In total, there are 4 A+ examinations and sections to study, but you’re just expected to get your exams in 2 of them to qualify for your A+. For this reason, most training colleges stick to just two options. But giving you all four options will give you a more confident perspective of it all, something you’ll discover is essential in professional employment.
Qualifying in CompTIA A+ on its own will mean that you’re able to fix and repair stand-alone PC’s and MAC’s; ones that are most often not part of a network – which means the home or small business market. It could be a good idea to think about doing Network+ as you’ll then be in a position to become a networking engineer, and have a more responsible working role.
Sometimes, individuals don’t understand what IT is doing for all of us. It is ground-breaking, exciting, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology that will impact the whole world for generations to come. Many people are of the opinion that the technological advancement we’ve been going through is easing off. This couldn’t be more wrong. Terrific advances are ahead of us, and the internet significantly is going to dominate how we conduct our lives.
And don’t forget that typical remuneration in the world of IT across the UK is a lot higher than in the rest of the economy, which means you will be in a good position to gain a lot more in the IT sector, than you could reasonably hope to achieve elsewhere. It’s evident that we have a significant country-wide requirement for qualified IT professionals. And with the marketplace continuing to expand, it seems there’s going to be for a good while yet.
Picking up on the sheer volume of talk about IT currently, how are we supposed to know what in particular to look for?
Don’t get hung-up, as can often be the case, on the training course itself. Training for training’s sake is generally pointless; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. Stay focused on what it is you want to achieve. It’s quite usual, for instance, to find immense satisfaction in a year of study and then find yourself trapped for decades in a career that does nothing for you, simply because you did it without some quality research at the outset.
You must also consider your feelings on earning potential, career development, and whether you intend to be quite ambitious. You should understand what the role will demand of you, which certifications they want you to have and how to develop your experience. All students are advised to chat with a skilled professional before they make a decision on a particular training program. This helps to ensure it has the required elements for the career path that has been chosen.
Please understand this most important point: You have to get round-the-clock 24×7 instructor support. You’ll definitely experience problems if you don’t. Find a good quality service with help available at any time you choose (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) You want 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not simply some messaging service that means you’re consistently being held in a queue for a call-back during office hours.
If you look properly, you’ll find professional companies which give students online support 24×7 – at any time of day or night. If you opt for less than direct-access round-the-clock support, you’ll end up kicking yourself. You might not want to use the service in the middle of the night, but consider weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point.
If you’re like many of the students we talk to then you probably enjoy fairly practical work – the ‘hands-on’ individual. Usually, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not really your thing. Consider interactive, multimedia study if you’d really rather not use books. Research has constantly demonstrated that an ‘involved’ approach to study, where we utilise all our senses, is far more likely to produce long-lasting memories.
Locate a program where you’ll receive a selection of CD and DVD based materials – you’ll learn by watching video tutorials and demonstrations, followed by the chance to use virtual lab’s to practice your new skills. Always insist on a study material demo’ from any training college. You’ll want to see slide-shows, instructor-led videos and fully interactive skills-lab’s.
Avoiding training that is delivered purely online is generally a good idea. Physical CD or DVD ROM materials are preferable where available, enabling them to be used at your convenience – you don’t want to be reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by those considering a training program is that of ‘training segmentation’. Basically, this means the breakdown of the materials for timed release to you, which vastly changes how you end up. Students often think it makes sense (with training often lasting 2 or 3 years for a full commercial certification,) for a training company to release one module at a time, as you pass each element. Although: Often, the staged breakdown offered by the provider doesn’t suit. You may find it a stretch to finalise each and every section at the speed required?
Put simply, the perfect answer is to have their ideal ‘order’ of training laid out, but get all the study materials at the start. Meaning you’ve got it all in case you don’t finish as fast as they’d like.
A subtle way that training providers make extra profits is by charging for exams up-front and then including an ‘Exam Guarantee’. It looks impressive, till you look at the facts:
These days, we tend to be a bit more aware of hype – and the majority of us ought to cotton on to the fact that we are actually being charged for it (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) Students who take each progressive exam, funding them one at a time are far more likely to pass first time. They are aware of what they’ve paid and prepare more appropriately to be up to the task.
Why should you pay your training course provider up-front for exams? Go for the best offer when you take the exam, instead of paying a premium – and take it closer to home – not at somewhere of their bidding. Paying upfront for exam fees (plus interest – if you’re financing your study) is madness. Resist being talked into filling the training company’s account with extra money of yours simply to help their cash-flow! Many will hope you won’t get to do them all – so they get to keep the extra funds. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes via training course providers with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are monitored with tight restrictions. They’ll insist that you take mock exams first so you can prove to them you have a good chance of passing.
VUE and Prometric examinations are currently clocking in at an average of 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. Why spend so much more on ‘Exam Guarantee’ fees (often hidden in the cost) – when good quality study materials, the proper support and consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.
Getting into your first IT role can feel more straightforward if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance facility. However sometimes people are too impressed with this facility, for it is genuinely quite straightforward for well qualified and focused men and women to get a job in the IT environment – because companies everywhere are seeking skilled employees.
Work on polishing up your CV right away however – look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t wait till you’ve finished your exams. Quite often, you will get your first job whilst you’re still studying (sometimes when you’ve only just got going). If you haven’t updated your CV to say what you’re studying (and it isn’t in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you don’t stand a chance! Normally you’ll get better results from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you’ll experience from any training course provider’s national service, because they’ll know the area better.
Not inconsiderable numbers of students, it would appear, spend evenings and weekends on their training and studies (for years sometimes), and just give up when it comes to finding a good job. Promote yourself… Work hard to get in front of employers. Don’t expect a job to just fall into your lap.