Computer training for CompTIA A+ covers 4 different sectors – you need to pass exams in just two sectors to be considered competent in A+. Because of this, the majority of colleges only offer two of the 4 sectors. Our opinion is this isn’t enough – certainly you’ll have the qualification, but training on all 4 will give you a distinct advantage in your working life, where you’ll need to know about all of them. That’s why we believe you should train in all 4 specialities.
Courses in A+ computer training cover diagnostics and fault finding – both remote access and hands-on, alongside building computers and repairing them and operating in antistatic conditions.
If you add Network+ to your A+ course, you’ll also have the ability to take care of networks, allowing you to move further up the career path.
An important area that is sometimes not even considered by trainees considering a training program is that of ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is the breakdown of the materials to be delivered to you, which makes a huge difference to what you end up with.
By and large, you will purchase a course taking 1-3 years and receive one element at a time until graduation. While this may sound logical on one level, consider this:
What would their reaction be if you find it difficult to do each and every module within the time limits imposed? Sometimes their preference of study order won’t fit you as well as another different route may.
To avoid any potential future issues, it’s normal for most trainees to request that all their modules (now paid for) are sent immediately, and not in a piecemeal fashion. It’s then up to you in which order and at what speed you’d like to work.
A lot of training providers only give support available from 9-6 (office hours) and sometimes later on specific days; 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 telephone support is usually to a call-centre who will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team – who’ll call back sometime over the next 1-3 days, when it’s convenient to them. This is all next to useless if you’re stuck and can’t continue and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
We recommend that you search for training programs that have multiple support offices active in different time-zones. All of them should be combined to enable simple one-stop access together with access round-the-clock, when you need it, with the minimum of hassle.
Don’t accept second best where support is concerned. The majority of would-be IT professionals who give up, are in that situation because they didn’t get the support necessary for them.
Wouldn’t it be great to know for sure that our jobs will always be safe and the future is protected, but the likely scenario for most sectors around Great Britain today is that the marketplace is far from secure.
Now, we only experience security in a fast growing marketplace, fuelled by a shortage of trained workers. It’s this alone that creates the right setting for a secure market – a much more desirable situation.
Taking a look at the IT market, the 2006 e-Skills survey brought to light a more than 26 percent skills deficit. Or, to put it differently, this means that the UK can only locate three qualified staff for each four job positions existing at the moment.
This alarming notion highlights an urgent requirement for more properly trained computing professionals across the country.
As the Information Technology market is increasing at such a speed, could there honestly be a better market worth considering as a retraining vehicle.
An all too common mistake that students everywhere can make is to concentrate on the course itself, and take their eye off the end result they want to achieve. Colleges are full of students that chose a program because it looked interesting – instead of what would yield the career they desired.
Don’t let yourself become part of the group who set off on a track which looks like it could be fun – and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for a career they’ll never really get any satisfaction from.
Take time to understand how you feel about earning potential and career progression, and if you’re ambitious or not. It’s vital to know what will be expected of you, what particular qualifications are needed and how to develop your experience.
Before you embark on a training course, trainees are advised to chat over the specific job requirements with a skilled advisor, to ensure the retraining path covers all the necessary elements.
Author: Scott Edwards. Go to MCDST Certification or NewCareerCourses.co.uk/pncc.html.
