The non profit organisation CompTIA - Computing Technology Industry Association - was formed in 1982. They've developed over the years to become the leader in vendor-neutral I.T. certification. This effectively means they're absolutely free to independently create & monitor examinations & certifications which are needed by the I.T. industry, regardless of a particular business' commercial interests. This really is excellent for trainees, because they can be taught about different platforms & how they inter-connect & 'integrate' with one another - a common circumstance in industry today. 'CompTIA' gathers together numerous commercial and learned industry organisations when building or updating an examination, to ensure all things are thought about and the very best industry relevant syllabuses are crafted.

Of course these careers often lead on to far more advanced jobs if the relevant qualifications are in place. That's why it's important to examine your long-term ideas before deciding on your career-training track. This means actually talking to an experienced training expert clarify that the route you select is suitable & cost effective. IT Training companies can often develop a tailored training path by combining a series of training programs to take the individual from where they're starting from to where they would like to end up.

Normal learning time for these examinations are estimated at in the region of 100 to 150 hours for the A+ , and 75-100 hrs for the N+ . Studying part time, this could be accomplished over a six month period if you opt for an appropriate quality of training matter and outstanding exam preparation products.

If you're excited about any of the following roles, the 'A+' will definitely serve you well : Call Centre Technician, Remote Support Technician, Depot Technician, Help Desk Technician, Field Service Technician, PC Technician & IT Administrator. With CompTIA 'Network+' also, you could look at becoming an IT Cable Installer, a Network Installer, a Network Technician or a Network Administrator.

Essentially the most renowned of all the 'CompTIA' accreditations are undoubtedly the 'A+' and 'Network+'. These two, as a pair, form the building blocks of many modern I.T. career-tracks - & justly so . The CompTIA 'A+' accreditation covers the fundamentals of computer maintenance, support, security, installation, fault-finding & repair. On top of that, the A+ handles certain relationship building skill-sets that will help you to communicate better with other people. 'Network+' takes things further, by working on a more in-depth understanding of how networks function and connect with one another. Both 'Security' and Wi-Fi are covered to a certain level. CompTIA 'A+' and N+ provide a solid basis for a systems career in IT, and also a great platform for various other more senior certification programs.

Both exams have recently gone through a 2009 update in-line with CompTIA's move towards ISO standardisation. Worldwide the 2006/2007 versions of 'A+' (those with the exam prefix number 600) will be phased out within the coming twelve months. In the UK, they cease being offered on 31st August 2010. Since both the '600', and the new '700' exams at the moment are allowed to be taken in Prometric & 'Vue' test-centres, it seems sensible to study for the 700 exams now, & avoid having to certify again later. The specific A+ 2009 examinations are now: CompTIA 'A+' Essentials (exam 220/701) & 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application (examination 220/702.) The key modifications were an entire re-structuring of the past four examinations into only 2 exams, & the addition of some coverage on more recent technologies. Although the old 'A+' had four exams within the complete program, just two were required for the certification. Over the last four years, the market has progressed to the stage where all four examinations are now regarded as essential - hence the reformatting into 2 required examinations. An up-grade examination has been produced by 'CompTIA' for anybody who have the older qualification. 'BR-003' is the exam reference. Supplemental training will almost certainly be required, especially for many who only initially studied for 2 of the 4 electives. Clearly though the new technology subjects will have to be learned about.

With regard to Network+ , the earlier 'N10-003' has now been updated by the N10-004, the 2009 version. In addition to the strong element of managing networks and their infrastructures, this latest examination concentrates closely on design, security and wireless skills.

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