How To Become an IT Support Specialist

How do you become an IT support specialist? There's no single required path, and entry requirements vary depending on the type of role and employer. Most people build toward it by understanding what the work involves, learning what's typically expected to get started, developing relevant skills, and often pursuing a certification along the way.¹

Below, we'll walk through that process, including one route into the field: a focused certificate program built around these fundamentals.

Steps To Become an IT Support Specialist

Step 1: Understand What the Work Involves

Before pursuing this path, it helps to understand what the work actually is. IT support means helping people and organizations troubleshoot technology problems and keep their systems running, which can mean fixing one person's software issue or maintaining an organization's network.¹

Step 2: Understand Entry Requirements

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups this kind of work under the official occupational title Computer Support Specialists, which can include user support specialists, also known as help-desk technicians, and network support specialists. What's expected to get started differs by role type.

Those aiming for network-focused positions often come in with an associate degree already in hand, while people entering on the user-support side may only need some prior college experience rather than a full credential. Even that bar can flex, as a high school diploma combined with the right IT certification is often enough to open the door, which may make this career path accessible to individuals from a variety of educational backgrounds.²

Step 3: Build Relevant Skills

The work tends to call for a mix of technical know-how and people skills. The BLS highlights communication skills, since IT support professionals often have to translate technical fixes into plain language for people without a tech background, along with customer-service skills, listening skills, and problem-solving skills, since much of the job involves understanding a frustrated user's problem and working through it patiently. The online IT Support Certificate at Rasmussen University part of American Public University System (“Rasmussen University”), for example, is built around a similar mix of skill areas: computer configuration and troubleshooting, foundational network configuration, quality end-user support, and internal and external collaboration.^2,3

Step 4: Pursue Certification

Whether a certification comes from a specific technology vendor or an independent certifying body, the point is the same: it gives employers a way to confirm someone has the knowledge and know-how the role calls for, and some employers require specific certifications tied to the products they use. For candidates who skip a traditional degree, earning a certification may help demonstrate foundational knowledge to employers.The online IT Support Certificate at Rasmussen University is designed to help prepare students to sit for industry certification exams including CompTIA A+^® (Parts 1 and 2), CompTIA^® Network+, and Windows^® 10 MD-100.^2,3

Step 5: Consider a Focused Certificate Program

Because entry requirements vary so much, a certificate program is one way to build relevant skills and pursue certification without committing to a multi-year degree, and it can double as a first step toward further credentials down the road.³

What Does an IT Support Specialist Do?

Day to day, the role centers on solving technology problems for the people and organizations that rely on them. Typical responsibilities may include:¹

• Troubleshooting technical problems as they come up
• Setting up and managing user accounts
• Performing routine system maintenance and updates
• Managing an organization's network
• Overseeing how data gets backed up and stored
• Overseeing the equipment and programs an organization depends on day to day

IT support looks different at every organization. Some companies maintain their own dedicated, in-house team, while others outsource some or all of their IT needs to a third-party provider. Support is also often organized in tiers, ranging from self-service resources to more in-depth support for complex issues.¹

Exploring an IT Support Certificate at Rasmussen University

If you're interested in building technical support and customer service skills relevant to entry-level IT support roles, explore the online Information Technology Support Certificate at Rasmussen University.³

Earning a certificate or degree does not guarantee employment or specific job outcomes. Employment conditions in your area may vary. Role titles, duties, and certification requirements vary by employer.

Atlassian^® is a registered trademark of Atlassian Pty Ltd, Level 6, 341 George Street, Sydney NSW2000 AUSTRALIA.
CompTIA A+^® is a registered trademark of CompTIA, Inc., 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 150, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515.
CompTIA^® is a registered trademark of CompTIA, Inc., 3500 Lacey Road, Suite 150, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515.
Windows^® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052.

¹Atlassian, What is IT support?, at https://www.atlassian.com/itsm/service-request-management/it-support (accessed Aug. 6, 2026).
²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Support Specialists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm#tab-4 (accessed Aug. 6, 2026). Employment conditions in your area may vary.
³ Rasmussen University, Information Technology Support Certificate, at https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/technology/it-support/ (accessed Aug. 6, 2026).