The CompTIA A+ course has four specialist sections – you’ll have to qualify in just two sectors to be competent in A+. You’ll find that most training providers restrict their A+ to just two of the training options. To us, this is too much of a compromise – of course you can gain accreditation, but experience of all four will set you apart in the workplace, where knowledge of all four will be necessary. This is why you need education in the whole course.
Alongside being taught about building and fixing computers, students involved in this training will be shown how to operate in antistatic conditions, along with remote access, fault finding and diagnostics.
It could be a good idea to think about doing Network+ as it will give you the knowledge to become a networking engineer, which means greater employment benefits.
We’re often asked why traditional academic studies are being replaced by more qualifications from the commercial sector?
With the costs of academic degree’s becoming a tall order for many, and the IT sector’s recognition that accreditation-based training is often far more commercially relevant, we have seen a large rise in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA authorised training programmes that create knowledgeable employees at a fraction of the cost and time involved.
University courses, for instance, clog up the training with a lot of loosely associated study – with a syllabus that’s far too wide. Students are then prevented from getting enough core and in-depth understanding on a specific area.
It’s a bit like the TV advert: ‘It does what it says on the tin’. The company just needs to know what they need doing, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. Then they’re assured that a potential employee can do exactly what’s required.
Be watchful that any qualifications you’re working towards are recognised by industry and are bang up to date. ‘In-house’ certificates are generally useless.
If your certification doesn’t come from a conglomerate such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco, then you’ll probably find it won’t be commercially viable – because no-one will recognise it.
Don’t get hung-up, as can often be the case, on the training process. You’re not training for the sake of training; you’re training to become commercially employable. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.
Imagine training for just one year and then end up performing the job-role for decades. Don’t make the mistake of finding what seems like an ‘interesting’ course only to waste your life away with an unrewarding career!
You also need to know how you feel about career progression and earning potential, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. It’s vital to know what industry expects from you, which accreditations will be required and how to develop your experience.
We’d recommend you take guidance from an experienced industry professional before settling on a learning course, so you’re sure from the outset that the specific package will give the skills necessary.
The perhaps intimidating chore of finding your first IT job is often made easier because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance programme. It can happen though that too much is made of this feature, as it’s really not that difficult for any motivated and trained individual to land a job in the IT environment – because companies everywhere are seeking trained staff.
Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV should be offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Be sure to you update that dusty old CV right away – don’t leave it till you pass the exams!
You may not have got to the stage where you’ve got to the exam time when you’ll secure your initial junior support position; however this can’t and won’t happen unless you’ve posted your CV on job sites.
You can usually expect better performance from a specialist locally based employment agency than any training provider’s centralised service, because they’ll know the local area and commercial needs better.
Essentially, if you put the same amount of effort into securing your first job as into training, you won’t find it too challenging. Some trainees inexplicably spend hundreds of hours on their learning program and then call a halt once they’ve got certified and seem to expect employers to find them.
Copyright 2010 Scott Edwards. Go to www.MCSACourse4UK.co.uk or www.MCSECertificationInfo.co.uk.