Valerie Ettenhofer
Staff Writer

The words ‘Information Technology’ may not mean much to students, but the people behind the words are directly responsible for keeping the college running. Anything technical is maintained and controlled by the IT workers, who also solve problems with computers, phones or other technology.

The IT help desk is an essential resource for students who need help with anything from logging into their student emails to accessing the tools on school computers. Even staff members rely on assistance to keep their technology organized and their servers running.

Much of that comes from James “Chip” Shelton, the newest District Client Service Manager who oversees the help desk and emphasizes customer service. His team faces power outages, major glitches and faulty programs in stride, putting together whatever has fallen apart.

Information Technology is divided into several sections, including telecom [telephones and communication], web development and network services. Since computer science is constantly progressing, IT crew are in the know about the latest developments and relay tech lingo in a way that is easy for anyone to understand.

When they aren’t roaming about the building helping staff and students get connected, the IT crew’s home base is an ordinary set of cubicles on the second floor of the Cascade building. If anything, their profession is the exact opposite of the office’s simple architecture, complex and detail-focused.

If one continues down the hall, they’ll encounter locked rooms full of equipment and multicolored wires. One room’s contents are so important that in the event of a fire, all of the oxygen is almost instantly sucked out to minimize the damage.

Within these walls the brains of the school’s technology systems are held, and these workers are trained to keep them firing on all pistons. They work efficiently and without recognition to ensure that Pierce College remains a place of innovation and information.