How To Get An A+ Certification

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Those that gather information on how to get it training on A+ certification will be wanting to demonstrate their competency as computer technicians.

The body behind the A+ certification is the non-profit making CompTIA and although they favour no manufacturer, they obviously tend to relate to Microsoft operating systems, although some Apple modules are now beginning to appear.

And for those that wish to go further than A+ certification, CompTIA also offer a number of follow-up courses, including Linux+, Network+, Security+ and iNet+.

The A+ certification is made up of two tests. The first is called A+ Essentials and is compulsory, and then the candidate can then choose the second test from one of three separate exams. It is the only IT industry course to focus on PC maintenance. Since the exam was created in 1993, only around 800,000 worldwide have been awarded the certification.

To successfully complete A+ certification, you must have a thorough understanding of how a personal computer works and also how computer operating systems work (mostly Microsoft Windows).

The A+ certification requires you to be able to take a computer apart, then identify the components and then reassemble it again so that it works once more.  You also have to be proficient in not only using operating systems, but also understanding their basic methodology.

And if you’re wondering what that means in practical terms, if you intend to study for the A+ certification, you will need around 500 hours experience of having worked with computer hardware and software, the configuration and layout of a computer, system files, networking, maintenance and computer problems.

The A+ certification exams are computer based, as you would expect, and consist of a number of multiple choice questions, with often more than one correct answer. The focus of the tests is practical, rather than pure theory.

Core subjects for the A+ certification are practical computer repair (which comes down to the repair and installation of hard drives, CPUS, power supply, modems and printer connectivity), IRQs, direct memory access, file configuration, management of memory, troubleshooting systems, previous viable operating systems and new technologies.