CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and sections to study, but you only have to get certified in 2 to qualify for your A+. For this reason, most tra...
CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and sections to study,
but you only have to get certified in 2 to qualify for your A+. For this reason, most training colleges stick to just two options. But allowing you to learn about all 4 options will help you to build a much wider knowledge and understanding of your subject, which you'll come to realise is essential in professional employment.
Once on the CompTIA A+, you'll be taught how to work in antistatic conditions and build and fix computers. Fault finding and diagnostic techniques through hands on and remote access are also covered. You might also choose to think about supplementing the A+ with Network + as you'll then be in a position to work with networks, and have a more responsible working role.
It would be wonderful to believe that our careers will always be safe and our future is protected, but the growing likelihood for the majority of jobs around England currently seems to be that security may be a thing of the past. Whereas a quickly growing market-place, where there just aren't enough staff to go round (through an enormous shortage of properly qualified workers), enables the possibility of lasting job security.
The Information Technology (IT) skills deficit throughout Great Britain currently stands at over 26 percent, as reported by the 2006 e-Skills survey. Alternatively, you could say, this highlights that Great Britain can only find three qualified staff for every 4 jobs in existence at the moment. This single truth alone reveals why the country requires many more workers to get trained and get into the industry. In actuality, acquiring professional IT skills during the coming years is very likely the best career move you'll ever make.
If you're like many of the students we talk to then you probably enjoy fairly practical work - a 'hands-on' type. Typically, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but you'd hate it. You should use video and multimedia based materials if you'd really rather not use books. Long-term memory is enhanced when multiple senses are involved - this has been an accepted fact in expert circles for decades now.
Interactive audio-visual materials utilising video demo's and practice lab's will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you'll actually enjoy doing them. Make sure to obtain a study material demo' from the training company. You'll want to see instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and interactive labs where you get to practice.
Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where available, enabling them to be used at your convenience - ISP quality varies, so you don't want to be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.
Commercial qualifications are now, without a doubt, starting to replace the traditional academic paths into IT - so why has this come about? With an ever-increasing technical demand on resources, industry has had to move to specific, honed-in training that can only be obtained from the actual vendors - namely companies like CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA. This often comes in at a fraction of the cost and time. Of course, an appropriate portion of relevant additional knowledge has to be taught, but essential specialisation in the areas needed gives a vendor educated student a real head start.
The crux of the matter is this: Authorised IT qualifications give employers exactly what they're looking for - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Windows XP Administration and Configuration'. Therefore companies can identify exactly what they need and which qualifications are needed for the job.
Several companies will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance facility, designed to steer you into your first job. It can happen though that this feature is bigged up too much, because it is actually not that hard for any motivated and trained individual to land a job in this industry - because there's a great need for skilled employees.
Ideally you should have help with your CV and interview techniques though; and we'd encourage any student to work on polishing up their CV as soon as training commences - don't wait till you've finished your exams. You may not have got to the stage where you've passed your first exam when you'll secure your initial junior support job; however this is not possible unless your CV is with employers. Generally, you'll receive quicker results from a specialist locally based employment agency than any training company's national service, because they'll know local industry and the area better.
A regular grievance of many training companies is how much trainees are prepared to study to get top marks in their exams, but how little effort that student will then put into getting the job they've trained for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it's fun.
