IT Support / Service Desk

Course Overview

This course prepares students for IT Support Desk (Help Desk / Service Desk) roles by covering technical fundamentals, ticket handling, customer service, and real-world troubleshooting scenarios.

Target Roles

• IT Support Technician (Tier 1)

• Help Desk Analyst

• Service Desk Analyst

• Desktop Support (Junior)

Duration Options

• 6 weeks (Intensive)

• 8–10 weeks (Standard)

• 12 weeks (Part-time)

🧱 Module 1: Introduction to IT Support & Service Desk

Objectives

• Understand the role of IT support in an organization

• Learn Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 responsibilities

Topics

• What is an IT Service Desk?

• Reminder vs Incident vs Request

• SLA, KPI, escalation paths

• Internal IT vs MSP (Managed Service Provider)

Practical

• Walkthrough of a typical support ticket lifecycle

💻 Module 2: Computer Hardware Fundamentals

Topics

• Desktop vs Laptop components

• CPU, RAM, HDD vs SSD

• BIOS / UEFI basics

• Peripherals (printers, scanners, monitors)

• Common hardware failures

Labs

• Identify hardware components

• Diagnose boot issues

• Replace RAM / storage (theory or demo)

🪟 Module 3: Operating Systems (Windows, macOS, Linux Basics)

Topics

• Windows 10/11 architecture

• User profiles & permissions

• macOS basics (for mixed environments)

• Linux fundamentals (file system, basic commands)

Labs

• Create local users

• Password reset

• Task Manager & Resource Monitor

• System logs & Event Viewer

🌐 Module 4: Networking Fundamentals for IT Support

Topics

• What is a network?

• LAN, WAN, WLAN

• IP address, DNS, DHCP

• Ethernet vs Wi-Fi

• VPN basics

Labs

• ipconfig, ping, tracert

• Identify network vs system issues

• Fix “No Internet” scenarios

🔐 Module 5: IT Security Awareness (Help Desk Level)

Topics

• Password policies

• MFA / 2FA

• Phishing & social engineering

• Malware & ransomware basics

• Endpoint security (AV, EDR overview)

Labs

• Identify phishing emails

• Secure a compromised account

• Password reset with verification

🎫 Module 6: Ticketing Systems & ITSM Tools

Topics

• What is ITSM?

• Ticket categories & priorities

• Incident vs Service Request vs Change

• Common tools: ServiceNow, Jira, Freshservice, osTicket

Labs

• Create, update, escalate, and close tickets

• Write professional ticket notes

• SLA-based prioritization exercises

🧑‍💼 Module 7: Customer Service & Communication Skills

Topics

• Professional communication (email, phone, chat)

• Handling difficult users

• Empathy & active listening

• Documentation standards

Role Play

• Angry user scenario

• Non-technical user support

• Executive/VIP support simulation

🖥️ Module 8: Desktop & Application Support

Topics

• Microsoft Office / Microsoft 365

• Email issues (Outlook, Gmail)

• Browser troubleshooting

• Printer & scanner support

• Zoom, Teams, VPN client issues

Labs

• Fix Outlook not syncing

• Resolve printer offline issues

• Application crash troubleshooting

☁️ Module 9: Active Directory & User Management (Intro)

Topics

• What is Active Directory?

• Users, Groups, OUs

• Password resets & account unlocks

• Permissions basics

Labs

• Create a user account

• Reset password

• Add user to group

• Disable/enable account

🧪 Module 10: Troubleshooting Methodology

Topics

• Structured troubleshooting steps

• Root cause analysis

• Known errors vs new issues

• When to escalate

Framework

1. Identify the problem

2. Establish theory

3. Test theory

4. Implement fix

5. Verify & document

🧰 Module 11: Remote Support Tools

Topics

• Remote desktop concepts

• Security best practices

• Tools: RDP, AnyDesk, TeamViewer

Labs

• Remote into a system

• Assist user securely

• Session logging & documentation

📋 Module 12: Documentation & Knowledge Base

Topics

• Why documentation matters

• Writing KB articles

• SOPs for common issues

Assignment

• Create a KB article for a common IT issue

🧑‍🎓 Module 13: Career Readiness for IT Support

Topics

• IT Support resume writing

• Interview questions & answers

• Common help desk scenarios

• Entry-level certifications overview (A+, ITF+, Google IT Support)

Mock Interview

• Technical + behavioral questions

🎓 Final Project / Assessment

Capstone

• Handle 10–15 real-world support tickets

• Troubleshoot mixed issues

• Document solutions professionally

Evaluation

• Technical accuracy

• Communication

• Documentation quality