The CompTIA A+ training program covers four areas of training; you’re qualified as an A+ achiever when you’ve passed the test for two of the four areas. Because of this, it’s usual for colleges to limit themselves to 2 study areas. The truth is to carry out a job effectively, you’ll need the training for all four areas as industry will require an understanding of the whole A+ program. Don’t feel pressured to qualify in them all, but we would recommend you learn about all four.
Qualifying in CompTIA A+ on its own will set you up to repair and fix stand alone Macs, computers and laptops; principally ones that aren’t joined to a network – essentially the domestic or small business sector.
Should you be thinking of being responsible for networks of computers, you’ll need to add CompTIA Network+ to the CompTIA A+ training you’re doing. This qualification will mean you can command a more senior job role. Alternatively, you may prefer the networking qualifications from Microsoft, i.e. MCP, MCSA MCSE.
A fatal Faux-Pas that students everywhere can make is to concentrate on the course itself, rather than starting with where they want to get to. Colleges are stacked to the hilt with direction-less students who chose a course based on what sounded good – in place of something that could gain them the career they desired.
It’s unfortunate, but a great many students commence training that sounds marvellous in the sales literature, but which delivers a career that doesn’t fulfil at all. Just ask several university graduates and you’ll see where we’re coming from.
Set targets for the income level you aspire to and how ambitious you are. Sometimes, this affects what particular accreditations will be expected and how much effort you’ll have to give in return.
Seek out help from a professional advisor that understands the sector you wish to join, and who can offer ‘A day in the life of’ understanding of of what you’ll be doing with each working day. It’s good sense to discover if this is the right course of action for you before you embark on your training program. After all, what is the point in starting to train only to discover you’re on the wrong course.
A lot of training schools still use the rather old-fashioned idea of classroom days. Very often portrayed as a huge benefit, following a chat with most students who’ve had to attend a couple, you’ll hear a common theme of many or most of the following problems:
* Many back and forth visits – sometimes hundreds of miles each and every time.
* Workshop accessibility; often weekdays only and sometimes two to three days together. It’s not easy to get the days away from work.
* If we’ve got 4 weeks holiday each year, giving half of them to educational events often means losing out on family and vacation time.
* ‘In-Centre’ days usually get fully subscribed quite quickly, meaning we have to accept the ’2nd best’ solution.
* Some trainees lean towards a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. This can create a lot of tension amongst the class.
* A lot of trainees talk of the high costs involved with all the travelling back and forth to the training centre while forking out for food and accommodation can get very high.
* Study privacy can be high on the list of priorities to many trainees. You don’t want to lose any job advancement, wage increases or accomplishment in your job just because you’re retraining. If your employer knows you’re taking steps towards accreditation in another sector, what will they think?
* Asking questions in front of other class-mates often makes us feel uncomfortable. Ever avoided asking a question as you honestly thought you might seem thick?
* Working and living away – a lot of attendees find they’re living or working somewhere else for part of their training. Days in-centre become very difficult then, unfortunately the money has already changed hands as part of your fees.
Many students discover a more flexible approach is to exploit ready-made, videoed workshops in the comfort of your own home – and do it when it’s convenient to you – not anybody else.
Any time you get a problem, utilise the 24×7 Support (that should come with any technical program.) Remember, if you’ve got a laptop, you can study just about anywhere.
It’s never going to matter how regularly you have to re-cover a topic, video-based instructors aren’t ever likely to rush you! Plus, with this method, note-taking becomes a thing of the past. Everything’s laid out there for you when you need it.
Put simply: You save on money, time, hassle and steer clear of killing more trees.
(C) Jason Kendall. Pop to LearningLolly.com for in-depth ideas on Comptia A+ and Comptia Courses.
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