Perhaps you are preparing to start your career in IT, or thinking about transitioning into the industry. Either way, you will need to equip yourself with the fundamental skills required for basic IT support tasks before applying for the job. The CompTIA A+ course is perfect for this, as it is designed specifically for budding entry-level IT professionals. As the industry standard for establishing an IT career, the course confers several benefits onto its participants. Here are just some of the most prominent benefits of the course.
Practical knowledge
The CompTIA A+ course is specially designed for individuals with basic computer user skills who are planning to apply for a job as an entry-level IT technician, engineer, or analyst. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the background knowledge and skills necessary to perform essential tasks on a variety of devices and operating systems. Additionally, the course deals with several of the core technologies that are used in IT companies today in the fields of cybersecurity, cloud computing, data management, and so on.
The course covers 9 key skills, all of which are essential for any IT professional to possess. They are:
- Hardware: Identifying, connecting, and using hardware.
- Operating systems: Using the command line and client support to install and support Windows OS. Mac OS, Linux, and mobile OS are also covered.
- Software troubleshooting: Troubleshooting issues with software on PC and mobile devices.
- Hardware and network troubleshooting: Troubleshooting issues with devices and networks.
- Networking: Understanding the types of networks, such as TCP/IP, SOHO, and Wi-Fi.
- Mobile devices: Installing and configuring mobile devices, including laptops.
- Security: Finding and defending against vulnerabilities in devices and network connections.
- Virtualisation and cloud computing: Understanding the differences between cloud computing concepts, and setting up client-side virtualisation.
- Operational procedures: Learning about the best practices regarding safety, communication, professionalism, and environmental effects.
Gain access to a thriving community
After completing the CompTIA A+ course, you become eligible for CompTIA’s Continuing Education (CE) programme. The programme allows you to participate in various training programmes and activities to renew your CompTIA A+ certification, including higher certification programmes. You could also join CompTIA’s IT professional association, AITP. With these, you not only keep yourself up to date with the latest industry trends but also expose yourself to a vast and thriving community of like-minded IT professionals looking to improve themselves.
There is also a strong informal community of CompTIA A+ certification holders. These highly motivated IT professionals are all over social media networks like LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook. Feel free to interact with them on these platforms or in person at networking events. You never know what nuggets of wisdom can come from conversations with fellow professionals.
Industry-recognised certification
Having the necessary skills is crucial, but you also need to prove to employers that you have those skills. Fortunately, the CompTIA A+ course comes with its own certification, which you will receive after the completion of both the CompTIA A+ 220-901 Certification Exam and the CompTIA 220-902 Certification Exam.
As mentioned before, the certification has become the industry standard for entry-level IT professionals. There are several reasons why this is so. For starters, it is one of the only credentials that have performance-based items, which can prove that you can think on your feet to perform critical IT support tasks. It is also regularly updated by IT experts, ensuring that the content teaches and supports core skills that are necessary for the actual workplace. Indeed, many employers worldwide have used this certification to identify go-to people in technical support and end-point management roles. These factors have made the CompTIA A+ certification one that is trusted by many of the biggest players in the IT industry, including Intel, Dell, and HP.
Further learning
The CompTIA A+ course is an effective jumping-off point for your career in IT and your IT learning journey. After gaining the foundational knowledge from this course, you could upgrade yourself further in preparation of climbing the professional ladder. For instance, we offer a host of cybersecurity courses, including the CISSP certification course, as well as the CEH certification course. For those looking to go into IT service management, we have courses for you as well, such as our ITIL 4 Foundation training course.
But with so many courses to choose from, you may need professional advice in deciding which certifications are required for your targeted career path. Why not attend our Cybersecurity Conversion Programme on 10thSeptember and 18th September 2020 and ask the industry experts for yourself?
