Can somebody please explain A+ courses?

[LGS]

Hey everybody.

I'm leaving college soon and I was told about the A+ course, and how it would give me a good qualification for passing it.

I literally know nothing about the A+ course. The person who told me about it only knew a little, which wasn't much.

So I have a few questions:

1. I've seen something called CompTIA that relates to the A+ course, what is it?

2. What kind of qualification does passing an A+ course give?

3. I want to do a computer hardware A+ course, is it basically buying books and revising until I feel am I ready to do the test, or something else?

4. Do you have to take classes for it or something similar? I think I heard that you teach yourself from the books / practical experience, is this right?

5. When are the tests taken for the A+ course?

7. Where would I get the books and other things needed?

6. Would an A+ course be the best thing regarding computer hardware, or is there a better one I could be doing?

Thanks in advance to anybody who replies.

[Sylv3r]

I put one of my technicians through the A+ qualification. He passed them both first time one week after each other.

A couple of answers to your questions off the top of my head:

2) Its a worldwide ICT qualification that is recognised although probably isn't asked specifically on a job advert or at interview

3) Buy the books from somewhere like Amazon and revise in your own time until you are ready to sit the test. My technician revised in his own time but I also gave him a friday afternoon off each week to go to a quiet area of the school and revise - sort of CPD time.

Then you can book the test in an approved test centre whenever you think you are ready.

[LGS]

So an A+ qualification wouldn't get me any further into the field than a standard IT BTEC National Diploma would?

Unless I misread you terribly

[Sylv3r]

Originally Posted by LGS

So an A+ qualification wouldn't get me any further into the field than a standard IT BTEC National Diploma would?

Unless I misread you terribly

Personally I don't think so but others may disagree.

[Sylv3r]

Originally Posted by LGS

So an A+ qualification wouldn't get me any further into the field than a standard IT BTEC National Diploma would?

Unless I misread you terribly

I realised why you couldn't work out what I was trying to say - i've edited my initial post accordingly

[Edu-IT]

A+ also leads on to other courses such as Network+. At least that is my understanding.

[LGS]

So what course would I be better off doing after I finish my college course, if I want to have a better chance at getting into a good technician post?

Preferably something I can do in my own time, then sit the test when I feel like it.

[Edu-IT]

Originally Posted by LGS

So what course would I be better off doing after I finish my college course, if I want to have a better chance at getting into a good technician post?

Preferably something I can do in my own time, then sit the test when I feel like it.

The course you mentioned above, BTEC National Diploma, isn't too bad. The new syllabus is meant to be much improved. You'll need to go to college for that course though I think and it's not a test as such, lots of written work.

Do you plan to get a job or something while you study?

[SYNACK]

CCNA is probably a more respected qualification than A+ which would give you a good grounding in networking technology if you don't have one already. A large amount of stuff now requires heavy involvement of the network and so a good grounding is helpful.

The Microsoft qualification for Windows Vista/XP or Server 2008/2003 could also be beneficial. These are sometimes looked down on as there is a common view that most of the people who get these do it by cheating but in the long run if you lean the material properly they can be quite benificial.

[LGS]

I am already in my second year of doing the diploma

I was then going to leave college, stay at my job, and train myself up to get one of these qualifications, but now that doesn't seem like such a great idea?

I really want to get into hardware without having to do 2+ years at University. The A+ course looked good but obviously not so good now.

PS. My field would be hardware/technician.... I am really not interested in Networking

[SYNACK]

Originally Posted by LGS

I am already in my second year of doing the diploma

I was then going to leave college, stay at my job, and train myself up to get one of these qualifications, but now that doesn't seem like such a great idea?

I really want to get into hardware without having to do 2+ years at University. The A+ course looked good but obviously not so good now.

The A+ certificate is a good base level qualification that deals with the basic aspects of hardware and how to repair it. It is basically PC engineering and will go into the details of different bits of internal hardware like ISA, PCI, AGP, PCIe buses and basic systems architecture in order to give you a grounding on how the stuff all fits together.

In general it is an entry level qualification that companies like hp will make their front line computer assemblers get to make sure that they don't burn out half the gear with ESD.

If your current course provides a grounding in the internal hardware bits of computers then this course will probably not be of any extra use for you but if not it will provide a useful understanding of the internals of PCs.

[LGS]

Okay thanks for the help.

What courses would be better suited for when I leave college then, if I want to do jobs in computer hardware such as repairing, building etc?

I would prefer one I could do myself, so if there are any like that out there it would be great to know about them!

[tmcd35]

Personally I'd say, spending some time as a Junior Tech for a school would give you the qualification you desire - experience. I've got a Degree in Computing, and to be honest I can't say it has helped prior to my impending promotion (even then I think the experience of being a Senior Tech out weighed any qualifications on the ol' CV).

If I was to start again, I think I'd have got stuck in earlier in a Junior Tech/1st Line Helpdesk role rather than do the degree.

I agree with Synack, the CCNA is probably the best cert. to go for. It's certainly on my list of things to do. All the hardware stuff you learn by doing. Have you built you self a home PC yet?

Edit:

I don't know if it's still available but International Correspondence Schools (ICS) used to do a home study Diploma in PC-Repair. I passed this back in '98! Not very practical, but gives a good grounding in PC Hardware, builds and repair.

[LGS]

Originally Posted by tmcd35

Personally I'd say, spending some time as a Junior Tech for a school would give you the qualification you desire - experience. I've got a Degree in Computing, and to be honest I can't say it has helped prior to my impending promotion (even then I think the experience of being a Senior Tech out weighed any qualifications on the ol' CV).

If I was to start again, I think I'd have got stuck in earlier in a Junior Tech/1st Line Helpdesk role rather than do the degree.

I'm not sure about where you live, but the schools I went to didn't seem to do things like these? They had like 1 training employee and usually they were of an older age. I will look into it though.

I agree with Synack, the CCNA is probably the best cert. to go for. It's certainly on my list of things to do. All the hardware stuff you learn by doing. Have you built you self a home PC yet?

I've done a lot more than just that. I would say I'm pretty experience in hardware. I have built my own PCs from scratch, modded them, upgraded them, customised laptops, installed new cards/LEDs/fans/parts etc... certainly not a novice.

Edit:

I don't know if it's still available but International Correspondence Schools (ICS) used to do a home study Diploma in PC-Repair. I passed this back in '98! Not very practical, but gives a good grounding in PC Hardware, builds and repair.

Where are you from? I haven't really heard of anything like this in the schools round here.

[Little-Miss]

Hope this helps

1. CompTIA own A+

2. I've just recently become an IT Technician by doing 2 of the courses.

3. I did mine at a college evening course and it was tutor led. Had 2 lessons a week. They used to make us do an online mesure up exam get a certain pass grade so they know we're ready, then they would release the exam voucher to us.

4. You can teach yourself, it depends on your motivation and dedication.

5. When you are ready. Multiple choice. If you know your stuff, they're a piece of

7. The college sold us the books.

6. I think A+ is an industy recognised one. Not a lot of networking though.