CompTIA A+ consists of 4 training sections; you’re considered A+ competent when you’ve achieved certifications for half of them. This is why the majority of training establishments only teach 2 specialised areas. The truth is you’re advised to have the teaching in all areas as a lot of employment will demand an understanding of all four areas. Don’t feel pressured to complete all 4 certifications, although it would seem prudent that you study for all four areas.
A+ certification without additional courses will give you the ability to mend and maintain stand alone Macs, computers and laptops; ones that are generally not connected to a network - which means the home or small business market. If you aspire to taking care of computer networks, you’ll need to add CompTIA Network+ to your training package. This will enable you to get a higher paid position. Also look at the route to networking via Microsoft, in the form of MCP’s, MCSA or the full MCSE.
At times folks don’t catch on to what information technology is about. It is electrifying, revolutionary, and puts you at the fore-front of developments in technology affecting everyones lives in the 21st century. Technological changes and dialogue via the internet is going to spectacularly shape our lifestyles in the near future; to a vast degree.
And keep in mind that on average, the income of a person in the IT market in the United Kingdom is much more than in other market sectors, so you will be in a good position to gain a lot more as a trained IT professional, than you’d expect to earn elsewhere. The need for professionally qualified and skilled IT workers is assured for quite some time to come, thanks to the constant expansion in IT dependency in commerce and the vast shortage still present.
How can we go about making an informed choice then? With so many opportunities, we’ll need to know where to dig - and exactly what to be investigating.
Many companies focus completely on the certification process, and forget what you actually need - which will always be getting the job or career you want. Always begin with the final destination in mind - don’t make the journey more important than where you want to get to. Avoid becoming part of the group who select a program which looks like it could be fun - only to end up with a qualification for an unrewarding career path.
You need to keep your eye on what it is you’re trying to achieve, and formulate your training based on that - not the other way round. Keep on track and ensure that you’re training for a career that will keep you happy for many years. Long before starting a particular study course, it’s good advice to chat over specific career needs with a professional advisor, to be absolutely sure the study programme covers all the bases.
Full support is of the utmost importance - ensure you track down something that provides 24×7 direct access, as not obtaining this level of support will severely impede your ability to learn. Look for training with proper support available at any time you choose (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always direct-access to qualified mentors and tutors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - consistently being held in a queue for a call-back during office hours.
As long as you look hard, you will find professional companies that recommend and use direct-access online support all the time - including evenings, nights and weekends. Seek out a company that goes the extra mile. Only proper live 24×7 support delivers what is required.
Traditional teaching in classrooms, involving piles of reference textbooks, is an up-hill struggle for the majority of us. If all this is ringing some familiar bells, check out study materials which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Research has constantly demonstrated that getting into our studies physically, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.
Find a course where you’ll receive a library of DVD-ROM’s - you’ll be learning from instructor videos and demo’s, and then have the opportunity to fine-tune your skills in fully interactive practice sessions. You’ll definitely want a demonstration of the study materials from the training company. You should ask for demo’s from instructors, slideshows and lab’s for you to practice your skills in.
Seek out CD and DVD ROM based physical training media every time. Thus avoiding all the issues associated with broadband ‘downtime’ or slow-speeds.
The way a programme is physically sent to you can often be overlooked. How is the courseware broken down? What is the specific order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives? A release of your materials one stage at a time, according to your exam schedule is the typical way that your program will arrive. While seeming sensible, you should take these factors into account: Many students find that the company’s usual training route isn’t as suitable as another. They might find it’s more expedient to use an alternative order of study. Perhaps you don’t make it inside of the expected timescales?
To be in the best situation you would have all your study materials couriered to you immediately; the entire package! Then, nothing can hinder your capacity to get everything done.
You’ll come across courses which guarantee examination passes - they always involve paying for the exam fees up-front, when you pay for the rest of your course. Before you get carried away with a course with such a promise, why not be aware of the facts:
Patently it isn’t free - you’re still coughing up for it - it’s just been included in your package price. Evidence shows that if a student pays for each progressive exam, at the time of taking them, they will be much more likely to get through on the first attempt - as they’re aware of their investment in themselves and so will prepare more thoroughly.
Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, and avoid college mark-up fees. You also get more choice of where you sit the exam - meaning you can choose a local testing centre. Considerable numbers of unscrupulous training course providers make a great deal of profit because they’re charging for exams at the start of the course then hoping you won’t see them all through. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via organisations who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are always heavily controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.
Spending hundreds or even thousands extra on an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is naive - when study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.
The somewhat scary thought of finding your first IT job is often relieved because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance programme. Don’t get overly impressed with this service - it’s quite easy for eager sales people to overstate it’s need. At the end of the day, the need for well trained IT people in Britain is why employers will be interested in you.
Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however (advice and support for this should come from your course provider). Don’t wait till you’ve finished your exams. Quite frequently, you will get your initial job while still studying (occasionally right at the beginning). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying - or it’s not getting in front of interviewers, then you won’t even be considered! Generally, you’ll receive better performance from a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service than any training provider’s national service, because they’ll know the area better.
In a nutshell, as long as you put the same commitment into landing your first job as into studying, you’re not going to hit many challenges. Some trainees curiously invest a great deal of time on their learning program and just give up once they’ve got certified and seem to expect employers to find them.
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