Founded twenty-eight years ago, the 'Computing Technology Industry Association' (or 'CompTIA' for short) is a non profit establishment. They have grown progressively and now lead the world in IT qualifications that are vendor-neutral. Which means they're able to independently produce and control a whole collection of IT industry exams and issue their very own accreditations that don't just apply to one specific vendor's solutions. With the current shift to 'inter-connectivity' & systems convergence, this is seen as a great step for the I.T. trainee, because it gives cross-platform learning and a knowledge of 'integration'. Every time a new syllabus is produced, 'CompTIA' invites numerous educational & commercial organisations to come together & validate that every aspect has been thought about equally, & the training programs are commercially appropriate.

If you're interested in any of these roles, the 'A+' will work well : Remote Support Technician, Call Centre and Depot Technician, Field Service Technician, Help Desk Technician, IT Administrator and PC Technician . 'CompTIA' 'Network+' presents possibilities for Network Administrators & Technicians, Network Installers and IT Cable Installers.

A number of these positions can be starting points for advanced level I.T. positions, therefore, as with all career-tracks, it is vital that you first talk about exactly what your end-goals are, & what type of learning-style suits you. This requires a discussion with a skilled training expert to ensure that the route you ultimately choose is suitable and cost effective. It's often a good suggestion to look at personalised career training packages that incorporate the 'A+' and Network+ courses. Bundling several course materials together can be quite cost-effective.

The A+ training and the 'Network+' program are CompTIA's most widely recognised accreditations. An incredibly valuable pair taken as a bundle, they are the starting place for quite a number of successful career-tracks. The CompTIA 'A+' certification teaches the basics of computer maintenance, security, installation, support, fault-finding and repair. So that you can establish yourself in the IT sector, the 'A+' also covers various communication and personal skillsets. Network+ takes things further, by working on a greater knowledge of how networks function & connect with each other. 'Security' is of course extremely important, and wireless-technology is covered to a certain extent. Both certifications complement one another nicely, and collectively form an excellent start-up platform for additional exam packages, or a good career in I.T. support.

New entrants into the I.T. market can turn to CompTIA for many of their preliminary training courses. Wherever a trainee opts to work in IT, there are CompTIA accreditations that will enhance their skills. Individuals who are specifically considering Networks, Support, Systems, Security, Communications and Servers are particularly well served. 'CompTIA' are now also offering STRATA qualifications : these are not specifically for men and women working in the I.T. sector, but for people whose jobs need a fundamental knowledge of computers.

As a part of their ISO standardisation move, 'CompTIA' have up-dated both A+ & N+ exams to 2009 versions. The earlier A+ (version 2006/2007) examinations which were categorised with the 600 prefix are being phased out worldwide throughout 2010. Come the end of Aug 2010, the exams will be retired in the British Isles. Because both the '600', & the new '700' examinations are currently available to sit in 'prometric' & Vue test centres, it makes sense to study the 700 examinations now, & not have to certify again later on. A+ 2009 is now presented as '220-701' CompTIA 'A+' Essentials and '220-702' 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application. The four original examinations have been streamlined into two brand new examinations, and some additional updated information has been included. Formerly, the 'A+' was broken into four examinations: one essential & three elective specialisations. During the last 4 years, the industry has evolved to the stage where all four exams are actually thought to be necessary - hence the reformatting in to two essential exams. CompTIA have also introduced the BR/003 'up-grade' test, for people qualified in the 600 examinations who need to update to the current 700 exams. Successfully passing the up-grade exam will in most cases take more study, but it ought not to be especially much of a challenge for those who initially studied all four. Enough training hours need to be factored in for the newer technology elements however.

Be prepared to allow in the region of one hundred to a hundred & fifty hrs studying time for the 'A+' exams, and for the 'Network+' around seventy five to one hundred hours. Studying part-time, this can be done over a 6 month period if you decide on an appropriate quality of training and outstanding exam preparation products.

With regard to Network+ , the old N10-003 has now been updated by the 'N10-004', the 2009 edition. A larger emphasis is placed on Security in the '2009' N+ exam, as well as network-design & wireless-networking. This naturally is in addition to the primary elements of network management & infrastructure.

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