'm doing Software Development course now in Uni, also did Software Development course at college, and took a vocational course involving networking... also did a couple of lessons to increase typing speed and accuracy etc.

I've started using computers at a very early age and still not sick of it.

People here are right, there is not enough money in assembling/repairing computers.
Other fields in computing however, can get you quite a good career like Programming, Designing/Developing Websites etc.
 
I just want to say that, from experience, there is a world of difference between doing it as a hobby and doing it as a job. Before I started work (I'm a tech in a school) I used to love building computers, or fixing hardware faults. But that's because I didn't do it day-in, day-out, I think. It was maybe once every fortnight, so it was cool. But when I started my job, the fun wore off it pretty quick. Once you're given two or three to fiddle about with per day, it becomes a chore rather than something fun. Now I much prefer the development side of my job, testing new software and getting it to work on our system, evaluating alternatives and learning new things, like scripting/programming.

I'm not saying this would happen for you, but I want you to be at least aware of the possibility and to keep it in mind when you look to do any courses that would help towards it. If you can find one that's a good balance between hardware and software, you might be better off going with it, just in-case. My course was heavily hardware-oriented when it came to actually working with computers, with the other side mostly being networking. What we didn't touch were things like domains and Active Directory, which are the main things I work with now. If you are the person who would still enjoy working with computer hardware on a daily basis all week, then that course would probably be for you. It did cover the other side of things, but I didn't learn much on that side and, unfortunately, already knew the hardware stuff.

I would advise you to train for something higher-up, even if this is what you want to do, because it's easier to get jobs further up in the future.

Be aware, and I wish you good luck in your career :)
 
Like TV and VCR repairmen, 'PC repairmen' are a dying breed, and making a business out of it isn't real viable. Back in the day when TV's / VCRs were an investment and would last 20 years it was worth it. And when a 'cheap' PC still costed more than a grand about 10-15 years ago (cheap enough to be come widespread, but not cheap enough to just outright replace) it was worth paying somebody £50 or more to fix it up. Now that you can get new LAPTOPs for £200 it shows that PCs and stuff have just become commodity.
 
whitecrook said:
Like TV and VCR repairmen, 'PC repairmen' are a dying breed, and making a business out of it isn't real viable. Back in the day when TV's / VCRs were an investment and would last 20 years it was worth it. And when a 'cheap' PC still costed more than a grand about 10-15 years ago (cheap enough to be come widespread, but not cheap enough to just outright replace) it was worth paying somebody £50 or more to fix it up. Now that you can get new LAPTOPs for £200 it shows that PCs and stuff have just become commodity.
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Dying breed or not we are still here.

I do work part time for a PC repair company and part-time for myself and I am kept busy all the time.

Most people, when they have problem with a pc/laptop, are not worried about the hardware but the data they have on it. The most commom request I get is "can you make sure my photo's are saved"

I have lost count of the number of time's I've had to do data recovery on external drives as people use them as masin storage rather than backup.

Most will still not buy a new machine and will only go for that as a last option as they have become familiar with the pc/laptop they use and will more often rather than not have it repaired than replaced.
 
The jobs availible in pc hardware (building/fixing) are pretty slim and you wont earn a lot of money doing it unless you're self employed. What you should do now is finish your gcse's, consider your options for further education, if you still want to do pc hardware consider4 taking a BTEC national diploma for IT. while on that course youd get to try many areas of IT and do some more on hardware. from there you can decide what area of it to go into and either go to uni or get a job straight out of college.
 
JHeaton said:
I just want to say that, from experience, there is a world of difference between doing it as a hobby and doing it as a job. Before I started work (I'm a tech in a school) I used to love building computers, or fixing hardware faults. But that's because I didn't do it day-in, day-out, I think. It was maybe once every fortnight, so it was cool. But when I started my job, the fun wore off it pretty quick. Once you're given two or three to fiddle about with per day, it becomes a chore rather than something fun. Now I much prefer the development side of my job, testing new software and getting it to work on our system, evaluating alternatives and learning new things, like scripting/programming.

I'm not saying this would happen for you, but I want you to be at least aware of the possibility and to keep it in mind when you look to do any courses that would help towards it. If you can find one that's a good balance between hardware and software, you might be better off going with it, just in-case. My course was heavily hardware-oriented when it came to actually working with computers, with the other side mostly being networking. What we didn't touch were things like domains and Active Directory, which are the main things I work with now. If you are the person who would still enjoy working with computer hardware on a daily basis all week, then that course would probably be for you. It did cover the other side of things, but I didn't learn much on that side and, unfortunately, already knew the hardware stuff.

I would advise you to train for something higher-up, even if this is what you want to do, because it's easier to get jobs further up in the future.

Be aware, and I wish you good luck in your career :)
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This is becoming the main problem for me in University at the moment.
I am very interested in learning new things in Software Development that when the tutors are trying to make me learn things that I have already done in practice before and is already stuck in my head, it becomes a chore, as I want to move towards more advanced programming rather than the basics.
However, I still do enjoy it as some parts of it are still very interesting and when you actually finish your work, you actually feel pleased about what you've done. I always do get that nice sensation when I achieve something.

If I were to do repairing/maintaining computer hardware however, I think I'd get so bored that I would simply just quit simply because It's not something I would want to do every single day, because there's simply not enough variety of work to be done. It is very repetetive unlike in programming where code may be similar in ways, but the end result is different. i.e. At the moment, I've written an ePortfolio done in simple XHTML and CSS. I'm actually quite excited in adding more effects by adding a bit of jQuery, and soon, I'll be adding an Blog engine and Admin page for maintenance and updating using PHP and jQuery.
 
When I am interested in something I can learn really fast. I got interested when I opened the side panel of my old computer, I knew absolutely nothing then (I didn't know what CPU, PSU or graphics card was, nor what a hard drive or RAM card looked like), and a month later I built my own computer! I was really pleased with myself when I heard the POST beep!

I used to do things like defrag the hard drive when I was 5, but didnt really know what it did!
 
Gundoy48 there's a lot of good advice on these forums, but one thing I would disagree with majority of the posters is that there IS A LOT of money in this sort of work, if you're very good at it and combine it with other skills. I do everything from fixing desktop printers to managing 60+ domains, network, WAN, project managment and software troubleshooting. I earn a decent wage and frankly love my job, as it combines the techy tinkering that you obviously enjoy too with the higher paying project management and server/network skills that employers value highly. "good money" is open to debate, and frankly a big part of it is where in the country you live when your of working age.

I guess what I'm saying is don't shoehorn yourself into a tiny part of what is an enormously varied field, I.T. has an immense number of different roles to fill :)
 
Um computer science is completely different from building computers so I don't know if that is good advice. I would also consider subjects like electronics, engineering or maybe even mechanics if you like building, diagnosing and fixing things and keep your options open.
 
I was exactly like yourself. At 14 I loved building computers but after a while, when you've been building PCs for family and friends for a number of years it does wear thin. I have just finished my degree in Business IT and am aiming to go into consultancy. There aren't many hardware specific jobs that I've come across and actually atm I'll probably be just looking at going into line 1 IT support as these seem to be easier to get into and require much less experience than the systems analysis type jobs.
 
As someone who was in your position, and is now a careers adviser :p (reluctantly..) I would say "FFS stay in education!" Get as much of it behind you as you can. If you leave school after Year 11 expecting to be able to get a job doing PC hardware stuff you've got no chance. Not only are there more qualified and experienced people out there already doing it - you will essentially be good for nothing other than very basic retail work.

Learn, qualify and work at the same time, but don't be in a hurry to leave education to make your mark in IT. Thousands do this every year but get no-where, on the whole.

Oh, and you're from Maidstone too - HAI! :p
 
you 14, you like it now, but will probably change your mind several times before uni on what you want to do, dont commit so early on id say.
 
Gundog48 said:
So, I'm 14 ATM and really enjoy making and repairing computers. My GCSEs are just coming up, so I was wondering what job oppertunities there are in IT. I would like to get a job where I can continue making or repairing PCs physically, but dont really know where to look. Most IT jobs now are either software based, or any repairs you just RTM.

So where should I be looking in the future, what kind of sector. Also, what kind of money would I be looking at? Your help would be very appreciated and make me clearer as to what I am doing.
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I am the same age as you and once aspired to do the same thing. I have spoken to the IT teacher's in my school and they basically said what has already been said here , it isn't worth it.
 
Gundog48 said:
Sounds great. This is the kind of thing I was talking about as a lucky opportunity, I am always learning and practicing, so hopefully when the time comes I will be pretty well off knowledge wise. I will defiantly peruse a career like that, but I won't put all my eggs in one basket so to speak.
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OcUK is a very young team comparatively, ive moved up through the company in just a few years, I love my job and it IS my hobby. (My job is my hobby if that makes sense) It is possible to make it work providing you have other things to keep you occupied, the 'magic' from hardware has gone due to basically all the mystery being taken away but I would be lying to say I did not enjoy it but in a different way.

The key is to realise you will not want to do the same thing all day every day, I have a passing interest in driving and cars now, sort of a closet enthusiast. :)

There is work in repairing PCs but the main area you can go in is a whole "support" service within a big company or a consultancy role of some type.

Repairing PCs is a great start and where I got most of my experience but as has been said in this thread it does wear thin after a few years, the key is to diversify a bit and try other things within IT over the next couple of years before you work out where you go next.

Messiah Khan said:
As other have said, concentrate on your education for now. Go to college and study subjects such as maths, sciences etc, as they will allow you to go on to a huge range of jobs or education. You may like computers now, but by the time you try and get a job, you may be sick of computers or have other interests.
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Agreed completely, maths and sciences at A level will allow you a route into many things, including computers.

It is also possible to get on without qualifications past GCSE as I know many many people in the IT world who have nothing past that including myself. :)

Plan ahead now but just remember nothing is set in stone, I never planed to work within the retail sector at all but I ended up at OcUK!
 
Gundog, I would recommend, as people have said, focus on your GCSE's, when you get to further education, Math and Science at GCSE will help a lot.

You could, after further education, perhaps look at getting employment in the public services? The Army, Navy and Airforce all need people skilled in Computer hardware and I imagine it's a lot easier to get a job in one of those areas of work, as long as your prepared and fit enough to pass the training. Royal Corps of Signals would be a interesting career choice maybe... obviously you'll be a trained soldier.. but that's just a huge hurdle to pass in order to progress.

For most of my life pre-further education/late GCSE life I was bent on going and doing ICT buisness stuff like my dad, and then just one day I changed my mind completely.. and wasted 2 years of ICT GCSE's to then go to College and do a Btec in Uniformed Public Services, and have also applied to Uni to do Police Studies and possibly in the future join the Royal Military Police and then progress into Civilian Police that way.

But like what has been said already. Maths and Science at GCSE will help a lot, College offers plenty of choice In science and Maths... BTEC National Diplomas and lots of other lark. Thats when you really choose your path.
 
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Repairing computers is exciting when infrequent, or when the faults are difficult to determine. There's limits to how often you can look at a laptop which some fool has poured cider on, or one which was dropped down the stairs, or which has been rocked back on the power cable enough times for the socket to come lose, before you loose all interest in the process. They just don't break in interesting enough ways.

edit: I'd very much like a job making processors, but I don't think this is what you had in mind when you said making computers.
 
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