CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and sections to study, but you only have to achieve certification in two to qualify for your A+. For this reason, most training colleges simply offer two. But allowing you to learn about all 4 options will give you a far deeper level of understanding of it all, something you’ll appreciate as a Godsend in professional employment.
Training courses in A+ teach diagnostic techniques and fault-finding - via hands on and remote access, in addition to building, fixing, repairing and understanding antistatic conditions. In addition, you could look to think about adding Network+ training to your A+ as it will enable you to work with networks, which is where the bigger salaries are.
Talk to almost any specialised consultant and they’ll entertain you with many awful tales of students who’ve been sold completely the wrong course for them. Only deal with a skilled professional that asks some in-depth questions to find out what’s appropriate to you - not for their retirement-fund! You need to find a starting-point that will suit you. Don’t forget, if you’ve got any work-experience or certification, then you will often be able to commence studying further along than a trainee with no history to speak of. Where this will be your initial attempt at an IT exam then it may be wise to cut your teeth on some basic user skills first.
A lot of training companies only provide office hours or extended office hours support; very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Always avoid study programmes that only provide support to you via a call-centre messaging service when it’s outside of usual working hours. Training organisations will give you every excuse in the book why you don’t need this. The bottom line is - support is required when it’s required - not at times when they find it cheaper to provide it.
The very best programs opt for an internet-based round-the-clock facility combining multiple support operations over many time-zones. You’re offered a single, easy-to-use interface that switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support available as-and-when you want it. Search out a company that is worth purchasing from. As only 24×7 round-the-clock live support gives you the confidence to make it.
So many training providers are all about the certification, and completely avoid why you’re doing this - which will always be getting the job or career you want. Your focus should start with the end goal - too many people focus on the journey. It’s possible, in many cases, to thoroughly enjoy one year of training only to end up putting 20 long years into a job you hate, entirely because you stumbled into it without some decent due-diligence when you should’ve - at the outset.
It’s a good idea to understand the exact expectations industry will have. What precise certifications you’ll be required to have and how you’ll go about getting some commercial experience. It’s definitely worth spending time thinking about how far you’d like to go as it will often present a very specific set of accreditations. Long before starting a training program, trainees are advised to chat over the exact job requirements with an industry professional, to make sure the study course covers everything needed.
Commencing from the idea that we need to choose the employment that excites us first, before we can even ponder which method of training ticks the right boxes, how do we decide on the right path? What chances do most of us have of understanding the tasks faced daily in an IT career when we haven’t done that before? Often we haven’t met someone who works in that sector anyway. Reflection on the following areas is most definitely required when you want to dig down the right solution that will work for you:
* What hobbies you’re involved with in your spare-time - these can reveal the things you’ll get the most enjoyment out of.
* For what reasons you’re moving into computing - maybe you’d like to triumph over a particular goal like firing your boss and working for yourself maybe.
* Your earning needs you have?
* Understanding what the normal Information technology areas and markets are - including what sets them apart.
* Taking a cold, hard look at how much time and effort you can give.
The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and discover what’ll really work for you, have an in-depth discussion with an industry-experienced advisor; someone that can impart the commercial reality while explaining each accreditation.
One crafty way that colleges make extra profits is via an ‘exam inclusive’ package and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams. This sounds impressive, but let’s just examine it more closely:
Of course it’s not free - you’re still being charged for it - the price has simply been included in the whole thing. Qualifying on the first ‘go’ is what everyone wants to do. Entering examinations when it’s appropriate and paying as you go has a marked effect on pass-rates - you prepare appropriately and are aware of the costs involved.
Go for the best offer you can find at the time, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it’s then your choice where to do your exams - so you can find somewhere local. Paying upfront for exams (and interest charges if you’re borrowing money) is bad financial management. Why fill a company’s coffers with your hard-earned cash only to please their Bank Manager! Some will be pinning their hopes on the fact that you won’t get to do them all - then they’ll keep the extra money. Most companies will require you to sit pre-tests and hold you back from re-takes until you’ve completely proven that you’re likely to pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.
Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is foolish - when a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools is what will really see you through.
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