The CompTIA A+ training program covers four areas of training; you’re thought of as competent at A+ once you’ve passed your exams for two of the four areas. This is the reason that most training providers only have two of the courses on their syllabus. You’ll find that to carry out a job effectively, you’ll need the information on each subject as many jobs will ask for an awareness of the whole A+ program. You don’t have to qualify in them all, however we’d advise that you at least have a working knowledge of every area.
Once on the A+ computer training course you’ll be taught how to build, fix, repair and work in antistatic conditions. You’ll also cover fault finding and diagnostics, through both hands-on and remote access.
If you would like to be someone who works in a multi-faceted environment – in network support, add Network+ to your CompTIA A+, or alternatively look at doing an MCSA or MCSE with Microsoft as you’ll need a more advanced experience of the way networks work.
Consider the points below very carefully if you’ve been persuaded that the sales ploy of ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:
You’ll be charged for it ultimately. It’s definitely not free – they’ve simply charged more for the whole training package.
If it’s important to you to get a first time pass, then you should avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, focus on it intently and be ready for the task.
Don’t you think it’s more sensible to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, not to pay the fees marked up by the training company, and to do it locally – instead of the remote centre that’s convenient only to the trainer?
Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for examination fees when you didn’t need to? A lot of profit is made because training colleges are getting money in early for exam fees – and then cashing in when they’re not all taken.
You should fully understand that re-takes with organisations with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are tightly controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first until you’ve proven that you’re likely to pass.
VUE and Prometric examinations are in the region of 112 pounds in Great Britain. Why spend so much more on fees for ‘exam guarantees’ (usually wrapped up in the course package price) – when good quality study materials, the proper support and a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.
Finding your first job in the industry sometimes feels easier to handle if you’re offered a Job Placement Assistance service. It can happen though that too much is made of this feature, because it’s relatively easy for any motivated and trained individual to secure work in the IT environment – as employers are keen to find appropriately skilled employees.
Whatever you do, avoid waiting until you have completed your exams before updating your CV. As soon as you start studying, list what you’re working on and get it out there!
Various junior support jobs have been offered to trainees who’re still on their course and have yet to take their exams. This will at the very least get your CV into the ‘possible’ pile and not the ‘no’ pile.
You can usually expect quicker service from a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service than any training course provider’s national service, as they’ll know the area better.
A good number of students, it seems, conscientiously work through their course materials (for years sometimes), and just give up when it comes to trying to get a good job. Promote yourself… Do your best to put yourself out there. Don’t think a job’s just going to jump out in front of you.
We need to make this very clear: Always get full 24×7 instructor and mentor support. Later, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t.
You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre who will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team – who’ll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it’s convenient to them. This isn’t a lot of good if you’re lost and confused and only have a specific time you can study.
The very best programs tend to use an online access 24×7 facility utilising a variety of support centres throughout multiple time-zones. You’ll have an environment which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it.
If you fail to get yourself support round-the-clock, you’ll quickly find yourself regretting it. It may be that you don’t use it throughout the night, but you may need weekends, early mornings or late evenings.
We’re regularly asked to explain why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more commercial certificates?
As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, industry has been required to move to the specialised core-skills learning that the vendors themselves supply – in other words companies such as CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This usually turns out to involve less time and financial outlay.
In essence, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. Actually, it’s not quite as pared down as that, but the principle objective is to concentrate on the fundamentally important skill-sets (with some necessary background) – without trying to cram in every other area (as academia often does).
If an employer understands what they’re looking for, then they just need to look for a person with the appropriate exam numbers. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and aren’t allowed to deviate (like academia frequently can and does).
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