Discussions on CompTIA A Plus Training 2009
March 19, 2009 by Jason Kendall
Filed under Online Colleges
A+ consists of four exams and specialised sectors, but you only need to pass two of them to be considered A+ competent. Because of this, many educational establishments stick to just two options. But allowing you to learn about all 4 options will give you a more confident perspective of your subject, which you’ll come to realise is vital in the working environment.
As well as learning how to build PC’s and fix them, students on an A+ training course will be taught how to operate in antistatic conditions, as well as diagnostics, fault-finding and remote access. In addition, you could look to think about doing Network+ as it will enable you to take care of computer networks, which is where the bigger salaries are.
Can job security really exist anywhere now? Here in the UK, with businesses changing their mind at alarming speeds, there doesn’t seem much chance. It’s possible though to hit upon security at market-level, by probing for areas that have high demand, coupled with a lack of qualified workers.
Taking the computing industry for example, a recent e-Skills analysis highlighted a national skills shortage in the UK of around 26 percent. To explain it in a different way, this reveals that the country only has 3 certified professionals for each four job positions existing now. This one idea in itself shows why Great Britain urgently requires many more workers to get trained and enter the IT sector. We can’t imagine if a better time or market circumstances is ever likely to exist for obtaining certification in this rapidly growing and evolving market.
Getting to the most appropriate job option is hard enough – so which sectors are important to investigate and what kind of questions should we raise?
Students looking to start a career in computers and technology usually have no idea of what direction is best, let alone which sector to get qualified in. Scanning long lists of different and confusing job titles is just a waste of time. Most of us have no concept what our good friends do at work – so we’re in the dark as to the complexities of any specific IT role. Generally, the way to deal with this question in the best manner flows from a full discussion of some important points:
* What hobbies you’re involved with in your spare-time – these often define what areas will give you the most reward.
* Are you driven to get qualified for a certain motive – for instance, is it your goal to work based at home (self-employment possibly?)?
* Is your income higher on your priority-scale than anything else.
* Looking at the many markets that IT encapsulates, it’s important to be able to take in the differences.
* The time and energy you’ll have available to put into getting qualified.
For the majority of us, getting to the bottom of all these ideas needs a long talk with someone that knows what they’re talking about. And we’re not only talking about the certifications – but the commercial requirements also.
Proper support is incredibly important – look for a package that provides 24×7 direct access, as anything less will not satisfy and will also impede your ability to learn. Avoid those companies that use ‘out-of-hours’ messaging systems – with the call-back coming in during the next ‘working’ day. This is no use if you’re stuck and want support there and then.
The most successful trainers incorporate three or four individual support centres around the globe in several time-zones. An online system provides an interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, any time of the day or night, help is just seconds away, without any problems or delays. Search out a training company that is worth purchasing from. As only true 24×7 round-the-clock live support delivers what is required.
If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you’ve always enjoyed practical work – the ‘hands-on’ personality type. Usually, the painful task of reading endless manuals would be considered as a last resort, but it’s not really your thing. Consider interactive, multimedia study if learning from books is not your thing. Long-term memory is enhanced when multiple senses are involved – experts have been clear on this for decades now.
Interactive audio-visual materials featuring instructor demo’s and practice lab’s will forever turn you away from traditional book study. And they’re a lot more fun to do. All companies should willingly take you through a few samples of their courseware. Expect video tutorials, instructor led classes and interactive areas to practice in.
Purely on-line training should be avoided. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where obtainable, enabling them to be used at your convenience – and not be totally reliant on a quality and continuous internet connection.
A question; why should we consider commercially accredited qualifications and not traditional academic qualifications obtained from the state educational establishments? The IT sector now acknowledges that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, official accreditation from such organisations as Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA often is more effective in the commercial field – saving time and money. Of course, a certain quantity of associated knowledge must be covered, but focused specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially educated student a distinct advantage.
The bottom line is: Accredited IT qualifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have – the title says it all: for example, I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Windows XP Administration and Configuration’. Consequently employers can identify just what their needs are and which qualifications are required to fulfil that.
Look at the points below carefully if you believe the sales ploy of examination guarantees seems like a good idea:
Everybody’s aware that they’re still paying for it – it’s quite obvious to see that it’s been inserted into the gross price invoiced by the training provider. It’s definitely not free (it’s just marketing companies think we’ll fall for anything they say!) Students who take exams one at a time, funding them one at a time are much more likely to pass. They are aware of what they’ve paid and take the necessary steps to be ready for the task.
Sit the exam at a local pro-metric testing centre and don’t pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you’re ready. What’s the point in paying early for exams when you didn’t need to? Huge profits are secured by training companies charging all their exam fees up-front – and then hoping that you won’t take them all. Most companies will require you to do mock exams and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you’ve demonstrated an excellent ability to pass – so an ‘Exam Guarantee’ comes with many clauses in reality.
With average prices for VUE and Pro-metric tests costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, it’s common sense to fund them one by one. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. A commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools are actually the key to your success.
It only makes sense to consider training paths that lead to commercially accepted exams. There’s an endless list of small colleges suggesting minor ‘in-house’ certificates which aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on when it comes to finding a job. From a commercial standpoint, only top businesses such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco (for instance) will make the right impression. Nothing else makes the grade.