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.
Locate training schools where you can receive help at any time you choose (even if it's early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you're consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.
Top training companies have many support offices from around the world. Online access provides the interactive interface to link them all seamlessly, at any time you choose, there is always help at hand, with no hassle or contact issues.
Unless you insist on online 24x7 support, you'll end up kicking yourself. You might not want to use the service late in the night, but you may need weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.
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.
It's an awful thing, but a great many students begin programs that seem wonderful in the prospectus, but which provides the end-result of a job that doesn't fulfil at all. Just ask several college leavers and you'll see where we're coming from.
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.
Your likely to need help from an experienced person that can best explain the market you're hoping to qualify in, and will be able to provide 'A day in the life of' synopsis of the job being considered. These things are incredibly important as you'll need to know if this change is right for you.
A sneaky way that course providers make extra profits is via an 'exam inclusive' package and offering an exam guarantee. It looks like a good deal, until you think it through:
We all know that we're still footing the bill for it - obviously it has been added into the gross price invoiced by the college. It's definitely not free - and it's insulting that we're supposed to think it is!
Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Going for exams one by one and paying for them just before taking them makes it far more likely you'll pass first time - you prepare appropriately and are mindful of the investment you've made.
Sit the exam at a local pro-metric testing centre and hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take it.
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.
A top of the range training course package should have accredited exam preparation systems.
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. - 29852
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.
Locate training schools where you can receive help at any time you choose (even if it's early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you're consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.
Top training companies have many support offices from around the world. Online access provides the interactive interface to link them all seamlessly, at any time you choose, there is always help at hand, with no hassle or contact issues.
Unless you insist on online 24x7 support, you'll end up kicking yourself. You might not want to use the service late in the night, but you may need weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.
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.
It's an awful thing, but a great many students begin programs that seem wonderful in the prospectus, but which provides the end-result of a job that doesn't fulfil at all. Just ask several college leavers and you'll see where we're coming from.
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.
Your likely to need help from an experienced person that can best explain the market you're hoping to qualify in, and will be able to provide 'A day in the life of' synopsis of the job being considered. These things are incredibly important as you'll need to know if this change is right for you.
A sneaky way that course providers make extra profits is via an 'exam inclusive' package and offering an exam guarantee. It looks like a good deal, until you think it through:
We all know that we're still footing the bill for it - obviously it has been added into the gross price invoiced by the college. It's definitely not free - and it's insulting that we're supposed to think it is!
Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Going for exams one by one and paying for them just before taking them makes it far more likely you'll pass first time - you prepare appropriately and are mindful of the investment you've made.
Sit the exam at a local pro-metric testing centre and hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take it.
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.
A top of the range training course package should have accredited exam preparation systems.
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. - 29852
About the Author:
Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Navigate to CareerRetrainingCourses.co.uk or Job Qualifications.
