Established twenty-eight years ago, the Computing Technology Industry Association (or CompTIA in short) is a not-for-profit establishment. They have built over the years to become the number one in vendor neutral IT accreditation. What this means is they can supply and oversee independent industry-recognised IT exams and accreditations that do not support any one company's interests above another. With the current move towards inter-connectivity & systems convergence, this is a great move for the I.T. student, as it gives cross platform learning & a knowledge of integration. Whenever a new examination is being put together (or an old one upgraded), 'CompTIA' consults with leading associates of the industrial & academic world in order to create well balanced & very relevant content.

If you are considering any of these jobs, the 'A+' will definitely work for you : Call Centre Technician, Remote Support Technician, Depot Technician, Help Desk Technician, Field Service Technician, IT Administrator and PC Technician . With 'CompTIA' 'Network+' on top of that, you could consider becoming a Network Installer, an IT Cable Installer, a Network Administrator or a Network Technician .

By far the most popular of all the CompTIA certifications are undoubtedly the 'A+' and the Network+. These two, as a pair, create the building blocks of many modern IT career-tracks - and for a good reason. A+ training teaches all of the basics of Computer maintenance, fault finding and repair; including support, security & installation. It also covers certain personal & communication skill-sets needed to get your foot on the ladder of I.T.. Advancing this knowledge, the Network+ certification covers networks, (this includes routers and servers) & teaches exactly how they communicate with each other. 'Security' is needless to say paramount, and wireless-technology is covered to a certain degree. Both accreditations complement one another nicely, & together form a very good start-up platform for additional exam programs, or a strong career in I.T. support.

Anybody looking to establish themselves in I.T. will certainly benefit from programs & accreditations produced by CompTIA. Wherever an individual decides to work in IT, there are 'CompTIA' qualifications that will augment their skills. Individuals who are specifically considering Networking, Support, Systems, Security, Communications & Servers are particularly well-served. There is certainly also now a drive within 'CompTIA' to offer their beginner-level 'STRATA' programs to those individuals who don't actually work within I.T., but would benefit from a comprehension of basic IT & how it affects their career.

In 2009 both programs underwent up-grades, & new exams are actually to be found for each of them. A+ exams that began with the prefix 600 (i.e. the 2006-2007 edition) are now being phased out worldwide. After August 31st '10 they will not be available in the UK. Up to then, students can take either the 600 or the more recent 700 examinations at local test centres (specifically 'Vue' and Prometric). Reason suggests that new students should take edition 2009. 'A+' 2009 is currently presented as 220-701 'CompTIA' A+ Essentials and '220-702' CompTIA 'A+' Practical Application. The key changes were a complete restructuring of the previous four exams into only 2 examinations, and the addition of some coverage on newer relevant technologies. Formerly, the A+ was split into 4 examinations: one essential & 3 elective specialisations. Over the last four years, the industry has progressed to the point where all 4 exams have become regarded as essential - hence the re-formatting into two essential examinations. Anybody who has previously taken the '600' exam is allowed to bring their accreditation up-to-date by sitting an upgrade examination : 'BR-003'. Passing the upgrade exam will normally demand additional study, although it shouldn't be especially difficult for people who originally studied all electives. Adequate study time should be allowed for the new technology elements however.

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