MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Students working the ITS Service Desk at Penn State Harrisburg help campus community members with a wide array of technology issues — from downloading software to deploying, building, and testing classroom and lab computers, and even occasionally trying to rescue someone’s device from an accidental spill. As they troubleshoot, they’re gaining valuable career experience that is giving them an advantage when it comes time to look for jobs.
“The experience and the connections I gained at the desk are, in my opinion, priceless,” said Jarek German, who graduated from Penn State Harrisburg in May 2022. “I learned a lot. I got to interact with great people. A lot of the work I did at the desk helped me fill out my resume, and the experience I gained here helped me get my amazing new job.”
The service desk typically employs 18 to 20 students per academic year. They staff the desk on the lower floor of the Olmsted Building and help students, faculty and staff who come in with technology problems, in addition to managing technology issues around campus.
Toni Chainey, IT support specialist for the college, said recruiters and others are impressed with the level of hands-on experience students receive through the service desk at Penn State Harrisburg. The jobs also have helped some students who transfer to University Park obtain positions at the EIT Service Desk.
“The level of maturity they have and the things we’re showing them here, it’s getting their foot in the door,” she said.
Chainey works to ensure that through the service desk, students are training for skills that companies demand. She tries to empower the student workers and give them the authority to come up with solutions to problems.
The students are asked to take training through LinkedIn Learning, which in some cases allows them to earn completion certifications they can list on their resumes. ITS staff members show them different tools and additional skills, such as how to rebuild a Mac or Windows device.
