Lesson 1: IT Certification and job opportunities

CompTIA Certification

A+ Exams

*To earn A+ certification, candidates must take and pass two computer-based exams consisting of multiple-choice questions, drag-and-drop sorting/matching questions, and performance-based scenarios. The first exam, 220-1101, is about hardware, and the second exam, 220-1102, is about software. There's some overlap in the content covered in the two exams. Each exam may be up to 90 questions, and candidates have 90 minutes per exam.

*Although A+ certification is touted to be "vendor-neutral," the content reflects the fact that there are more Windows-based PCs than Macs in the workplace. Version-wise, any Windows-related content is related to only Windows 10. There may also be a few questions on macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, iOS, Android, and even Windows Phone.

Updates

*Since the industry is constantly evolving, the A+ exams are constantly updated to remain relevant, so a series of A+ exams are offered for about three years, by which point a new series of A+ exams are made available. Candidates must pass both exams in the same series; for example, a 2022-released 220-1101 exam can't be combined with a 2019-released 220-1002 exam to earn the certification.

Renewal

*Imagine how difficult it would be for technicians to serve clients today if they stopped learning in 1984 after becoming experts in the IBM PC/AT, MS-DOS, Token Ring networking, wired peripherals, and dot-matrix printers. Such a technician would know nothing about multicore processors, 64- (or even 32-bit) architecture, Microsoft Windows, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, inkjet or laser printers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, broadband internet, or cloud computing. Being an expert in one year's technology doesn't ensure continued success and a long career for an IT technician; rather, what's needed is a commitment to maintaining and updating one's skills.

To ensure that A+ certification remains relevant, technicians need to renew their certifications every three years. There are a variety of ways to do so. The simplest way is to take and pass the new series of exams, but there are also renewal paths through certification upgrades, courses, or various other activities and training.

CompTIA and its Certification Programs

The name CompTIA stands for the Computing Technology Industry Association. It consists of members from various businesses and governments around the globe and works to advance the interests of its members.

The A+ certification program is one of its products; there are others. Among its core certifications, CompTIA also offers an entry-level IT Fundamentals (ITF+) certification and two more-advanced certifications, Network+ and Security+. Besides these, it also offers specialty certifications in various infrastructure, cybersecurity, and professional skills areas. Like A+ certification, each of these certifications represents a particular minimum level of competency in the related field.