CompTIA A+ consists of 4 training sections; you’re seen as competent at A+ when you’ve passed the test for 2 out of 4 subjects. For this reason, the majority of training establishments only have two of the courses on their syllabus. In fact you will need the information on each subject as industry will ask for the skills and knowledge of each specialist area. It’s not essential to qualify in them all, however we’d advise that you learn about all four.
As well as learning how to build PC’s and fix them, students on A+ courses will learn how to work in antistatic conditions, along with remote access, fault finding and diagnostics.
Should you be thinking of taking care of computer networks, add the excellent CompTIA Network+ to the CompTIA A+ training you’re doing. Including Network+ will mean you can apply for more interesting jobs. Other ones that might be interesting to you are the networking qualifications from Microsoft, i.e. MCP, MCSA MCSE.
Proper support is incredibly important – locate a good company that provides 24×7 direct access, as not opting for this kind of support could hold up your pace and restrict your intake.
Try and find training where you can access help at any time you choose (irrespective of whether it’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) You’ll need access directly to professional tutors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages – so you’re waiting for tutors to call you back at a convenient time for them.
Top training companies use multiple support centres from around the world. An online system provides an interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, no matter what time you login, help is just seconds away, with no hassle or contact issues.
Unless you insist on direct-access 24×7 support, you’ll regret it very quickly. You might not want to use the service in the middle of the night, but consider weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.
The way a programme is physically sent to you can often be overlooked. In what way are your training elements sectioned? And in what order and at what speed is it delivered?
Often, you’ll enrol on a course staged over 2 or 3 years and get posted one section at a time – from one exam to the next. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this:
What would their reaction be if you find it difficult to do each element within the time limits imposed? And maybe you’ll find their order of completion won’t be as easy as some other structure would for you.
To avoid any potential future issues, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are couriered out in one package, all at the beginning. That means it’s down to you how fast or slow and in what order you’d like to take your exams.
Be watchful that any accreditations you’re studying for are recognised by industry and are current. ‘In-house’ certificates are usually worthless.
Unless the accreditation comes from a major player like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA, then chances are it could have been a waste of time and effort – because it won’t give an employer any directly-useable skills.
So many training providers focus completely on the certification process, and completely miss what you actually need – which will always be getting the job or career you want. Always start with the end in mind – don’t make the vehicle more important than the destination.
You may train for one year and then end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don’t make the mistake of taking what may be an ‘interesting’ course only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!
It’s a good idea to understand what expectations industry may have of you. Which precise accreditations you’ll be required to have and in what way you can gain some industry experience. It’s definitely worth spending time thinking about how far you’d like to build your skill-set as often it can affect your choice of qualifications.
Chat with an experienced advisor that understands the work you’re contemplating, and who’ll explain to you an in-depth explanation of what to expect in that role. Researching these areas long before commencement of any training program will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.
Author: Scott Edwards. Visit CCNA Courses or CLICK HERE.