The EdTech market is growing at a breakneck pace. Online schools are opening, closing, restarting — and behind all these processes there is a huge layer of technical work: someone sets up platforms, someone is responsible for webinars, and someone leads the entire school on a turnkey basis. If you're thinking about getting into this field but don't know where to start, here's a detailed guide for you.
Tip 1. Don't jump headlong into the maelstrom — understand the profession
The work of a technician in online schools is not a stable schedule and clear responsibilities, but continuous agreements. Each school requires something different, and your employment will depend on how the relationship with the customer is built. There are three main formats of work:
- Running a school on a turnkey basis is when you are responsible for all technical processes. You get paid a fixed amount, but it happens that there is almost no work for a week, and then a sudden start, and you sit at the computer until the morning. This format is more difficult to combine with other projects, but it also provides maximum stability.
- Provision of separate services — setting up automated funnels, supporting webinars, working with chatbots. If you manage to establish a flow of customers, you can earn a lot, but it is important to be able to sell your services. Without promotion skills, it is better to look for a permanent project.
- School launches and reconfigurations are one-time projects where you are hired for specific tasks. Payment often goes by the hour, and here it is important to correctly calculate the estimate, otherwise even a good check will fall into pennies.
Often, a tech specialist has to influence the choice of a platform for an online school. If you are sure that some solution will be more convenient and profitable for the customer, you will have to argue this.
Is online freedom a myth?
Beginners sometimes think that working remotely means being 100% free. Formally, this is true: you do not need to go to the office, you can go on vacation almost anytime, work where you like, travel more. But in fact, if a school has a large-scale launch planned, no one will let you go, and you yourself are unlikely to want to disappear at the most crucial moment.
Tip 2. Don't be afraid to start without a technical background
Coding and programming are, of course, cool, but not always a mandatory skill. There are many examples when people came to this field with zero experience and quickly got used to it. The main thing is to master one of the multifunctional platforms. The most popular now are Prodamus.XL and GetCourse. You can start with either one: both are full of customers, and there is almost no difference in the principles of work.
Tip 3. Choose a niche where there are fewer competitors
The market is changing, and it is important to find promising directions. For example, when Prodamus.XL first appeared, there were few specialists who knew how to work with it. It was the perfect moment to enter: you could quickly level up and become a sought-after Expert Advisor. But there are too many specialists on GetCourse, so even those who started 5 years ago and earned decent experience now face a shortage of orders.
If you see a new promising platform, enter it before the competition grows!
Tip 4. Be careful with courses: don't pay for pacifiers
Not all courses are created equal. A good one should:
- Cover all key aspects of the platform — interface, settings, process automation;
- Give practice, not just theory;
- Offer internships (with or without payment) to consolidate knowledge;
- Include access to a private chat with vacancies.
GetCourse, for example, has a bonus — a certificate and placement on the company's website. This increases the chances of finding customers.
Prodamus.XL does not have its own preparation, but there are courses from partners. For example, the Scout XL course from Denis Voronov has good reviews — it is easy, understandable and full of practice.
Tip 5. If you don't know how to sell yourself, go to the community
A tech specialist without self-presentation is like a restaurant without a sign. Good specialists are left without orders simply because they do not know how to promote themselves!
The solution is specialized chats. There you can make useful contacts, follow trends and even find a customer. However, be prepared: in some communities, you need to pay for help and recommendations (but, as a rule, the amounts are small).
But even if you don't like to communicate, the chat can become a guide: you can get insights from it, ask questions, and track vacancies.
Tip 6. Settle for small checks for experience
It is difficult for a beginner without a portfolio to immediately find a profitable order, so at first you will have to take any offers to get your hands on it.
Vacancies can be searched in Telegram chats, and on other sites. The first 20-30 failures are normal! The main thing is not to get stuck in low-paying projects for a long time.
If it is difficult to pull the whole school (and at first it will probably be so), you can start as an assistant technician - this will make it easier to get used to it and pump up your skills under the guidance of experienced colleagues.
Tip 7. Decide where you want to develop
Career Options may be the following:
- It takes longer to study, but then immediately take on large projects.
- Start as an assistant technical specialist, gain experience and work in several schools.
- Master the basics and figure it out further on your own.
Whatever your path is, sooner or later you will reach a good income. The main thing is not to stop developing!
Tip 8. Leave beautifully
Even if you are not interested in the project, leave "nicely", politely and without scandals. The online world is small: the owners of schools and online services communicate with each other, and if you have the reputation of a person who suddenly disappears, new orders may not come.
Tip 9. Narrow specialization = high checks
Find out what you like the most: websites, webinars, chatbots? If it is difficult to decide early, try different things. Large schools need station wagons, but there are few of them. Most often, it is easier to become a cool specialist in one thing.
Tip 10. Soft skills solve
Technical knowledge is good, but if you are unpleasant to work with, customers will leave for someone else. Sociability, responsibility and the ability to negotiate are also skills. Develop it, and it will be easier for you in the profession.
