Comptia Certifications - CompTIA A+ Certification

CompTIA is a not-for-profit Organization that acts as a Neutral Certification provider in a number of fields in IT such as Networking and Hardware. CompTIA Certifications are required by almost all other commercial Certification Providers such as Cisco and Microsoft as part of some of their Certifications. CompTIA Certification are of different levels; for the beginner and for the professional as well. CompTIA Certifications are not divided into Levels such as Cisco or Microsoft Certifications.

The CompTIA A+ certification is the “industry standard for computer support technicians.”  This Certification is required by nearly all other commercial certification provides such as Cisco and Microsoft with regards to Computer Support. It covers basic skills and is for entry level, as in basic, IT Professionals preferably recent graduates.

The CompTIA A+ is part of the certification track of corporations such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Novell. Some technology companies, such as CompuCom and Ricoh, have made CompTIA A+ certification mandatory for their service technicians.

The following skills are covered by this CompTIA Certification with regards to Computer Support Technicians :

• Installation
• Preventative Maintenance
• Networking
• Security and Troubleshooting
• Customer service and Communication skills

The following is part of the Curriculum of this CompTIA Certification:

• Fundamentals of Computer Technology,
• Fundamentals of Networking and Security, as well as the
• Fundamentals with regards to Communication Skills and professionalism

What are the Prerequisites of CompTIA A+ Certification?

There are no pre-requisites for the CompTIA A+ Certification.

We recommend substantial preparation and substantial knowledge of the skills that will be tested. We would also recommend this certification for recent IT Graduates.

The CompTIA A+ Certification is for all IT Professionals or Graduates who would like to work as Computer Support Technicians in an Organization that requires such technicians.

Additionally, this Certification is also important for those IT Professionals who are taking a Certification from other Providers if this Certification is part of that track. For those who are already working as Computer Support Technicians this Certification is essential for you to emphasize your credibility.

Why should I get certified? What benefits are there?

CompTIA Certifications can be thought of as an industry standard. These Certification allow potential employers to easily select what employees will be compatible with them. It shows that your are skilled and have been awarded a certification from an industry leader that is recognized far and wide in all countries. The certification can be thought of as a ‘Diploma’ that will add more weightage to your application and degree.

This Certification is also essential for any IT Professional who would like to work as Computer Support Technicians in an Organization. This Certification is specifically made for the entry-level (basic) IT Professional.

The benefits will be that you will now have a broader selection of career paths that will be higher paying than your existing job. Additionally, you will have that edge that is required during job selections – since employers look for what makes you as a networking professional unique.

CompTIA Certification Exams in General

What Do They Cost?

Individual exams in the CompTIA Certifications cost 79 USD for CompTIA Members and 99 USD for non-members. To register for exams you first have to take a voucher and then register through Pearson VUE and Prometric.

Use the table below for the exact cost of each certification:

How do I take the exams?

Exams are carried out by both Pearson VUE and Prometric in a number of Test Centers around the world. Before registering for an exam you need to get a voucher from the CompTIA Website. The link is give below:

http://store.comptia.org/

Follow the links below for the websites of Pearson VUE and Prometric:

• Prometric:

      http://www.prometric.com/CompTIA/default.htm

• Pearson VUE: http://www6.pearsonvue.com/Dispatcher?application=VTCLocator&action=actStartApp&v=W2L&cid=119

How do I prepare for the exams?

Preparation for the CompTIA Certifications can be carried out through two different methods; Self Study and Training in a Centre. Self Study will involve a number of resources including Books and other materials available through CompTIA. Training through a Center is the recommended method, particularly through CompTIA Authorised Centers a list of which can be found on the CompTIA Website.

• Practice Questions

Before taking a Certification Exam, Practice Tests are essential in that they allow to test yourself and then find out your weaknesses. These Practice Tests are provided through the CompTIA Website by following the link below:

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/testprep/practicetests.aspx

• Download Exam Objectives

Exam Objectives allow you to understand what the results of your preparation should accomplish. In fact, all study should be undertaken based on this. Follow the link below for further information:

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/testprep/examobjectives.aspx

• Training Materials

CompTIA provides several training materials, both for classroom and self study, that allow you to effectively prepare yourself for an exam. The following materials are provided:

• Assesment of software
• Computer Based materials
• Books (Classroom and Self Study)
• Multimedia
  
  

You can find the Training materials by following the link below:

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/testprep/trainingmaterials.aspx 

• Training Centers

There are numerous Training Centers situated around the world that provide Training for the CompTIA Certification Exams. You can follow the link given below to find the Training Center nearest to you:

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/testprep/trainingcenters.aspx

What certifications and exams come under the CompTIA A+ Certification?

The following is an overview of the CompTIA A+ Certification Exams:Required exams:

 CompTIA A+ Essentials, CompTIA A+ Practical ApplicationNumber of questions: 100 for each examLength of test: 90 minutes each Passing score: 675 for CompTIA A+ Essentials, 700 for CompTIA A+ Practical Application on a scale of 100-900 Languages: English, Spanish Exam codes:
220-701 for CompTIA A+ Essentials
220-702 for CompTIA A+ Practical Application

Resources for the Exams

1. Download Exam Objectives
2. Practice Questions
3. Training Materials

CompTIA Certification Renewal Policy

CompTIA, similar to other IT Certification providers such as Cisco, requires certification renewal according to the new policy. It is as follows:

For IT Professionals who have been certified before or until December 31 2010

“CompTIA will not require recertification for any current holders of CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+  or CompTIA Security+ certification. You are not required to retest to maintain your valid CompTIA certification. Regardless of when you became certified in CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+, you are certified for life.”

For IT Professionals who will be certified as of January 11 2010

“Effective January 1, 2011, all new CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+ certifications will be valid for three years from the date the candidate is certified. After three years, the certification must be renewed. This can be done by passing the most current exam for a respective certification or by participating in CompTIA’s upcoming new continuing education program, which will allow individuals to keep their skills current and their certification up to date without retesting.”

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/a.aspx