Networking CompTIA A Plus Training - News

There are four specialised areas of training in the full CompTIA A+ syllabus, of which you need to pass two for competency in A+. But limiting yourself to 2 of the specialised areas might well not equip you for a job. Choose a course with all 4 subjects - for greater confidence in the world of work.

Courses in A+ computer training teach diagnostic techniques and fault-finding - remotely as well as hands on, in addition to building and fixing and having knowledge of antistatic conditions.

If you feel it appropriate to add Network+ to your A+ course, you’ll additionally be equipped to look after networks, allowing you to move further up the career path.

Most training companies only give office hours or extended office hours support; not many go late into the evening (after 8-9pm) or cover weekends properly.

You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre that will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor - who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you’re there), when it’s convenient to them. This isn’t a lot of good if you’re stuck with a particular problem and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.

Keep your eyes open for colleges that utilise many support facilities from around the world. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to provide a single interface and also access round-the-clock, when you need it, with the minimum of hassle.

Always pick an educator that offers this level of study support. Only proper round-the-clock 24×7 support delivers what is required.

Don’t put too much store, as a lot of students can, on the training process. Training is not an end in itself; you’re training to become commercially employable. Focus on the end-goal.

Students often train for a single year but end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don’t make the error of choosing what sounds like an ‘interesting’ course and then spend decades in a job you don’t like!

You’ll want to understand what industry will expect from you. Which particular qualifications you’ll be required to have and how to gain experience. It’s also worth spending time considering how far you’d like to build your skill-set as it may control your selection of qualifications.

Sense dictates that you seek guidance and advice from an experienced industry advisor before embarking on a training path, so you can be sure that the chosen route will give you the skills for the job being sought.

Look at the facts below very carefully if you’re inclined to think that old marketing ploy of ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:

Thankfully, today we have to be a little more ‘marketing-savvy’ - and usually we grasp that it is something we’re paying for - they’re not just being charitable and doling out freebies!

It’s well known in the industry that if a student pays for each examination, at the time of taking them, there’s a much better chance they’ll pass first time - since they are conscious of their payment and so will prepare more thoroughly.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take the exam, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it’s then your choice where to do the examinations - so you can choose somewhere closer to home.

A lot of current training course providers net big margins because they’re getting paid for examinations upfront then hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do.

Re-takes of any failed exams through training course providers who offer an ‘Exam Guarantee’ are monitored with tight restrictions. You’ll be required to sit pre-tests until you’ve proven that you’re likely to pass.

On average, exams cost approximately 112 pounds in the last 12 months through UK VUE or Prometric centres. So don’t be talked into shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds more to have ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when it’s obvious that the most successful method is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

Always expect the current Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation and simulation materials.

Ensure that the exams you practice are not just posing the correct questions in the right areas, but ask them in the way the real exams will ask them. This really messes up trainees if they’re faced with unrecognisable phrases and formats.

Ensure that you test whether you’re learning enough by doing quizzes and practice in simulated exam environments to prepare you for taking the real deal.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!