CompTIA Support Training Simplified
Invention Development Advice - Marketing
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.
by JasonKendall


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.

As well as being taught about building and fixing computers, trainees involved in this training will be taught how to work in antistatic conditions, along with remote access, fault finding and diagnostics.

If you would like to be someone who works in a multi-faceted environment - in network support, add Network+ to your CompTIA A+, or alternatively look at doing an MCSA or MCSE with Microsoft as you'll need a more advanced experience of the way networks work.

Consider the points below very carefully if you've been persuaded that the sales ploy of 'guaranteeing' exams sounds like a benefit to the student:

Everybody's aware that they're ultimately paying for it - obviously it has already in the overall price charged by the college. It's certainly not free - and it's insulting that we're supposed to think it is!

If it's important to you to get a first time pass, then you should avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, focus on it intently and be ready for the task.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you're ready, and hang on to your cash. You'll also be able to choose where to do your exams - so you can choose somewhere closer to home.

Why tie up your cash (or borrow more than you need) for examination fees when you didn't need to? A lot of profit is made because training colleges are getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken.

Don't forget, with 'Exam Guarantees' from most places - they control when and how often you can re-take the exam. Subsequent exam attempts are only authorised at the company's say so.

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.

Finding your first job in the industry sometimes feels easier to handle if you're offered a Job Placement Assistance service. It can happen though that too much is made of this feature, because it's relatively easy for any motivated and trained individual to secure work in the IT environment - as employers are keen to find appropriately skilled employees.

Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV might be provided (if not, see one of our sites for help). It's essential that you update that dusty old CV straight away - don't leave it till you pass the exams!

Various junior support jobs have been offered to trainees who're still on their course and have yet to take their exams. This will at the very least get your CV into the 'possible' pile and not the 'no' pile.

If you don't want to travel too far to work, then you may well find that a specialist locally based employment agency may serve you better than a national service, as they are much more inclined to be familiar with the local job scene.

In a nutshell, if you put as much hard work into securing your first job as into studying, you're not likely to experience problems. Some people strangely put hundreds of hours into their learning program and just give up once qualified and seem to expect employers to find them.

We need to make this very clear: Always get full 24x7 instructor and mentor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't.

You'll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre who will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team - who'll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it's convenient to them. This isn't a lot of good if you're lost and confused and only have a specific time you can study.

The very best programs tend to use an online access 24x7 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.

Find an educator that cares. Because only live 24x7 support truly delivers for technical programs.

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).

The bottom line is: Authorised IT qualifications tell an employer precisely what skills you have - everything they need to know is in the title: for example, I am a 'Microsoft Certified Professional' in 'Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2003'. Consequently companies can look at their needs and what certifications are needed for the job.

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