There are four specialised areas of training in the full CompTIA A+ syllabus, of which 2 passes are needed for your A+ qualification. However restricting yourself to two of the four specialities is likely to leave your knowledge base somewhat light. At least learn about all four – employers will notice the difference.
As well as learning how to build PC\’s and fix them, students of A+ will learn how to operate in antistatic conditions, how to fault find, to diagnose and to remotely access problems.
If you add Network+ to your CompTIA A+ training course, you will additionally be able to assist with or manage networks of computers, meaning you\’re in a position to move further up the career path.
Getting your first commercial position can feel more straightforward if you\’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. The fact of the matter is it\’s not as hard as some people make out to secure the right work – once you\’re trained and certified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.
You would ideally have CV and Interview advice and support though; also we would encourage all students to get their CV updated as soon as they start a course – don\’t wait till you\’ve finished your exams.
It\’s not unusual to find that you will be offered your first role whilst still on the course (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn\’t show your latest training profile (and it\’s not being looked at by employers) then you won\’t even be considered!
The top companies to help get you placed are usually specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they\’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they\’re perhaps more focused on results.
Many trainees, it seems, put a great deal of effort into their studies (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of looking for a job. Sell yourself… Do your best to let employers know about you. Don\’t expect a job to just fall into your lap.
A typical blunder that potential students often succumb to is to focus entirely on getting a qualification, and take their eye off the desired end-result. Schools are brimming over with students that chose an \’interesting\’ course – instead of what would yield an enjoyable career or job.
You may train for one year and then end up doing the job for 20 years. Avoid the mistake of finding what seems like a very \’interesting\’ program only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!
Stay focused on where you want to go, and then build your training requirements around that – not the other way round. Keep your eyes on your goals and ensure that you\’re training for something you\’ll still be enjoying many years from now.
All students are advised to talk with an experienced professional before they embark on a retraining path. This gives some measure of assurance that it features what is required for the career path that has been chosen.
One area often overlooked by those weighing up a particular programme is the concept of \’training segmentation\’. Basically, this means how the program is broken down into parts for drop-shipping to you, which makes a huge difference to the point you end up at.
A release of your materials stage by stage, as you complete each module is the usual method of releasing your program. This sounds sensible, but you should take these factors into account:
What if for some reason you don\’t get to the end of every exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Through no fault of your own, you might take a little longer and not receive all the modules you\’ve paid for.
To be in the best situation you would have all the learning modules packed off to your address right at the beginning; the whole caboodle! Thus avoiding any future problems that could impede the reaching of your goals.
It\’s likely that you\’ve always enjoyed practical work – a \’hands-on\’ individual. Typically, the trial of reading reference books and manuals can be just about bared when essential, but you\’d hate it. You should use video and multimedia based materials if you\’d really rather not use books.
We see a huge improvement in memory retention when all our senses are brought into the mix – educational experts have expounded on this for decades now.
Courses are now available on CD and DVD discs, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Using video-streaming, you will be able to see the instructor presenting exactly how to do something, and then have a go at it yourself – in a virtual lab environment.
You must ensure that you see examples of the study materials provided by your chosen company. Be sure that they contain video demo\’s and interactive elements such as practice lab\’s.
You should avoid purely online training. Ideally, you should opt for CD and DVD ROM courseware where obtainable, as you need to be able to use them whenever it\’s convenient for you – and not be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.
Copyright Scott Edwards. Look at www.CareerRetrainingCourses.co.uk/ucareco.html or Website Design Course.