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A+ CertificationAt long last a certification has come along that actually develops the skills employers are really after!
I love it when someone does something really right and CompTIA have absolutely ticked that box with the new A+ certification. They have branched the qualification out into 3 different directions, 2 exams each from a choice of four which are: • Essentials – Mandatory core exam. Where the qualification used to comprise of just two exams in core hardware and operating system technologies, the A+ certification has now increased to four exams – but still only two are required to obtain one of the three designations. Technically the two exams required still focus around core hardware and OS, but you can now choose which direction you want to take your IT career in and choose the relevant A+ certification path. Essentials – The Ultimate Entry level CertificationThe one common exam for all three paths is the ‘Essentials’ exam which covers the entry level technical aspects and tacks on some basic ‘soft’ (people) skills, security and environmental awareness. Soft skills and security awareness are where CompTIA have really raised the bar. At last there is a technical certification aimed at entry level IT workers that actually prepares the individual for performing the job of an entry level support tech – dealing with people! The inclusion of security awareness is a masterstroke as well. With security becoming increasingly important in the field of IT and business, development of this awareness at the very foundational level is a welcome addition in my book. Essentials is a mandatory exam for either of the directions of the new A+ certification, it is also the perfect ‘start here’ for any newbie to the field looking for a way in to the industry. Click here for a closer look at the 220-601 Essentials exam 220-602 – IT technician.The IT technician exam is aimed at those who will be dealing with users face to face in a corporate environment or as a field service technician. It’s designed for the ‘boots on the ground’ types who will be spending time visiting users at their desks. 220 – 602 is best suited to those looking for corporate helpdesk positions which involve plenty of in person user interaction as well as over the phone. Although CompTIA have come out with a different exam to cater for ‘help desk’ technicians (220-603), I believe this one will be more beneficial for those on corporate help desks. All the IT help desks I’ve worked on have involved face to face communications. Help desks that don’t involve visiting users at their desks fall into the call center category in my opinion. Click here for a closer look at the 220-602 IT Technician Exam. 220 – 603 - Remote Support Technician220- 603 is aimed at those looking for call center and other types of remote support work. Again technically the syllabus does not differ too much from other paths, the main difference can be found in the client facing skills, security awareness and environmental issues. The remote support technician designation trains you to provide support over the phone, email and remote control. The market for these skills is vast and will only increase as more people come online. Why choose to work in a call center when you can shoot for an exciting corporate helpdesk role? That’s up to where you want to go with your career. Say you like pure networking and want to go down the Cisco track – you’ll be much better off in a call center for a Network Operations Center (NOC) than you would on a corporate help desk developing Windows networking skills. 220- 604 – Depot TechnicianThe depot technician designation is aimed at the pure hardware people (you know who you are). This exam is puts a heavy emphasis on the technical aspects of repair and troubleshooting. If you don’t want to fix people’s problems in person or over the phone/web but just want to be left alone to get on with it this is the A+ certification track for you. ConclusionThe new A+ certification is a groundbreaking development in the world of entry level IT. Finally there is a training course that prepares candidates for the part of the job that they’ll be tested on in interviews far more than their technical knowledge. If you’re looking for a way into IT – look no further than A+ certification. Get started on your A+ certification by having a look at the Essentials exam. Recommended study guides for A+ certification. Preplogic practice exam questions and software based training. Return from A+ Certification back to Home Page
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CompTIA have completely revised the A+ certification for 2006. The changes are very good news for those looking for a solid training and certification route that goes beyond basic hardware/software skills and includes customer focus and security awareness. 
