Too many colleges just do courses. Always use a provider that specialises in IT training geared to the needs of industry. Each type of role asks for different levels of qualifications and skills, so we strongly recommend that you take advice from an industry expert before settling on a course or career path. That way you can be confident that the syllabus of your learning package fits the skill set of the job you want.

Most colleges offer only two of the training courses the CompTIA A+ provide as you’re considered A+ competent when you’ve passed the test for two of the four areas.

Don’t sell yourself short – you will need the training for all four areas. We know from experience that this will give you a distinct advantage in industry, as many jobs ask for skills and knowledge of all four areas. You only need to take two of the exams for certification, so you can choose which one you take alongside the CompTIA ‘Essentials’ exam.

CompTIA A+ Training. What Jobs Will It Lead To?

The options open to you will vary slightly based on the additional skills you have. CompTIA A+ on its own will give you the ability to fix and repair stand-alone PC’s and MAC’s that are most often not part of a network – which means the home computer market.

If you add into the mix user-skills such as ECDL, MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) or MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician), it will open the door to help-desk work. This could involve solving problems and giving instructions verbally over the phone for a client to follow, or more increasingly using remote access tools to take over someone’s computer via the internet or network.

If you fancy fixing and supporting networks throughout a company, it’s likely that you’ll need to add CompTIA Network+, or consider the Microsoft networking route (MCSA – MCSE) as you’ll need more networking skills.

If this sort of course presses your buttons, then it’s very likely you’re a practical, hands-on sort of person. Learning to you usually means getting stuck in and having a go! Reading manuals is a last resort when you can’t figure out what to do next, and any manuals you have got are probably gathering dust with no more than 50 pages read between them.

If this has struck a chord, you’ll find a traditional training route of books, manuals and classrooms very uncomfortable. You could force yourself to do it but why bother when there are fully interactive on-screen training courses.

These days you can watch full motion video tutorials and demonstrations, and then interact with the software in virtual labs to practice what you’ve just been taught. You’ll look forward to your next training session, which you can do anytime from the comfort of your own home – no need to trudge along to classes every week.

To complete this quality form of training, all you need is some friendly help and you’re on your way. We would recommend direct access 24/7 support where a tutor is waiting to communicate with you anytime of day or night. This sophisticated level of course and support has been put together and it’s out there if you look. When you find it, you’ll be surprised how much cheaper it is than traditional CompTIA A+ training.