CompTIA A+ Certification
The CompTIA A+ certification is an important accomplishment for computer support specialists as it confirms to their employers that they possess the skills needed for high job performance. It also provides a foundation upon which other knowledge and skills are built and is therefore important for those who hold other IT support jobs. As a vendor-neutral exam, it is applicable to support technicians working in any environment.
A+ Certification
The CompTIA A+ certification measures hands-on technical knowledge, trouble-shooting abilities and professional communications skills needed by computer support technicians who support workplace and individual customers.
Preparing for the Exam
Due to the popularity of this certification, there are numerous technical training centers, career schools, online schools and community colleges that offer training courses to prepare for this certification. Courses can be taken in traditional classrooms, online classrooms, boot-camps and via self-study videos.
Exam Content
There are two exams required for this certification as described below:
Essentials exam This exam covers the fundamentals of computer technology, networking and security, communication skills and professionalism. Specifically, it covers the following topics:
- Personal Computer Components
- Laptops and Portable Devices
- Operating Systems
- Printers and Scanners
- Networks
- Security
- Safety and Environmental Issues
- Communication and Professionalism
Practical Application exam This exam expands on the Essentials exam, putting more emphasis on hands-on troubleshooting and problem resolution tools. It covers the installation, configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting of PC and peripheral hardware, operating systems, small networks and security.
Taking Exams
Each of the two exams has 100 questions and takes 90 minutes. The exams can be taken at Prometric and Pearson Vue testing centers, located worldwide and can be scheduled through their websites.
Who Should Get CompTIA A+ Certification?
A variety of IT support professionals can benefit from attaining the CompTIA A+ certification including computer support technicians, entry-level server and network engineers and field engineers. It is often a requirement for PC support technicians and is a recommended prerequisite for CompTIA Network+ as well as other vendor certifications. CompTIA recommends that a candidate for this certificate have at least 500 hours of hands-on experience in a lab or on the job.
Evaluating Training Options
There are many vendors of CompTIA A+ training to choose from so it may be difficult to decide which training provider is the best choice. Considering the factors discussed below can result in a good decision.
- Training Quality To make the most of the investment in time and money, students should seek out reviews or personal recommendations for good quality training vendors.
- Experience level A person's experience level should help guide what method of training is chosen. Someone with a lot of experience may be successful using a self-study video whereas someone with little experience may want to choose an interactive type of training, either online or in person.
- Updated Courses CompTIA regularly updates its exams so it is important that the training chosen has incorporated the newest exam objectives into their curriculum.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is a non-profit IT trade association that provides internationally recognized, vendor-neutral IT certifications. CompTIA also sponsors educational programs, market research, networking events and political advocacy.
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