| CompTIA A Plus Training Providers - Thoughts |
| Written by Jason Kendall |
| Sunday, 10 January 2010 09:16 |
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CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and areas of study, but you only need to get certified in 2 to qualify for your A+. Because of this, many educational establishments simply offer two. But allowing you to learn about all 4 options will provide you with a much wider knowledge and understanding of it all, something you'll appreciate as a Godsend in professional employment.
CompTIA A + has a total of four exams and areas of study, but you only need to get certified in 2 to qualify for your A+. Because of this, many educational establishments simply offer two. But allowing you to learn about all 4 options will provide you with a much wider knowledge and understanding of it all, something you'll appreciate as a Godsend in professional employment. Once you start your A+ computer training course 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 might also choose to think about adding the CompTIA Network+ training as you can then also take care of computer networks, which means greater employment benefits. Training support for students is an absolute must - ensure you track down something providing 24x7 full access, as not obtaining this level of support will severely hold up your pace and restrict your intake. Avoid, like the plague, any organisations which use messaging services 'out-of-hours' - with your call-back scheduled for standard office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and need help now. The very best programs tend to use an online 24 hours-a-day service combining multiple support operations throughout multiple time-zones. You will be provided with a simple environment which accesses the most appropriate office irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it. If you opt for less than online 24x7 support, you'll quickly find yourself regretting it. You may not need it in the middle of the night, but consider weekends, early mornings or even late evenings at some point. An all too common mistake that students everywhere can make is to concentrate on the course itself, and take their eye off the desired end-result. Training academies are brimming over with direction-less students who took a course because it seemed fun - in place of something that could gain them their end-goal of a job they enjoyed. Avoid becoming one of the unfortunate masses who choose a training program that seems 'fun' or 'interesting' - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they'll never enjoy. You need to keep your eye on where you want to go, and formulate your training based on that - avoid getting them back-to-front. Keep on track - making sure you're training for something you'll still be enjoying many years from now. Sense dictates that you look for advice and guidance from an experienced industry professional before making your final decision on some particular training course, so there's little doubt that the chosen route will give you the skill-set required for your career choice. Getting into your first IT role sometimes feels easier to handle if you're supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it's quite easy for eager sales people to overplay it. Ultimately, the still growing need for IT personnel in this country is what will make you attractive to employers. However, don't procrastinate and wait until you have finished your training before polishing up your CV. As soon as you start studying, enter details of your study programme and get promoting! Quite often, you'll land your initial role while you're still a student (even when you've just left first base). 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 aren't even in the running! Generally, you'll receive better results from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than any training course provider's national service, because they will be more familiar with the area and local employers. Many people, apparently, conscientiously work through their course materials (for years sometimes), only to give up at the first hurdle when finding a job. Market yourself... Do everything you can to put yourself out there. Don't think a job's just going to jump out in front of you. Have a conversation with a skilled consultant and they'll entertain you with many awful tales of how students have been duped by salespeople. Make sure you deal with a skilled professional that asks lots of questions to find out what's right for you - not for their bank-account! Dig until you find an ideal starting-point that fits you. If you have a strong background, or maybe some commercial experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then obviously your starting level will be very different from someone with no background whatsoever. Opening with a basic PC skills module first is often the best way to start into your IT program, depending on your current skill level. About the Author: (C) S. Edwards 2009. Check out Computer Training Courses or Computer Based Training. |