There are four specialised areas of training in the overall A+ programme, but you’re just required to achieve pass marks in 2 for competency in A+. However only learning about 2 of the specialised areas is likely to leave your knowledge base somewhat light. Choose a course with all 4 subjects – you’ll be glad you did when it comes to interview time.
CompTIA A+ training programs cover fault-finding and diagnostics – via hands on and remote access, as well as learning to build, repair and fix and having knowledge of antistatic conditions.
If you add Network+ to your A+ course, you will additionally be able to assist with or manage networks of computers, giving you the facility to move further up the career path.
Think about the points below very carefully if you believe that old marketing ploy of an ‘Exam Guarantee’ sounds great value:
Patently it’s not free – you’re still paying for it – the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package.
Those who take exams one at a time, funding them as they go are far more likely to pass first time. They’re conscious of what they’ve paid and take the necessary steps to be up to the task.
Shouldn’t you be looking to find the best exam deal or offer when you’re ready, not to pay the fees marked up by a training company, and to do it in a local testing office – rather than in some remote centre?
Huge profits are netted by some training companies that take the exam money up-front. A number of students don’t take them for various reasons and so they pocket the rest. Amazingly, there are companies around who depend on students not taking their exams – and that’s how they increase their profits.
Re-takes of any failed exams through training course providers who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are monitored with tight restrictions. You’ll be required to sit pre-tests to make sure they think you’re going to pass.
Due to typical VUE and Prometric tests in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, it makes sense to pay as you go. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.
A question; why might we choose commercial certification instead of traditional academic qualifications obtained from schools, colleges or universities?
As we require increasingly more effective technological know-how, industry has moved to specialist courses only available through the vendors themselves – that is companies like Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
They do this through concentrating on the particular skills that are needed (along with a relevant amount of related knowledge,) instead of covering masses of the background non-specific minutiae that computer Science Degrees are prone to get tied up in (because the syllabus is so wide).
Assuming a company understands what they’re looking for, then all they have to do is advertise for someone with a specific qualification. The syllabuses are set to meet an exact requirement and do not vary between trainers (like academia frequently can and does).
One feature that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. It’s intention is to help you find your first job in the industry. At the end of the day it’s not as hard as some people make out to land a job – assuming you’re well trained and qualified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.
Help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews is sometimes offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you update that dusty old CV straight away – not when you’re ready to start work!
A good number of junior support jobs have been bagged by people who’re still on their course and haven’t even passed a single exam yet. This will at least get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile.
The top companies to help you find a job are normally local IT focused employment agencies. As they’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they’ll work that much harder to get a result.
Not inconsiderable numbers of people, it would appear, are prepared to study their hearts out (sometimes for years), only to give up at the first hurdle when attempting to secure their first job. Sell yourself… Work hard to get yourself known. Don’t think a job’s just going to jump out in front of you.
Massive developments are coming via technology over the next generation – and the industry becomes more ground-breaking every year.
Computing technology and dialogue through the internet will noticeably change our lives in the future; remarkably so.
Let’s not ignore salaries moreover – the typical remuneration throughout Britain for a typical IT employee is noticeably greater than in the rest of the economy. It’s a good bet you’ll bring in quite a bit more than you’d expect to earn doing other work.
It seems there’s no easing up for IT sector increases in Great Britain as a whole. The market sector is still growing hugely, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s not showing any signs that there’ll be any kind of easing off for years to come.
Written by Scott Edwards. Hop over to Click HERE or A+ Certification.
