The CompTIA A+ training program covers four areas of training; you’re thought of as an A+ achiever when you’ve gained exams for 2 out of 4 subjects. Because of this, most colleges only teach 2 specialised areas. In fact you will need the teaching in all areas as many jobs will require an understanding of the whole A+ program. It isn’t necessary to pass exams in all of them, but it seems common sense that you study for all four areas.
CompTIA A+ training programs are about fault finding and diagnosing - remotely as well as hands on, in addition to learning to build, repair and fix and operating in antistatic conditions. Should you decide to add Network+ training, you’ll also have the ability to take care of networks, giving you the facility to expect a better remuneration package.
Commercial qualifications are now, very visibly, beginning to replace the traditional academic paths into the IT industry - so why is this the case? With an ever-increasing technical demand on resources, the IT sector has of necessity moved to the specialised core-skills learning that can only be obtained from the actual vendors - namely companies like Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA. Frequently this is at a far reduced cost both money and time wise. University courses, for example, become confusing because of too much background study - with a syllabus that’s far too wide. This prevents a student from getting enough core and in-depth understanding on a specific area.
The crux of the matter is this: Accredited IT qualifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have - it says what you do in the title: i.e. I am a ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ in ‘Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003′. So employers can identify just what their needs are and what certifications are needed for the job.
Potential trainees hoping to get an IT career normally have no idea of which route to follow, or which sector to obtain accreditation for. How likely is it for us to understand what is involved in a particular job when it’s an alien environment to us? Most likely we haven’t met someone who does that actual job anyway. Generally, the way to deal with this predicament appropriately comes from a full talk over some important points:
* Personality plays an important part - what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the activities that ruin your day.
* Why you want to consider getting involved with computing - maybe you want to overcome a particular goal such as working for yourself maybe.
* Is your income higher on your wish list than other requirements.
* Considering all that the IT industry encapsulates, it’s important to be able to take in the differences.
* Having a serious look at how much time and effort that you’re going to put into it.
For most of us, considering so much data requires a good chat with a professional that can explain things properly. And we don’t just mean the qualifications - you also need to understand the commercial expectations and needs of the market as well.
A capable and professional advisor (as opposed to a salesman) will talk through your current experience level and abilities. There is no other way of calculating the starting point for your education. Don’t forget, if in the past you’ve acquired any work-experience or certification, then you can sometimes expect to commence studying further along than someone new to the industry. Always consider starting with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first. Starting there can make your learning curve a less steep.
It’s likely that you’re quite practically minded - the ‘hands-on’ individual. If you’re like us, the unfortunate chore of reading reference guides is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not ideal. So look for on-screen interactive learning packages if books just don’t do it for you. We see a huge improvement in memory retention when we use multiple senses - educational experts have expounded on this for as long as we can remember.
Locate a program where you’ll receive a selection of CD and DVD ROM’s - you’ll begin by watching videos of instructors demonstrating the skills, and be able to practice your skills in interactive lab’s. It’s imperative to see the type of training provided by each company you’re contemplating. Be sure that they contain instructor-led video demonstrations with virtual practice-lab’s.
Some companies only have access to purely on-line training; and while this is acceptable much of the time, consider what happens when you don’t have access to the internet or you get a slow connection speed. It’s much safer to rely on CD and DVD ROM materials which don’t suffer from these broadband issues.
Beware of putting too much emphasis, as many people do, on the training course itself. Training is not an end in itself; you’re training to become commercially employable. Focus on the end-goal. It’s an awful thing, but a great many students commence training that sounds fabulous in the prospectus, but which provides a job that doesn’t fulfil at all. Just ask several college graduates for examples.
Take time to understand what your attitude is towards career progression and earning potential, and if you’re ambitious or not. It makes sense to understand what the role will demand of you, which qualifications are required and in what way you can develop commercial experience. All students are advised to speak to a professional advisor before they embark on a study path. This is required to ensure it contains the relevant skills for the chosen career path.
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