'CompTIA' ('Computing Technology Industry Association') is a non-profit company formed in 1982. They have developed step by step and now are world leaders in I.T. accreditations that are vendor neutral. So they can independently develop and control a complete range of I.T. industry examinations & issue their own certifications which don't just apply to one particular company's goods. This is very good for students, as they can learn about different platforms & how they 'inter-connect' and integrate with each other - a common scenario in industry today. Whenever new syllabuses are produced, CompTIA invites numerous academic & industrial groups to come together & validate that each aspect has been regarded equally, & the packages are appropriate from a commercial perspective.

Both of the examinations have recently undergone a 2009 'facelift' in line with CompTIA's move towards ISO standardisation. The previous A+ (version 2006/2007) exams that were classified using the 600 pre-fix are being retired worldwide throughout 2010. After 31st August 2010 they will no longer be obtainable in the United Kingdom. As 2009 examinations ('700') are already available at test-centres regionally, the newer study programs would be a more valuable option anybody just starting out. A+ '09 will now be offered as '220/701' CompTIA 'A+' Essentials and 220-702 'CompTIA' 'A+' Practical Application. As well as some more material on more recent technology, we now have 2 examinations that cover components of all 4 of the past exams. Formerly, the A+ was broken into four exams: 1 essential & three 'elective' specialisations. As the industry has developed, the knowledge from all 4 examinations is currently considered crucial, and therefore has been fine-tuned into two compulsory assessments. 'CompTIA' also have produced the BR/003 bridging exam, for students accredited under the 600 examinations who need to update to the new 700 exams. Passing the bridging exam will generally need additional study, but this shouldn't be especially onerous for those who originally studied all electives. Adequate study time must be allowed for the new technology elements however.

Many of these jobs can be starting points for more professional IT positions, and so, much like all career-tracks, its vital that you first talk over exactly what your end-goals are, & which learning style you want. Take the opportunity to go through everything with a training program & IT professional - it will protect you from any set backs down the road. IT Training organisations can often create a bespoke training path by assembling a combination of training programs that will take the individual from where they're starting from to where they would like to end up.

On to the '09 edition of the 'Network+' - N10-004 has become the exam reference number. As well as the strong element of managing networks & their infrastructures, this latest exam focuses heavily on security, design and wireless skills.

If you are interested in any of the following work opportunities, the A+ would certainly work well - Depot Technician, Call Centre Technician, Remote Support Technician, Help Desk Technician, Field Service Technician, IT Administrator and PC Technician . With CompTIA Network+ on top of that, you're able to look at becoming an IT Cable Installer, a Network Installer, a Network Administrator or a Network Technician .

By far the most well known of all the CompTIA accreditations are without doubt the 'A+' and 'Network+'. Together they comprise the first step toward many career paths in I.T., and as a result are leaders within their industry. 'A+' training covers all of the fundamentals of Computer maintenance, fault-finding and repair; including installation, security and support. So that you can become established within the IT industry, the 'A+' also addresses a variety of communication and personal skillsets. The 'CompTIA' Network+ accreditation extends this experience to a wider grasp of networking, servers and routers, & how they communicate. The very important matter of 'Security' is underlined, and Wireless networks are described at an elementary level. The two accreditations complement each other well, & together form an excellent start-up platform for additional examination programs, or a solid career in I.T. support.

For the A+ examinations give yourself around 100-150 hours to study and prepare, and slightly less for the 'Network+' exams (possibly around 75-100 hrs). This means acquiring both of them in six months part time study entirely viable, provided that high quality multimedia training products utilised, along with excellent exam preparation-software.

Anybody starting in IT will certainly profit from programs and accreditations developed by CompTIA. Trainees wanting to get into networking and support, or security, systems & servers should most often begin with CompTIA, although it's true to state that CompTIA qualifications can boost virtually any Curriculum Vitae geared for the I.T. industry. There's also now a drive within 'CompTIA' to supply their starter-level STRATA courses to those men and women who do not work within IT, but would gain from an awareness of the basics of IT and just how it influences their career.

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