CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) is a non-profit operation formed in 1982. They have developed step by step & right now are world leaders in IT accreditations that are vendor neutral. What this means is they are able to provide & over-see independent industry-recognised IT exams & certifications that don't reflect any one organisation's interests above another. With the current move to inter-connectivity & systems convergence, this is seen as a great step for the I.T. student, as it delivers cross platform learning and a knowledge of integration. Every time new syllabuses are produced, 'CompTIA' invites several educational & commercial groups to join them and validate that every area has been regarded equally, and the programs are commercially appropriate.

The two examinations have fairly recently undergone a 2009 update in line with the company's advance towards ISO standardisation. Globally the 2006/2007 versions of A+ (with the exam prefix numbers '600') will be retired within the next twelve months. After August 31st '10 they will no longer be accessible in Britain. As 2009 examinations ('700') are already available at test centres up and down the country, these newer study programs would be a more valuable choice for anyone who is just getting started. A+ '09 will now be offered as 220-701 'CompTIA' 'A+' Essentials and 220-702 'CompTIA' A+ Practical Application. The four previous exams have been streamlined in to two new exams, & some additional up-dated information has been included. Even though the old 'A+' had four examinations within the total program, only 2 were necessary for the certification. But as the industry has moved on, the knowledge from all 4 examinations is actually regarded as necessary, and so has been condensed in to 2 compulsory exams. Anybody who has formerly taken the '600' exam is allowed to bring their certification up to date by taking a bridging examination : 'BR-003'. This will probably require extra study, although less so if you studied all of the original exams, instead of just the minimum of two. Adequate study time need to be factored in for the newer technology aspects however.

Several of these jobs can be starting points for more professional I.T. careers, therefore, as with all career-tracks, it is vital that you first discuss just what your end goals are, and which learning-style you want. This requires actually talking to a professional industry expert clarify that the track you select is suitable & cost effective. Many organisations also offer 'packaged' career tracks which include these certifications, & so purchasing in a training bundle can offer considerable reductions in price.

Usual learning time for these examinations are judged to be in the region of 100-150 hours for the A+ , and 75-100 hours for the Network+ . This means acquiring them both inside of 6 months part-time studying very likely, provided that high quality multi-media training products utilised, in conjunction with decent examination preparation software.

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