Set up twenty eight years ago, the Computing Technology Industry Association (or 'CompTIA' for short) is a non profit institution. They have grown step by step and now are world leaders in I.T. accreditations that are vendor neutral. What this means is they can offer & over-see independent industry recognised I.T. exams & qualifications that do not reflect a single organisation's interests more than another. This is excellent for IT students, as they can be taught about different platforms and how they inter-connect and 'integrate' with one another - a not unusual situation in industry today. Whenever a new exam is being developed (or an earlier one updated), CompTIA discusses the content with top members of the commercial and educational world in order to create balanced and extremely relevant content.

Any individual who is new to I.T. will certainly profit from training & accreditations produced by CompTIA. Wherever a student opts to work in IT, there are 'CompTIA' qualifications that will increase their skills. Those who are particularly interested in Networks, Support, Systems, Security, Communications and Servers are particularly well-served. CompTIA are now also promoting 'STRATA' qualifications : they're not necessarily for people employed in the IT sector, but for those whose positions would benefit from a fundamental knowledge of computers.

In 2009 each program under-went updates, and new exams are now available for them both. The earlier 'A+' (version 2006/2007) examinations which were classified using the 600 prefix are being phased out worldwide during 2010. In the UK, they discontinue on August 31st 2010. Up until that time, students can take either the '600' or the newer 700 examinations in regional test-centres (namely Vue & 'Prometric'). Common sense suggests that new entrant students should study version 2009. 'CompTIA' A+ Essentials and 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application are the new examination titles (220-701 & 220/702 respectively). The most crucial modifications were a complete restructuring of the preceding four exams into only two exams, and the addition of some teaching on more recent technologies. Initially, the A+ was split into four examinations: one essential & three elective specialisations. Today the marketplace needs workers with know-how that used to be in all four preceding examinations. Students can get that understanding from the 2 '2009' essential 'A+' programs. An upgrade exam has been created by CompTIA for any person who have the older certification. 'BR-003' is the reference number. Successfully passing the bridging examination will normally take further study, although this ought not to be especially onerous for those who initially studied all electives. Sufficient study time really should be allowed for the new aspects however.

'CompTIA' 'A+' and Network+ are by far and away the most commonly accepted of their certifications. These two, as a pair, form the building blocks for many modern IT career-tracks - and rightly so. 'A+' training programs cover all of the fundamental basics of PC maintenance, fault-finding and repair; including installation, security and support. So that you can establish yourself in the I.T. marketplace, the A+ also covers various communication and personal abilities. Expanding on this awareness, the Network+ qualification examines networks, (which includes routers and servers) and explains how they communicate with each other. Both 'Security' & 'Wi-Fi' are covered to some degree. CompTIA A+ and 'Network+' will give you a firm basis for a Systems career in I.T., and also an excellent platform for various other advanced qualification programs.

Clearly these job opportunities frequently lead to far more senior jobs if the relevant certifications have been put in place. That is why its essential to examine your long term ideas prior to deciding on your career training route. This means actually talking to a professional IT training advisor to ensure that the course you ultimately choose is suitable and cost-effective. Many companies also offer 'packaged' career-paths which incorporate these qualifications, and so purchasing in a training bundle can give you significant cost savings.

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