The main responsibility of a Computer Lab Assistant at Southern University is maintaining the ability to provide unparalleled support for all software installed on lab PCs.

This mainly included learning and maintaining knowledge of the Microsoft Office software suite, but also included office software found on Apple systems and university-specific software such as Lockdown Browser.

I was also responsible for ensuring this software and the operating systems remained up-to-date on over 30 systems total.

My next major responsibility in this position was to provide hardware support for peripheral devices such as webcams and large , commercial printers.

On a typical day, I was required to set up webcams for users of the lab that needed to undergo monitored testing on the lab PCs. I was also responsible for maintaining paper levels, alerting my supervisor of low ink levels, and clearing physical jams on the lab printers.

On days when the lab was reserved by instructors, I was also expected to provide support for the system that mirrored their laptop screens to the lab televisions.

Troubleshooting was a big part of working in Southern's computer labs. Many of the users that entered the lab were on strict schedules and needed on-the-spot, immediate, and effective support.

If any of the hardware or software in the lab were to malfunction or display errors, I was responsible for figuring out the problem and resolving it when possible in order to quickly get the user back on track.

In the case that a hardware issue could not be resolved, I was responsible for relocating the user to a different machine and then documenting the issue while providing possible solutions for the convenience of help desk staff.

The labs would not exist if not for the wide variety of users that required its services. Thus, the most important responsibility in the lab was to be personable, approachable, and always available when students or faculty needed assistance.

Users were sometimes frustrated with the problem they were having. This required me to maintain a calm, helpful attitude even in the face of adversity. Additionally, the lab rendered services to students and faculty from a wide range of disciplines and technical backgrounds. This meant that I needed to understand the individual needs of each user in order to clearly communicate with them and instruct them.

In short, in addition to the knowledge and skills previously mentioned, developing and refining great customer service skills was integral to lab operations.

Although the building in which the computer labs were located had a maintenance team, Computer Lab Assistants took pride in making sure all floors, surfaces, cabinets, and peripherals remained clean and organized.

This responsibility included vacuuming the floors, wiping down and sanitizing desks and peripherals, ensuring all trash was placed in the proper receptacles, and enforcing rules regarding food and drink in the lab.

In addition to these duties, I was also required to keep track of lab supplies such as paper, staples, folders, and more in order to make informed resupply requests.

Although these duties were often performed solo, there were many times where multiple assistants were present in the lab at one time.

In addition to taking initiative when helping users, we were all expected to be present when a problem was undergoing troubleshooting. This was important to share knowledge among team members and help reduce the reliance on specialized team members that may not always be present in the lab.

I also took it upon myself to help my team understand new solutions and ideas related to our lab duties. This included teaching my team how to utilize Excel functions, how to better operate the printers, and other helpful activities that improved our team cohesion and general level of knowledge.