What Is CompTIA A+ Certification?

CompTIA A+Certification All-in-One Exam Guide

CompTIA A+ All-in-One Exam

 Guide Every profession requires specialized skills. For the most part, if you want to get or keep a job that requires those specialized skills, you need some type of certification or license. If you want a job fixing automobiles, for example, you get the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. If you want to perform companies’ financial audits, you get your Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification.Nearly every profession has some criteria that you must meet to show your compe
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tence and ability to perform at a certain level. Although the way this works varies widely
from one profession to another, all of them will at some point make you take an exam
or series of exams. Passing these exams proves that you have the necessary skills to
work at a certain level in your profession, whether you’re an aspiring plumber, teacher,
barber, or lawyer.
If you successfully pass these exams, the organization that administers those exams
grants you certification. You receive some piece of paper or pin or membership card
that you can show to potential clients or employers. This certification gives those clients
or employers a level of confidence that you can do what you say you can do. Without
this certification, either you will not find suitable work in that profession or no one will
trust you to do the work.
The Importance of CompTIA A+ Certification
Microcomputers were introduced in the late 1970s, and for many years PC technicians
did not have a universally recognized way to show clients or employers that they know
what to do under the hood of a personal computer. Sure, vendor-specific certifications
existed, but the only way to get them was to get a job at an authorized warranty or
repair facility first and then get the certification. Not that there’s anything wrong with
vendor-specific training; it’s just that no single manufacturer has taken enough market
share to make IBM training, for example, something that works for any job. (Then there
is always that little detail of getting the job first before you can be certified....)
The software/networking side of our business has not suffered from the same lack of
certifications. Due to the dominance of certain companies at one time or another (for
example, Microsoft and Cisco), the vendor-specific certifications have provided a great
way to get and keep a job. For example, Microsoft’s
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
(MCSE) and Cisco’s Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) have opened the doors for many.
But what about the person who runs around all day repairing printers, repartition-ing hard drives, upgrading device drivers, and assembling systems? What about the
PC hobbyists who want to be paid for their skills? What about the folks who, because
they had the audacity to show that they knew the difference between CMOS and a
command prompt, find themselves with a new title such as PC Support Technician or
Electronic Services Specialist? On the other hand, how about the worst title of them all:
“The Person Who Doesn’t Get a Nickel Extra but Who Fixes the Computers?”

What Is CompTIA A+ Certification?

CompTIA A+ certification is an industry-wide, vendor-neutral certification program developed and sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The
CompTIA A+ certification shows that you have a basic competence in supporting microcomputers. You achieve this certification by taking two computer-based, multiple-choice examinations. The tests cover what technicians should know after nine months of full-time PC support experience. CompTIA A+ certification enjoys wide recognition throughout the computer industry. To date, more than 800,000 technicians have become CompTIA A+ certified, making it the most popular of all IT certifications.