The non-profit organisation 'CompTIA' - 'Computing Technology Industry Association' - was established in 1982. They have grown progressively and now are world leaders in I.T. certifications that are vendor-neutral. This fundamentally means they are absolutely free to independently produce and monitor exams & certifications that are required by the IT industry, regardless of a specific business' commercial interests. This really is excellent for trainees, as they can learn about various platforms and how they 'inter-connect' & integrate with one another - a not unusual situation today. CompTIA gathers together several commercial and learned industry organisations when building or updating an exam, to ensure that all things are thought about and the very best commercially relevant syllabuses are crafted.

In 2009 each programme under-went upgrades, & new examinations are actually available for them both. The earlier A+ (version 2006/2007) examinations which were classified with the 600 pre-fix are now being retired worldwide through 2010. At the end of August 2010, the exams will retire in Britain. Because both these, & the recently released 700 exams are currently available to sit in 'prometric' & Vue test centres, it makes sense to study for the 700 exams now, and not have to re-certify later. 'CompTIA' A+ Essentials & 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application are the new exam titles (220-701 and 220-702 respectively). The 4 earlier examinations have been re-structured into two new exams, & some more updated information has been added in. Originally, the A+ was split into 4 examinations: 1 essential & three elective specialisations. But as the industry has moved on, the knowledge from all four examinations is actually considered essential, and consequently has been condensed in to two essential assessments. 'CompTIA' also have released the BR/003 bridging test, for trainees accredited under the 600 examinations who wish to get up to date with the current '700' examinations. This could almost definitely necessitate additional study, although not so much if you covered information on all four of the previous exams, rather than only the two that were required. Obviously though the newer technological subjects must be studied.

CompTIA 'A+' & Network+ are easily the most broadly accepted of their qualifications. These two, as a pair, create the foundation for many current I.T. career tracks - & rightly so. 'A+' training programs cover all of the fundamentals of Computer maintenance, fault-finding & repair; including support, security & installation. In addition , it covers certain personal & communication skills needed to get into IT. Advancing this awareness, the Network+ accreditation looks at networks, (which includes routers & servers) and shows how they communicate with each other. 'Security' is of course very important, and wireless technology is covered to a certain degree. CompTIA A+ and Network+ will give you a solid basis for a Systems career in I.T., and also an excellent basis for various other advanced certification programs.

New students to the IT market can look to 'CompTIA' for many of their initial study packages. In general, individuals who are planning on careers within Networking, Systems, Security, Servers, Communications & Support can start out with CompTIA, but in fact students within any sector could find a CompTIA accreditation a helpful addition to their CV. A new set of beginner-level courses named 'STRATA' have been put together by 'CompTIA'. These are for those who need a greater idea of basic IT information, but do not necessarily work with I.T. themselves.

The actual Network+ 2009 examination is now referred to as 'N10-004', superseding the earlier 'N10-003'. In addition to keeping its attention on network infrastructure & management, the up-dated 2009 exam points to a wider emphasis on security, wireless-networking skills and network design standards.

These qualifications & employment options can be done enroute to a more senior I.T. placement. Before you go for a training course, keep in mind exactly where you want your final destination to be. Take the opportunity to discuss every little thing with a training program and IT expert - it will help safeguard you from any set-backs in the future. It's often a good idea to consider personalised career-training packages that feature the 'A+' and Network+ programs. Bundling various course materials together is usually very financially attractive.

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