Trade organization CompTIA has launched updated exams for its CompTIA A+ flagship certification for IT support technicians. According to CompTIA, the new exams “reflect the expanding responsibilities IT technicians have within their organizations.”
“The IT technician’s role is increasingly more complex and sophisticated than in the days of the break-fix PC repairman,” says Terry Erdle, CompTIA’s executive vice president, skills certification. “Today they are responsible for a myriad of technologies, from mobile devices and wireless to security and virtualization. The new CompTIA A+ exams reflect this reality.”
CompTIA A+ is an ISO/ANSI accredited†certification that validates foundation-level knowledge and skills necessary for a career in IT service and support. More than 900,000 IT professionals have earned the CompTIA A+ credential since it was introduced in 1993.
The updated CompTIA A+ exams are available now worldwide in English. Exams in other languages will be introduced in the coming months.
The exams include multiple choice, multiple selection, and calculator-assisted questions as well as performance-based questions that require certification candidates to perform a task or solve a problem within a simulated IT environment.
To prepare for exams with performance-based questions, CompTIA encourages candidates to review the exam objectives. The trade organization recommends individuals have 12 months of experience before sitting for the new exams.
Individuals must pass two exams to earn CompTIA A+ certification. The first exam (220-801) covers PC hardware, networking, laptops, printers, and operational procedures. The second (220-802) covers operating systems, security, mobile devices, troubleshooting, and integration of computing devices in a network.
Complete exam objectives are available on the CompTIA certification website. Exam vouchers and training materials are available in the CompTIA Marketplace.
The previous versions of the CompTIA A+ exams (220-701 and 220-702) remain available through Aug. 31, 2013. Individuals currently studying for these exams are encouraged to continue their studies and to test on the 701 and 702 exams.
Courseware & Training Materials for New Exams
Educational materials and training resources to support the new CompTIA A+ exams are available from a number of CompTIA Authorized Partners, including:
These materials have been reviewed by industry experts and approved by CompTIA through the CompTIA Approved Quality Content (CAQC) program.
