You can get into a first job in IT support or on an IT service desk through an MBO certificate, a short training with a class or an online course at your own pace. Which one fits depends on your hours per week, whether you keep your job and what you want to have at the end. Below you can compare five IT support providers; you can read about the work in the IT Servicedesk Medewerker course.

The short answer: which provider suits you?

If you want to learn online at your own pace, with guidance and an official ITIL 4 Foundation exam included, choose the course IT Servicedesk Medewerker at Winc Academy. For an MBO certificate with class days in a classroom, ROC Midden Nederland fits. IT Management Group offers a short training covering ITIL and information security, among other things. NTI is a home study course with theory at MBO level 2 and Opatel a Microsoft 365 specialisation in a classroom.

Five IT support providers compared

• Winc Academy: online at your own pace with 1-on-1 guidance, 200 study hours, certificate plus the ITIL 4 Foundation exam.
• ROC Midden Nederland: classroom in Nieuwegein, 18 class days over 6 months, MBO certificate at level 4.
• IT Management Group: preferably live online classes, 14 training days, about 10 to 12 weeks, Certified Medewerker ICT Support badge.
• NTI: home study at your own pace, 15 hours a week, LOI diploma.
• Opatel: classroom in three cities, 10 class days over 20 weeks, Opatel diploma.

Winc Academy: IT Servicedesk Medewerker

At Winc Academy you learn fully online, at your own pace, without fixed schedules. Teachers and study coaches guide you 1-on-1. The course is in Dutch and English, has 200 study hours and gives you 4 months of access. You need no technical background. You learn to work with tickets and ServiceNow, prioritise incidents, SLAs, IT Service Management and ITIL 4, security and soft skills, with a Carrière Module included.

You also take the ITIL 4 Foundation course with an exam voucher for the official exam through PeopleCert, in partnership with Pink Elephant. So you can earn two certificates. You finish with a certificate from Winc Academy, a CRKBO-registered education provider that is a member of the NRTO. Through the SLIM route you take the course without paying the course fees yourself, if your application is approved. A good fit if you want to switch to IT, also next to a job. Not a fit if you want a government-recognised MBO diploma. Still unsure? Book a free advice call.

ROC Midden Nederland: Bootcamp Medewerker Service Desk

This adult education course is for career switchers without IT experience. You learn in a classroom in Nieuwegein: 18 class days over 6 months, with 108 class hours and 108 hours of self-study. You get an MBO certificate at level 4; the page gives February 2027 as the start. A good fit if you want fixed class days and an MBO certificate.

IT Management Group: Certified Medewerker ICT Support

IT Management Group offers 14 training days, preferably as live online classes during the day, or in an evening version. On average that is 2 days or 2 evenings a week plus self-study; from intake to exam it takes about 10 to 12 weeks. You learn ITIL 4 Foundation, USM Foundation and information security (ISO 27001), among other things. You finish with the Certified Medewerker ICT Support badge; the provider has a CRKBO registration and the NRTO quality mark. A good fit if you have MBO+ working and thinking level and want a fixed rhythm.

NTI: MBO Basisopleiding Medewerker ICT

LOI runs this course for NTI; you get an LOI diploma. You study at home at your own pace, with textbooks and subject teachers online; you can start any day, the study load is 15 hours a week. You cover part of the theory of the recognised MBO Medewerker ICT level 2 programme, without an internship. Afterwards you can move on to that MBO programme with exemptions; the page is not clear on the length in months. A good fit if you want to start an MBO route at home.

Opatel: Medewerker ICT Servicedesk (365/SharePoint)

Opatel offers 10 class days over 20 weeks, in small groups in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. You specialise in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint: supporting users and managing accounts and SharePoint sites. With all certificates you get the Medewerker ICT Servicedesk (365/SharePoint) diploma; Opatel meets the requirements of the NRTO. You need MBO 4 working and thinking level, basic knowledge of Outlook and good English. A good fit for starting ICT professionals, IT service desk staff and career switchers.

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MBO certificate, short training or online course?

MBO certificate. You work on part of a recognised MBO programme: at ROC Midden Nederland with an MBO certificate at level 4, at NTI with theory at level 2 and an LOI diploma. A good fit if you want to continue in MBO later.

Short training with a class. Fixed class days with a group: a broad base with ITIL and information security at IT Management Group, Microsoft 365 and SharePoint at Opatel. A good fit if you want a fixed rhythm.

Online at your own pace with guidance. No fixed class days, but 1-on-1 help, a certificate and an exam voucher for the official ITIL 4 Foundation exam: Winc Academy. A good fit if you keep your job or choose your own hours.

How to choose: four questions

How many hours a week do you have? NTI counts on 15 hours a week, IT Management Group on an average of 2 days or 2 evenings. At Winc Academy you choose your own hours, within 4 months of access.

Are you keeping your job? Then Winc Academy and NTI fit, without fixed schedules, or the evening version of IT Management Group.

Do you want fixed class days or your own pace? Fixed class days: ROC Midden Nederland, IT Management Group and Opatel. Your own pace: Winc Academy and NTI.

What do you want to have at the end: an MBO certificate, a diploma from the provider or an official ITIL exam? You get an MBO certificate at ROC Midden Nederland, a diploma at NTI (from LOI) and Opatel, a badge at IT Management Group. The official ITIL 4 Foundation exam is part of the course at Winc Academy.

Who pays for your course?

You pay yourself or someone pays with you, such as your employer, UWV or a regional budget. Ask other providers about their options.

At Winc Academy you can pay like this:

• SLIM: through the SLIM route you take the course without paying the course fees yourself, if your application is approved; each round has limited places.
• Yourself: you pay in one go or in instalments.
• Employer: many students pay from a training budget, for example through their collective labour agreement; this is how you can have your employer pay.
• UWV: with an unemployment benefit (WW), UWV can pay for your course if it improves your chance of work in an in-demand occupation; read about retraining through UWV.
• Regional: Haaglanden Leert Door, Scholingsbudget regio Rijnmond, Scholingscheque regio Twente, Scholingsvoucher regio Achterhoek and Groei Vooruit are listed under training budgets per region.
• Temporary worker: through DOORZAAM there is a training voucher for temporary workers.
• TechMeUp: an interest-free loan through TechMeUp for tuition and living costs, which you only repay once you have a job in IT.

The short test in the financing guide shows which route suits you. If UWV or a grant does not work out, there is sometimes another route through TechMeUp: turned down for UWV or a grant? There is sometimes another route. View the IT Servicedesk Medewerker course or book a free advice call.

Frequently asked questions

Can I become an ICT professional without a diploma?

Yes. At Winc Academy you need no technical background. ROC Midden Nederland is aimed at career switchers without IT experience; IT Management Group asks for MBO+ and Opatel for MBO 4 working and thinking level.

Is retraining for IT possible?

Yes. Use the four questions above to choose a format and check "Who pays for your course?" to see who can pay with you. You can find more routes under retraining for IT.

What does an IT support worker earn?

This comparison gives no amounts. You can find them in the starting salaries on the course page.

Can I take the course without paying the course fees myself?

Yes, through the SLIM route at Winc Academy, if your application is approved. Each round has a limited number of places.