CompTIA Support Training Simplified
The CompTIA A+ training program covers four areas of training; you’re thought of as competent at A+ once you’ve passed your exams for two of the four areas. This is the reason that most training providers only have two of the courses on their syllabus. You’ll find that to carry out a job effectively, you’ll need the information on each subject as many jobs will ask for an awareness of the whole A+ program. You don’t have to qualify in them all, however we’d advise that you at least have a working knowledge of every area.
Once on the A+ computer training course you’ll be taught how to build, fix, repair and work in antistatic conditions. You’ll also cover fault finding and diagnostics, through both hands-on and remote access.
You might also choose to consider adding the CompTIA Network+ training as you’ll then be in a position to work with networks, and have a more responsible working role.
One crafty way that course providers make a big mark-up is by charging for exams up-front and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams. This looks like a great idea for the student, until you think it through:
Patently it isn’t free – you’re still paying for it – it’s just been wrapped up in the price of the package.
It’s everybody’s ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Entering examinations one by one and paying for them just before taking them puts you in a much stronger position to qualify at the first attempt – you put the effort in and are mindful of the investment you’ve made.
Don’t you think it’s more sensible to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, not to pay the fees marked up by the training company, and to do it locally – instead of the remote centre that’s convenient only to the trainer?
A lot of extra profit is netted by a number of companies that get money upfront for exam fees. Many students don’t take them for one reason or another but the company keeps the money. Believe it or not, providers exist who rely on that fact – and that’s how they increase their profits.
You should fully understand that re-takes with organisations with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are tightly controlled. They will insist that you take pre-tests first until you’ve proven that you’re likely to pass.
Due to typical VUE and Prometric tests coming in at approximately 112 pounds in Great Britain, it makes sense to pay as you go. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.
One useful service offered by some training providers is a Job Placement Assistance program. This is to help you get your first commercial position. The fact of the matter is it isn’t a complex operation to land your first job – assuming you’re well trained and qualified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.
Whatever you do, avoid waiting until you have completed your exams before updating your CV. As soon as you start studying, list what you’re working on and get it out there!
You might not even have passed your first exam when you will be offered your first junior support role; yet this won’t be the case unless you’ve posted your CV on job sites.
You can usually expect quicker service from a local IT focused recruitment consultant or service than any training course provider’s national service, as they’ll know the area better.
A big frustration for a number of course providers is how hard trainees are prepared to study to get qualified, but how ill-prepared they are to market themselves for the job they’ve acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle – you might find it’s fun.
Of all the important things to consider, one of the most essential is always full 24×7 support with professional mentors and instructors. Far too often we see trainers who only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support.
Don’t accept certification programs which can only support students with a call-centre messaging system when it’s outside of usual working hours. Companies will defend this with all kinds of excuses. Essentially – you need support when you need support – not when it’s convenient for them.
The very best programs tend to use an online access 24×7 facility utilising a variety of support centres throughout multiple time-zones. You’ll have an environment which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it.
Never compromise when it comes to your support. The majority of IT hopefuls who give up, are in that situation because of a lack of support.
We’re regularly asked to explain why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more commercial certificates?
With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs increasing year on year, and the IT sector’s general opinion that accreditation-based training often has more relevance in the commercial field, we have seen a big surge in Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe accredited training paths that create knowledgeable employees at a much reduced cost in terms of money and time.
In essence, students are simply taught the necessary specifics in depth. Actually, it’s not quite as pared down as that, but the principle objective is to concentrate on the fundamentally important skill-sets (with some necessary background) – without trying to cram in every other area (as academia often does).
Put yourself in the employer’s position – and you required somebody who had very specific skills. What should you do: Go through loads of academic qualifications from graduate applicants, asking for course details and which vocational skills they have, or choose particular accreditations that perfectly fit your needs, and make your short-list from that. The interview is then more about the person and how they’ll fit in – rather than establishing whether they can do a specific task.
(C) S. Edwards 2009. Browse around HTML Programming or Website Design Course.
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