The non profit organisation 'CompTIA' - Computing Technology Industry Association - was formed in the early 1980's. They have developed through the years to become the number one in vendor-neutral IT accreditation. This fundamentally means they are absolutely free to independently deliver & monitor examinations and certifications which are required by the IT industry, irrespective of a specific business' commercial interests. As systems frequently 'converge' and inter connect in the business world, this supplies the IT trainee with a more wholesome knowledge & grasp of cross-platform integration. Whenever new syllabuses are produced, CompTIA invites numerous academic and industrial groups to come together & confirm that each aspect has been considered equally, and the training programs are commercially appropriate.

The CompTIA 'A+' exams are principally aimed at anybody looking to start a job in any of the following areas: IT Administrator, PC Technician, Remote Support Technician, Field Service Technician, Call Centre & Depot Technician and Help Desk Technician. CompTIA 'Network+' opens up possibilities for Network Administrators and Technicians, Network Installers & IT Cable Installers.

The A+ program and the Network+ program are CompTIA's flagship accreditations. These two, as a set, form the foundation of many current IT career tracks - and for good reason. Trainees learn a good deal of basic PC principles with 'A+' , including maintenance, support, repair, security, installation & fault finding. To help you become established within the IT market, the A+ also covers several communication & personal abilities. Developing this awareness, the N+ accreditation goes into networks, (including routers and servers) & teaches exactly how they inter-connect. Security is of course extremely important, & wireless-technology is dealt with to some extent. Both certifications complement one another well, and together provide a very good starting platform for additional exam programs, or a solid career in I.T. support.

These qualifications & job roles can be taken enroute to a more advanced I.T. job. Before you opt for a particular training program, bear in mind just where you prefer your career destination to be. The best way to optimise your career-path the most is to receive advice from an industry expert ahead of starting with your training course. IT Training companies may offer to create a tailored training path by assembling a selection of training programs that will take the individual from where they're starting from to wherever they would like to go.

On to the '09 edition of the Network+ - N10-004 has become the exam number. As well as keeping its focus on network infrastructure and management, the up-graded 2009 examination places a wider emphasis on Security, wireless-networking abilities & network-design concepts.

Any individual looking to establish themselves in IT will certainly profit from programs & qualifications developed by 'CompTIA'. Whatever area a trainee decides to work in I.T., there are various 'CompTIA' qualifications that will strengthen their skills. Individuals who are specifically thinking about Networking, Security, Systems, Support, Servers and Communications are particularly well-served. There's also now a push at CompTIA to provide their beginner level STRATA courses to those men and women who don't actually work within I.T., but would reap some benefits from an understanding of basic I.T. and how it influences their career.

Be prepared to allow in the region of a hundred to one hundred & fifty hrs learning time for the 'A+' exams, and for the Network+ around seventy five to a hundred hrs. Learning part-time, this can be achieved over a 6 month time period if you opt for an appropriate quality of training & superior exam preparation materials.

As part of their ISO standardisation move, 'CompTIA' have up-dated both A+ and N+ exams to '2009' editions. Globally the 2006/2007 versions of 'A+' (with the exam pre-fix numbers '600') will disappear within the next 12 months. In Britain, they discontinue on 31.08.2010. Up until that time, students can take either the 600 or the newer 700 exams at regional test centres (specifically Vue and Prometric). Logic suggests that new trainees should learn version 2009. A+ 2009 is currently offered as 220-701 CompTIA A+ Essentials & 220/702 CompTIA A+ Practical Application. The main changes were a whole re-structuring of the past 4 examinations in to just 2 examinations, and the inclusion of some teaching on newer relevant technologies. Even though the previous A+ had 4 exams in the total program, just two were expected for the certification. As the industry has progressed, the know-how from all 4 examinations is now considered necessary, and therefore has been condensed into two essential exams. Anyone who has formerly taken the '600' exam is allowed to bring their certification up to date by taking an up-grade examination : BR-003. Passing the upgrade exam will almost always need additional study, although it ought not to be too difficult for those who formerly studied all 4. Enough training hours really should be factored in for the new elements however.

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