A+ Certification – What is Required to Certify?
CompTIA’s A+ certification is a valuable IT qualification and a well recognized industry standard.
A+ certification proves your competence in the skills required to troubleshoot computers and networks, and demonstrates your ability to provide technical support.
A+ Certification Study
Study towards A+ certification can take place as part of real-world work experience or in training labs. CompTIA suggest that A+ certification is suitable for those who have around 500 hours of practical experience with PCs and networks.
Most people choose to complement this practical experience with specific study towards the exam requirements. While some opt for self-study from books or via e-learning tools, you may prefer to undertake instructor-led classroom courses.
Exam Requirements
To gain A+ certification you must pass two exams: A+ Essentials and A+ Practical Application.
As well as assessing your technical knowledge, these exams also take into account your ability to apply the correct troubleshooting techniques and deliver good customer service to your users.
Each computer-based exam takes 90 minutes and consists of 100 questions. Each exam has a maximum score of 900 points. 675 is the minimum pass mark for A+ Essentials and 700 points are required to pass the A+ Practical Application exam. Exams are taken at accredited training centers.
Next Steps
CompTIA recommends A+ certification as the perfect grounding for a number of additional certifications. These include specialist certifications in networking, green IT, and IT security.
Have you gained A+ certification? Has it helped you in your business? Share your experiences in the comments box below.
And to follow-through on the ideas introduced in this short post, be sure to download your free quick reference guide to the Top 21 IT Certifications for Small Business VARs, SPs, and Computer Consulting Businesses.
Creative Commons Image Source: flickr Sebastian Bergmann