CompTIA A Plus Networking Training Examined
CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and sections to study, but you’re just expected to pass two of them to be thought of as qualified. For this reason, the majority of training providers simply offer two. Yet learning about all 4 will equip you with a far deeper level of understanding of the subject, something you’ll appreciate as an important asset in the working environment.
If you decide to become a student on the A+ training program you will develop an understanding of how to work in antistatic conditions and build and fix computers. You’ll also cover fault-finding and diagnostic techniques, both remotely and via direct access.
You may also want to consider adding the CompTIA Network+ training as it will give you the knowledge to become a networking engineer, which means greater employment benefits.
We can guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work – a ‘hands-on’ type. If you’re like us, the world of book-reading and classrooms is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but you really wouldn’t enjoy it. Consider interactive, multimedia study if book-based learning really isn’t your style.
If we’re able to get all of our senses involved in our learning, then the results are usually dramatically better.
The latest audio-visual interactive programs involving demonstration and virtual lab’s will beat books every time. And they’re far more fun.
You’ll definitely want a study material demo’ from the training company. The materials should incorporate expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and fully interactive skills-lab’s.
You’ll find that many companies will only provide purely on-line training; sometimes you can get away with this – but, think what will happen when you don’t have access to the internet or you get slow speeds and down-time etc. It’s much safer to rely on DVD or CD discs that removes the issue entirely.
Don’t accept anything less than the current Microsoft (or relevant organisation’s) accredited exam simulation and preparation packages.
As the majority of examining boards for IT tend to be American, you’ll need to be used to the correct phraseology. It isn’t good enough just understanding random questions – they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing.
Ensure that you verify your knowledge through tests and simulated exams prior to taking the real thing.
The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is often missed by many students. How many stages do they break the program into? What is the order and at what speed is it delivered?
Often, you will join a program requiring 1-3 years study and get sent one module each time you pass an exam. It seems to make sense on one level, but consider these issues:
What would their reaction be if you find it difficult to do each and every module at the speed they required? Often the prescribed exam order doesn’t come as naturally as some other structure would for you.
The ideal circumstances are to get all your study materials delivered to you right at the start; the complete package! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your ability to finish.
Locating job security nowadays is problematic. Businesses will drop us from the workplace at the drop of a hat – whenever it suits.
Security only exists now in a rapidly increasing marketplace, fuelled by a shortfall of trained staff. It’s this alone that creates the correct background for a secure marketplace – a more attractive situation all round.
A recent national e-Skills survey showed that over 26 percent of all available IT positions cannot be filled due to a chronic shortage of appropriately certified professionals. Basically, we can’t properly place more than 3 out of each four job positions in IT.
Properly trained and commercially educated new employees are consequently at a total premium, and it seems it will continue to be so for a long time to come.
Actually, retraining in Information Technology throughout the next year or two is very likely the best choice of careers you could make.
(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Hop over to LearningLolly or MCSE Training.
