An Overview of CompTIA A+ Certification

If one tries to mark up their market value, they start to look for specific certifications, especially the IT professionals. CompTIA launched a lauded Certification prevalently known as the CompTIA A+ Certification. If you are looking for how the CompTIA certification can enhance your career, you are indeed on the right page. Provided by CompTIA, an industry organization that certifies entry-level A + PC technology knowledge. It is a non-proprietary certification that focuses on the experience required to provide computer services, troubleshooting, and PC repair technician. A + certification programs generally focus on the skills required for entry-level PC technicians. Participants learn how to install, configure, update and repair PCs.

In the following post, we’ll guide you through the various aspects, and by the end, you’d have all the necessary inputs to make an insightful decision.

What Would You Learn in the Said- A+ Certification Course?

• The program revolves around the skills which are quintessentially required for entry-level PC technicians.
• Students who start the journey would uncover skills such as installing, configuring, upgrading, and even repairing PCs.
• Understanding the nuances about hardware components would allow you to identify-use and interconnect components of various devices.
• You’ll gain much-needed inputs about how you can install and even support Windows OS. It would entail using the help of the command line and exploiting the client support feature. But that’s not it. You’ll also understand Mac OS, Linux, and various mobile OS.
• You’ll gain insights about software troubleshooting, which means a walk-through about troubleshooting devices and PCs issues. It would also include application security support.
• The CompTIA training would help explain the types of networks and connections, including TCP/IP, Wi-Fi, and even SOHO.
• The security plus certification would help you identify and even protect against the ocean of security vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities can exist in devices and network connections.
• The CompTIA certification would make you confident about virtualization and cloud computing. You’ll be able to set up client-side virtualization needs while also comparing and contrasting cloud computing concepts.
• The discussed CompTIA courses would enable you to fulfill operational, procedural requirements. It would entail deep learning about the best practices for ensuring robust safety, environmental impacts by maintaining the utmost professionalism.

 What are Jobs Which Use A+ Certification?

• Service Desk Analysts – The said professionals belong to IT and provide much-needed technical support to users.
• Data Support Technicians – They are the experts held accountable for collecting, recording, and recovering key business or organizational information.
• Technical Support Specialists – As the name suggests, the support specialists help in analyzing-troubleshooting- and evaluating numerous technical issues. CompTIA training can help in maximizing your job output.
• End-User Computing Technicians – The job entails them to provide help to the vast array of system users by solving and responding to client queries.
• Associate Network Engineer – The job entails them looking for and taking utmost care of the hardware components, which are not just limited to the nuances of wiring and cabling. The A+ Certification learnings can help the professional provide better and more robust results.

Apart from the ones discussed above, jobs such as Help Desk Tech, Desktop Support Administrator, Help Desk technicians, System Support Specialist gain the maximum value from CompTIA A+ certification.

A Walkthrough Regarding the Exam Details 

• The exam codes which are kept for the certification are – CompTIA A+ 220-1001 (Core-1) and CompTIA A+ 220-1002 (Core-2)
• A candidate should complete the listed certifications to acquire recognition.
• The exam was launched on January 15, 2019.
• A maximum of 90 questions per exam has been kept for the task.
• The types of questions that the examinee can face are – MCQs; drag and drops; and performance-based. The latter part, or performance-based, refers to the exam self-adaptability, which means the level of the question will notch up if the examinee answers the right answers. However, if one starts facing an easy set of questions, the previous answers are probably wrong.
• The passing score for the exams is – For Core-1 or 220-1001 is 675 while for Core-2 or 220-1002 is 700. The range for both the exams is set between 100:900.
• It is recommended for people who have had at least 9-12 months of hands-on experience, either on the field or in the lab.
• The languages through which one can obtain the CompTIA certifications are – English, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Thai, and Spanish.
• The test provider for the A+ certification is Pearson VUE. Testing centers and online testing are the two possible options.
• The price for the exam is $232/exam.

The Plausible Exam Preparation Strategies 

• eLearning, which allows the interested candidates to train anywhere and at any time.
• Virtual Labs, the hands-on experience, enhances your passing percentage probability.
• Study Guides, the available print or e-books, are packed with engaging content.

Which Companies Applaud and Use the A+ Certification?

Although the below list would look small, the value addition one gains while taking this course would expand the opportunity horizon. The companies are –

• Intel
• RICOH
• Nissan
• Blue-Cross Blue Shield
• HP
• Dell

Conclusion

The IT field is dynamic; a course gaining current market traction might get an obsolete post a year or more. For example, the CompTIA A+ Certification holds its value on paper for three years, but the course learnings would go a long way. This is the only certification with performance-based elements that shows that professionals can think on their feet to complete critical IT support tasks on site.